alas! what a change is there in the space
of a few short hours; what a scene of desolation, what a lesson of the
instability of sublunary things and the vanity of human grandeur! The
glory of the city of York, of England, yea, almost of Europe, is now,
through the fanaticism of a modern Erostratus, rendered comparatively
a pile of ruin; but still

"Looks great in ruin, noble in decay."

This is the third time that this magnificent structure has been assailed
by fire; twice it has been totally destroyed; but, like another phoenix,
it has again risen from its ashes in a greater degree of splendour. A
period of nearly seven hundred years has now elapsed since the last of
these occurrences; and the present fabric has but now narrowly escaped
sharing the fate of its predecessors.

The damage which the Minster has sustained is not, perhaps, of
so great a magnitude as, from the first appearance of the fire, might
have been anticipated. The destruction is principally confined to the
_choir_, the roof of which is entirely consumed. The beautiful and
elaborately carved _screen_,[1] which divides the choir from the
nave, and forms a support for the organ-loft, has escaped in a most
wonderful manner, a few of the more projecting ornaments being merely
detached. The organ, an instrument scarcely equalled in tone by any
other in Europe, is totally destroyed. The oaken stalls,[2] together
with their richly carved canopies, have likewise perished. The altar
table, which stood at the eastern end of the choir, on a raised
pavement, ascended by a flight of fifteen steps, is likewise consumed,
and the communion plate melted. The beautiful stone screen, which
separated the Lady's Chapel from the altar, has not suffered so
materially as was at first imagined. This elegant specimen of ancient
sculpture is divided into eight pointed arches, and elaborately
ornamented with tracery work: the lights were filled with plate glass,
through which a fine view of the great eastern window was obtained;
some pieces of which still remain uninjured.

Such are the principal parts of the cathedral which have suffered. The
books, cushions, and other movable effects, from the northern side of
the choir, were fortunately rescued, together with the brazen eagle,
from which the prayers were read. The wills, and other valuable
documents, were also preserved.

The choir, the destruction of which we have just related, was built by
John de Thoresby, a prel