7]

=The Organ.=--In Old St. Paul's the organ was considered to have but
two peers, Canterbury and York; and the present instrument is worthy
of its predecessor. Grinling Gibbons executed the older part of the
case, with its foliage, figures, and imitations of the architecture.
Bernard Schmidt, a German, was the builder; and in 1802 "a most
industrious Swede and his partner" took it to pieces, cleaned it, and
improved the tone of many of the notes. When the choir was opened out,
at the suggestion of Dr. Sparrow-Simpson the instrument was enlarged
by Mr. Willis, divided between the two sides, and placed above the
stalls at the west end, the old carved work being chiefly on the north
side. Whether Jeremiah Clark (1695-1707) lived long enough to preside
is uncertain; but if not, Richard Brind (1707-1718) was the first to
play the present instrument. Neither Sir John Stainer nor Sir George
Martin need any mention. The organist is seated on the north side, and
communicates by electricity.

=The Reredos.=--Advantage has been taken of the space between the
great eastern piers to bring forward the altar and crown it with a
lofty reredos. Would Wren have approved of the breaking of the vista
by shutting out the windows of the apse? As he himself designed an
unexecuted Baldachino "of rich marble columns writhed" somewhat after
the style of his favourite St. Peter's,[108] and as this was not so
high, and was to stand against the east wall, the answer to this
question is doubtful. The impression left is that for the present
altar-piece he would have designed his east front somewhat
differently. Be this as it may, upon this magnificent specimen of
modern art it is waste of time to lavish praise, and the names of the
designers, Messrs. Bodley and Garner, will always be associated with
it. The symbolism is expressed in the frieze above the Crucifixion,
"Sic Deus dilexit mundum" ("God so loved the world"). The lower part
is pierced with doors on either side: and "Via Electionis" ("A chosen
vessel") over the north door refers to St. Paul, and "Pasce oves meos"
("Feed my sheep") over the other to St. Peter; and here the crossed
swords are the arms of the diocese. The section above has the
Entombment in the centre, and the Nativity and Resurrection on either
side. A Crucifixion occupies the central position. The framework is of
Roman design, with pilasters and a round arch; and remembering Wren's
conception, it is interesting that the c