“Since first along the Ver’s embattled banks The Roman leader stretch’d his martial ranks, Till Henry’s mandate struck the fated shrine And sadly closed St. Alban’s mitred line.” But without occupying further space in the dry routine of description, we enter at once into the sanctuary, and notice such of the noble and majestic features as may best convey to the reader some adequate idea of its internal magnificence. Although familiarly acquainted with the finest specimens of monastic buildings on the Continent, yet so much were we struck on our last visit to this noble pile in January, that it seemed to take precedence of all that we could remember; and, as we passed before its shrines, through its [Illustration] pillared avenues, paused in its choir, and stood in awe in front of its great altar, compelled us to ejaculate--“We have seen nothing finer than this.” “Bold is the <g>Abbey’s</g> front, and plain; The walls no shrined saint sustain, Nor tower nor airy pinnet crown; But broadly sweeps the Norman arch Where once in brighten’d shadow shone King Offa, on his pilgrim-march, And proudly points the moulder’d stone Of the high vaulted porch beneath, Where Norman beauty hangs a wreath Of simple elegance and grace; Where slender columns guard the space On every side, in cluster’d row, The triple arch through arch disclose, And lightly o’er the vaulting throw The thwart-rib and the fretted rose.” The fresh florid painting of the chestnut roof, upon which not a brush has been employed for three centuries or more, is very remarkable, and shows that the secret of mixing colours for the eye of posterity has not descended to the present day. In the several compartments of this roof, as faintly seen [Sidenote: <g>i h s</g> JESU HOMINUM SALVATOR.] in the foregoing view, the three initial letters are the only ornament; and being in the Saxon form, the effect is rather pleasing than otherwise.--But in order to give the reader a more correct notion of the interior, we proceed to the particular features selected for illustration. Among these is