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Read Ebook: The Mirror of Literature Amusement and Instruction. Volume 17 No. 472 January 22 1831 by Various
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THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
CHRIST CHURCH, DONCASTER.
The town of Doncaster has been long celebrated for its beauty and cleanliness, for its striking approach from the south, its magnificent Grand Stand, and celebrated Race Course, its public buildings, its venerable Gothic Church, and stately tower; and latterly, by the erection of a beautiful Gothic Church, with an elegant spire, giving an additional feature to the town from every approach.
The site of the church, at the point where the Thorne road branches from the great North road, is particularly fine and open, occupying about two and a half acres of ground, surrounded by wide and spacious public roads. The style of architecture adopted is that which prevailed in the fourteenth century. The stone used is from the celebrated quarries of Roche Abbey.
The plan of the church comprises a tower, nave, two side-aisles, and a chancel; the latter, together with two vestries, forms a semi-octagonal projection, which gives the east end a multangular and unusual appearance. There are six windows to each aisle, and a seventh at the north-east and south-east vestries. Each of these is divided horizontally by two cross-mullions, and thereby formed into twelve lights; the centre three are square quartrefoils; and the tracery at the head forms three other quartrefoils. The east window is of six principal lights, and the upper part spread out in tracery.
The principal entrance is through a spacious octangular porch, the whole size of the tower, which is groined in imitation of stone. The entrance to the galleries and side-aisles is by the doors on the north and south sides of the church.
The size of the church from the tower to the chancel, in the interior, is ninety-four feet long, and fifty-two wide, with galleries at the south and north sides and west end. The accommodation is for one thousand persons, of which three hundred seats are free and unappropriated. The ceiling above the nave is divided into square compartments, by bold ornamented beams, with bosses at the intersection, which are painted in imitation of oak. The side-aisles are groined in imitation of stone, having bosses at the intersection of the ribs, with corbels for the ribs to rise from.
The pulpit, reading, and clerk's desks accord in style with the building, and are placed in the centre of the middle aisle, which is ten feet wide. A handsome stone font is placed in front of the west entrance.
We cannot conclude this account without expressing our admiration of this beautiful specimen of modern architecture, which, although not free from defects, possesses architectural merit in a very high degree. The uniform correctness of style in the detail, the beautiful and finely-proportioned spire, the chaste and elegant tracery of the windows, the light ornamental buttresses and pinnacles, all combine to give a character to the building pleasing and satisfactory, and reflect great credit on the architects, Messrs. Woodhead and Hurst, of Doncaster.
The building was consecrated by his Grace the Archbishop of York, on the 10th of September, 1829; and the church opened for divine service on the 1st of November following.
The Rev. Henry Branson is appointed the first minister to this church; and the friends of the establishment will hear with satisfaction that, since the opening, the number of worshippers has increased by those who formerly attended the dissenting meeting-houses in the town and neighbourhood.
A subscription has been raised for an organ, which is now building by Gray, of London.
MAGNA CHARTA ISLAND.
The writer hereof has caught many a trout and perch off the banks opposite to the island, and has passed many a contemplative hour on the events of former ages, which have rendered the spot particularly interesting.
THE WATER KING'S BRIDE.
FROM THE GERMAN OF SCHILLER.
Light o'er the water the sun's ray glanc'd, While the youths and maidens of Tubingen danc'd. A stranger youth of noble mien, Proffered his hand to the village queen. "Youth, say why is thine hand so white? The water knows not the daybeams light; Youth, oh why is so cold thine arm, Can it in Neckar's flood be warm?" He led her away from the lime-tree's shade; "Return my daughter," her mother said. He led her on to the stream so clear, "Oh youth let me go, for I tremble with fear." He danc'd till they reach'd the Neckar's bank, One shriek, one plunge, in the wave they sank. "Farewell, farewell, to thee, Tubingen's pride, Maiden, thou art the Water King's Bride."
WOMAN.
The following curious compliment to the fair sex is extracted from an old play, entitled "Cupid's Whirligig:"--
Burns must have had somewhat of the same idea as that which I have underlined, when he wrote--
"Her 'prentice han' she tried on man, And then she made the lasses O!"
JAC-CO.
THE VICTORY OF THE CID.
The subject of the following lines is mentioned in the traditional histories of Spain: that on one occasion, to insure victory in a nocturnal attack on the Moslem camp, the body of the Cid was taken from the tomb, and carried in complete armour to the field of battle.
Not a voice was heard at our hour of need, When we plac'd the corse on his barbed steed, Save one, that the blessing gave. Not a light beam'd on the charnel porch Save the glare which flash'd from the warrior's torch, O'er the death-pale face of the brave.
We press'd the helm on his ghastly head, We bound a sword to the hand of the dead, When the Cid went forth to fight. Oh where was Castile's battle cry, The shout of St. James and victory, And the Christians stalwart might?
The winds swept by with mournful blast, And sigh'd through the plumes of the dead as he past, Through troublous skies the clouds flitted fast, And the moon her pale beam faintly cast, Where the red cross banner stream'd, But each breeze bore the shouts of the Moslem throng, Each sigh was echoed by Paynim song; Where the silvery crescent beam'd.
Undrawn was the rein, and his own good sword Ungrasp'd by the nerveless hand of its lord; His steed pac'd on with solemn tread, 'Neath the listless weight of the mighty deed. But each warrior's heart beat high, As he mark'd the beacon's wavering flash, And heard the Moorish cymbal clash, For he knew that the Cid was nigh.
We bore him back to his silent bed, When his plumes with Paynim blood were red, And the mass was sung, and the prayer was said For the conqueror from the grave. We wrapp'd him again in his funeral vest, We placed his sword on the clay cold breast, And o'er the place of the hero's rest, Bade Castile's banner wave.
SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY.
THE AEOLOPHON, A NEWLY-INVENTED INSTRUMENT.
When Lord Stanhope first launched his model-boat on the Serpentine, no one expected to see the time when steam and paddles should suffice to carry "a tall ship" across the broad Atlantic. As little did we, when we were first amused by that very pretty musical toy, the German Eolina, anticipate, that within three years we should hear such an instrument as the one we are about to describe. In shape, size, and compass, the AEOLOPHON is the counterpart of a babinet piano-forte, having six octaves of keys extending from FF to F; and its sounds are produced by a series of metallic springs, set in vibration by the action of the air produced from a bellows. It has three pedals--one for filling the wind-chest, and the others regulating the swell. The tone of this instrument, particularly in the middle and lower parts of its compass, is among the most beautiful we have ever heard, and much superior, both in body and quality, to that of any chamber organ of equal size; added to which, the Aeolophon has the inestimable advantage of never varying its pitch, or getting out of tune.
From the nature of this instrument, it will be readily conceived that its best effects are displayed in slow movements, and the sustaining and swelling long notes; but, to our surprise as well as pleasure, we found that a running passage, even of semitones, could be executed upon it, if not with all the distinctness of a Drouet or a Nicholson, with as much clearness as on any organ. As an accompaniment to the piano-forte, it will be found an admirable substitute for the flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, or even violoncello; but perhaps its widest range of usefulness will be discovered in small orchestras, where the set of wind instruments is incomplete--the effects of any, or even all of which, may be supplied by one or two performers on the Aeolophon reading from the score, or even from separate parts.
It is now about a year since that a patent was obtained for the springs, and this peculiar mode of applying them, by Messrs. Day and Co.; immediately upon hearing the effect of which, Mr. Chappell, of Bond-street, entered into an engagement with the patentees for the agency of their patent, and the manufacture of instruments under it.
On the 27th of November last Mr. Chappell was honoured with a command to exhibit the powers of this new instrument before their Majesties, his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, and a small circle of nobility, at St. James's Palace; when it gave so much satisfaction, that some of the pieces played upon it were repeated by command, and the whole performance lasted from nine o'clock till past eleven, when the royal party retired.
THE SKETCH-BOOK.
COACH COMPANY.
"Um 'fear'd you ar'n't well, mum, hey?"
"Thank you, I am perfectly well."
"Did I? perhaps I was thinking; and naturally I am very pale."
I declined the good woman's proposition, alleging that riding backwards I always found the best preventive of illness from the motion of the vehicle.
So, to please the honest woman, I looked at her "fine country," and beheld on my side the road a stunted hedge-row, inclosing a field or two of stubble; and on hers, a sear, dismal heath, whereupon were marshalled, in irregular array, a few miserable, brown furze bushes; amongst which, a meagre, shaggy ass, more miserable still, with his hind legs logged and chained, was endeavouring to pick up a scanty subsistence. What the road of the other day could have been, it surpassed even my capacity, with this specimen of "the bootiful" before me, to surmise; but my companion was evidently one of those enviable individuals, whose ignorance is indeed their happiness, or whose imagination supplies the deficiencies of bare reality.
"And only think," added I, "of the numbers of poor creatures who are starving, whilst she bestows quartern loaves of fine white bread upon her dogs!"
THE SELECTOR; AND LITERARY NOTICES OF NEW WORKS.
MECHANICAL POWER OF COALS.
The Menai Bridge, one of the most stupendous works of art that has been raised by man in modern ages, consists of a mass of iron, not less than four millions of pounds in weight, suspended at a medium height of about 120 feet above the sea. The consumption of seven hanhels of coal would suffice to raise it to the place where it hangs.
The great pyramid of Egypt is composed of granite. It is 700 feet in the side of its base, and 500 in perpendicular height, and stands on eleven acres of ground. Its weight is, therefore, 12,760 millions of pounds, at a medium height of 125 feet; consequently it would be raised by the effort of about 630 chaldrons of coal, a quantity consumed in some founderies in a week.
WONDROUS EFFECTS OF CHEMISTRY.
FIRST ENGLISH COLONY IN AMERICA.
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