The other figure on the tomb is that of the second Cardinal of the same name, who was a nephew of the statesman. The great bell which was given by the Archbishop to be hung in the Tour de Beurre, and was named Georges d’Amboise, was in 1793 melted down to make cannon for the Republicans. The thirteenth-century glass in the sacristy and the two adjoining windows is a foretaste of the glories of Chartres. The erection of the great spire of open ironwork on the central tower began in 1827, replacing the wooden spire finished in 1550, and destroyed by lightning in 1822. It is one of the tallest spires in the world, and is considered by many writers to be a hideous excrescence on the great Gothic pile; but although it cannot have the romance or charm of stone, its effect at a distance, in spite of its curious finial, is quite the reverse of unpleasing, and when one is near at hand it has a way of hiding itself, or, if it shows at all, it appears so vast and tremendous that its dimensions suppress the criticisms that would flow readily if the spire were half its height. The Church of St. Ouen.--To the north-east of the cathedral (see plan) stands the great abbey church of St. Ouen, in the wide open space of the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville--as great a contrast to the narrow streets that crowd up to the cathedral as could be imagined. It is for this reason that St. Ouen from without does not call up with any vividness the romance of a medieval church packed into the small space which was all that the encircling defensive walls could afford. But the church of St. Ouen is the most perfect and the most beautiful of the abbey churches of France, and there might be legitimate cause for grumbling if it were impossible to get a clear view of it. There is only space to tell the story of the building in the following list of dates: St. Ouen.--_Building Dates_ 400. Legendary date of the founding of the earliest church. 686. St. Ouen, Archbishop of Rouen, buried in church that received his name. _c._ 841. Destroyed by Northmen, but rebuilt by Rollo. 1045. Old church demolished by Abbot Nicholas, and new one founded, which was dedicated in 1126. 1136. Destroyed by fire, and then rebuilt, the Empress Matilda and Richard Cœur de Lion aiding the work. 1248. Again destroyed by fire. 1318-1339. Fifth church commenced, and eastern portion built by Abbot Jean Roussel, otherwise called Marc d’Argent. Building carried on all through fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, interrupted at intervals during the Hundred Years’ War with England. 1422-1441. Alexandre de Berneval, architect, designed rose-window for south transept; built chapel of SS. Peter and Paul. 1806. Monastic buildings entirely demolished; had served as residence of Kings of France when in Rouen--Henri II., Charles IX., Henri III., Henri IV., and Louis XIII. 1845. West front erected by order of the Government under Louis Philippe; architect, M. Grégoire. * * * * *