iliar with this building, is
led to wonder why he did not by piercing the niches, imitate Ely at
St. Paul's.

The Windows, round-headed and without tracery, contrast unfavourably
with the Lancet and Decorated. Wren recognised the value of tracery,
as is evident from his remarks on Salisbury Cathedral, although he
objected to the Perpendicular mullions and transoms.[82] Yet it is
difficult to see how he could have devised anything more elaborate or
graceful to harmonise. The carving above and below, in the
conventional festoons of the day, is almost universally voted as
respectable and nothing more. Mr. Ruskin is very severe on these
festoons, on the ground that they are tied heavily into a long bunch
thickest in the middle, and pinned up by both ends against a dead
wall, and contends that the architecture has no business with rich
ornament in any place. Yet he admits that the sculpture is as careful
and rich as may be; and let any one study, for instance, the window
immediately east of the south portico, and particularly below, where
the details can be better observed. In spite of a heavy top-coat of
smoke, the combination of cherubs, birds, grapes, and foliage is as
graceful and artistic as possible; and the work beneath the east end
and north transept windows will also well repay careful study. These
details are apt to be neglected, possibly because they seem dwarfed by
the immense proportions of the building.[83]

The North and South Chapels, as we hear on probably trustworthy
authority, were added at the instance of James, Duke of York, who
looked forward to the day when the Roman Catholic services would be
substituted for the Anglican. Although Stephen is silent as to his
grandfather's intentions, there is evidence given by Mr. Longman and
Miss Lucy Phillimore to show that Wren tried his best to finish the
building without them. Whether seen from the north-east or south-west
they interfere with the perspective, and the independence of the
lowest stage of the West Towers is completely lost; and curiously
enough in this last respect the South-West or Consistory Chapel does
very much what St. Gregory's did to the Lollards' Tower in Old St.
Paul's.

We now turn to the different parts and members.

=North and South Fronts.=--These are similar, each part corresponding
to each, excepting a slight difference in the steps of the porticoes
caused by the ground on the south side sloping towards the Thames; and
this unif