Bird, is designed with curves of
contrary flexure for the purpose of adding to the height. Mr. Longman
likens these towers to Alpine aiguilles, and points out how
picturesquely they form outposts to the great mass of the dome.

Both towers are used as campaniles. The north contains the "five
minutes" bell, and the new peal, numbering twelve. The southern
contains the three bells on which the clock is struck; and the largest
of these, weighing 5 tons 4 cwt., is the passing bell on great
occasions. On June 3, 1882, the citizens heard for the first time
their new Great Paul. This monster, weighing nearly seventeen tons,
came from the foundry of Messrs. Taylor, at Loughborough, and its
progress by road was duly chronicled like that of some great
personage. It was placed in the south tower, and is reckoned amongst
the largest bells in the world. Part of the magnificent railings, cast
without the use of coal, at Lamberhurst on the Kent and Sussex border,
have been removed, and, after suffering shipwreck, now enclose a
monument at Toronto. We can but regret that some second home was not
found in London for such a specimen of an extinct industry: but the
throwing open of the area, so that justice might be done to the view
of the cathedral, is in strict accordance with Wren's views. So is the
present arrangement of the steps. In the landing the red marble is
from Laconia, in Southern Greece, the dark grey from Porto Venere,
near La Spezia, in Italy, and the granite from Shap, in Westmoreland.

Posterity may be thankful that Wren was allowed a free hand in
departing from the Accepted Design, and in carrying out his more fully
developed conceptions. The well worked out designs of the different
parts and details, and the combination of these into one harmonious
whole with the dome for a background, leave nothing to be desired.[86]

Before leaving, the visitor may stand by Queen Anne's statue and
reflect that near that very spot was erected the scaffold on which
suffered Sir Everard Digby, Robert Wynter, John Grant, and Thomas
Bates, for their share in the Gunpowder Plot. Digby was said to have
been the handsomest man of his day. He died "penitent and sorrowful
for his vile treason," as did all save Grant.

=The Dome.=--To the end, Wren's wish seems to have been to have made
the external height no greater than was required by the formation of
the internal cupola. "_The old Church having had before a very lofty
Spire of Timber an