ely, a series or suite of
DROLLERIES ... of about four or five feet high ... which cannot fail to
attract the antiquary's especial notice. These figures are coarsely but
spiritedly cut in stone. They are placed upon the bracket which supports
the galleries, or balcony, of the eastern side of the facade of the tower,
and are about sixty-five English feet from the ground. They extend to
thirty-two feet in length. Through the kind offices of my friend Mr.
Schweighaeuser, junior, (of whom by and by) I have obtained drawings of
these droll subjects,[210] and I am sure that, in common with many of our
friends, you will be amused with the sight of a few of them. They are
probably of the date of 1370;

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

The common people call this series the _Sabbath of Demons,_ or _the Dance
of the Witches_. You are to know, however, that on the opposite side of the
cathedral there is a series of figures, of the same size, and executed
nearly in the same style of art, descriptive of scriptural events, mixed
with allegorical subjects. Having now pointed out what appears to me to be
chiefly interesting in the _exterior_ of this marvellous building, it is
right that I give you some notion of its _interior_: which will however
occupy but a short portion of your attention. Indeed--I grieve to speak
it--both the exterior and interior of the _nave_ are wholly unworthy of
such a magnificent west-front.

The nave and choir together are about three hundred and fifty-five English
feet in length; of which the nave is two hundred and forty-four--evidently
of too scanty dimensions. The width of the nave and side aisles is one
hundred and thirty-two feet: the height of the nave is only seventy-two
feet. The larger of the nine clustered columns is full seventy-two feet in
circumference; the more delicate, thirty feet. There is really nothing
striking in this nave; except that, on turning round, and looking up to the
painted glass of the circular or marygold window, you observe the colours
of it, which are very rich, and absolutely gay, compared with those of the
other windows. There is a profusion of painted glass in almost all the
windows; but generally of a sombre tint, and of a correspondent gloomy
effect. Indeed, in consequence of this profusion, the cathedral absolutely
wants light.

The choir is sixty-seven feet wide, without side aisles, and is much lower
than the nave. It is impossible to speak of this choir without