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320

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only concerning the pillars and other marble work, but alsoconcerning the wood-work of the roof, if you think fit thatit should be built in that form.”

Then follows a glowing description of the building whencompleted, from which we extract the following:—

“ First of all, then, he adorned the sacred cave itself, asthe chief part of the whole work, and the hallowed monu-ment of which the angel radiant with light had once declaredto all that regeneration which was first manifested in theSaviour's person. This monument, therefore, first of all, asthe chief part of the whole, the emperor’s zealous magnifi-cence beautified with rare columns, and properly enrichedwith the most splendid decorations of every kind. The nextobject of his attention was a space of ground of great extent,and open to the pure air of heaven. This he adorned witha pavement of finely-polished stone, and enclosed it on threesides with porticos of great length. For at the side oppositethe sepulchre, which was the eastern side, the church itselfwas erected, a noble work rising to a vast height, and ofgreat extent both in length and breadth. The interior of thisstructure was floored with marble slabs of various colours,whilst the external surface of the walls, which shone withpolished stones exactly fitted together, exhibited a degree ofsplendour in no respect inferior to that of marble. Withregard to the roof, it was covered on the outside with lead,as a protection against the rains of winter. But the innerpart of the roof, which was finished with sculptured fretwork,extended in a series of connected compartments, like a vastsea, over the whole church ; and being overlaid throughoutwith the purest gold, caused the entire building to glitter asit were with rays of light.

“ Besides this, were two porticos on each side, with upperand lower ranges of pillars corresponding in length with thechurch itself, and these also had their roofs ornamented withgold. Of these porticos, those which were exterior to thechurch were supported by columns of immense size, whilethose within these rested on piers of stone beautifully adornedon the surface. Three gates placed exactly east were intendedto receive those who entered the church.

“ Opposite these gates, the crowning part of all was thehemisphere, which rose to the very summit of the church.This was encircled by twelve columns, (according to thenumber of the apostles of our Saviour,) having their capi-tals embellished with silver bowls of great size, whichthe emperor himself presented as a splendid offering tohis God .

“ I n the next place he enclosed the atrium, which occupiedthe space leading to the entrances in front of the church.This comprehended first the court, then the porticos on eachside, and lastly the gates of the court. After these, in themidst of the open market-place, the entrance-gates of thewhole work, which were of exquisite workmanship, affordedto passers-by, on the outside, a view of the interior, whichcould not fail to inspire astonishment.

“ This temple, then, the emperor erected as a conspicuousmonument of the Saviour’s resurrection, and embellishedit throughout on an imperial scale of magnificence. Hefurther enriched it with numberless offerings of inexpres-sible beauty, consisting of gold, silver, and precious stonesin various forms ; the skilful and elaborate arrangementof which, in regard to their magnitude, number, andvariety, we have not leisure at present to describe par-ticularly.”

The following is our author’s description of the church ofPaulinus at Tyre, in his letter to that bishop :—

“ Thus then, embracing a much wider space, he strength-ened the outer enclosure with a wall to compass the edifice,

■lb

vo>'

that it might be a most secure bulwarkThen raising a large and lofty vestibule,

to the wbolej^ it

he exte* 1 ^

towards the rays of the rising sun ; and, ongates, he has not permitted you to enter iinmedn^ lea'

impure and unwashed feet, within the sanctuaryan extensive space between the temple and the V 1has decorated and enclosed it with four surrou

e stih ult!|

th®

in?

be

ticos, presenting a quadrangular space, won every side.

to ‘ be

1,069

th P' 11 |)g 9 fra" ,e ”

Between these lie carried round j ie jgb^latticed railing, rising to a proportionate and SIJlta | ieleaving, however, the middle space open, so tba j-. lte d by * fcan be seen, and present the splendid sky 'f't,.'sviu bt,l3 .;uibeams of the sun. Here, too, he has placed th J opP° sl 3the sacred purification, by providing fountains t>the temple, which, by the abundant effusion o ^ toaffords the means of cleansing, to those that p r ° ^ ] aC e {|1 ^inner parts of the sanctuary. And this is the ni» prreceives those that enter, and which, at the san # g piesents to those that need the first introduction,did and convenient station. nC es

“ After passing this, he has made open en ^

temple, with many other inner vestibules, by p ofthree gates on one side towards the rising sun. ^ ea ch , t |,constructed the middle one, far exceeding tbl ° se e th ,ie ’,"co-in height and breadth, embellishing it, at tbe . S ? o0) an^

exceedingly splendid brazen plates bound with i ’ ar ds . *

rated with sculpture, superadding them, a3 f disP° 3 ftC liattendants to a queen. In the same way, 8 j coS o» * tthe number of the vestibules, also with the P° ^ di ff e g{6side of the whole temple, he constructed above j t ting ;tbopenings to the building, for the purpose of j ec01 -ate^light, and these lights or windows he also ^

various kinds of ornamental sculpture. . , j with n ijt/“ But the royal temple itself he has buinl9 roU g lib ef e (splendid and rich materials, applying a gene^ ^ sjff g (in his expenses. And here it appears to 01 ^ br ea ^fluous to describe the dimensions, the length . sU r P‘] ]t .othe edifice, the splendid elegance, the grandeui^ J \oMdescription, and the dazzling aspect ot the W v yithlie had thus completed the temple, he also j 1 ||S *thrones in honour of those who preside, a ^ 9)1 d *^,,11decently arranged in order throughout the w {t j,js «j t |i

lin nlo/in/4 tlixi Iwilir olfol* in +1)0 TO 1 rldle. Ana j ir

lie placed the holy altar in the middle. '^”" en clos e<1 ‘" c ulp'might be inaccessible to the multitude, he , en [ oil®frame-lattice work, accurately wrought Ito the. thifture, presenting a beautiful appeal anceAnd not even the pavement was neglecte P r ° C ..iJ^

."" and HeP‘->a

att !o ‘" e

totl ! e ^S e nnd!o the ned W,th m,bJe >

spacious exhedra {>ar . ts outside the temple. —

0 the church, and * ° eCI 011 eacb SJ de, united andhuddle of the templeJ? muDicati ng with the entrance

«ot indeed the'idem rUC i Ure8 ’ the formev is stH1 in

1 ° Relieve, a bu£ ’ as there

DieiJ t. The text y^ n,lar in g™™' 1 form “lime, “' ,d

conveys but an inde.fi ^ us ? blus >s difficult and obsc-,u ^,ve have a pi an „ . ,“ lt0 of the edifice. Stra n n e oa a 9

participation 1 ; 8 ^ ab, hot Adamnan , so distingu‘ a ^5,in the great paschal controversy,^,,^-itectural antiquary with to # gI 'n-We owe the in formation ^

his participation

and he supplies the architectural antiqu aI v at j 0 n -ledge so much desired. We owe the 1 ” ae a n<l c ° ^,,11'gular contingency. After a long pilgrj® 0 pishop’ e gtresidence in the Holy Land, a Gau 19 th® >e c {il>' 1Arculplms, driven to the Hebrides , b eL " ^ d® 3the Culdee monastery. Here he related hi r