88 The Neiv Forest : its history and its Scenery. 



Inside, the red brick pillars of the arches of the aisles are 

 clustered with black slate shafts, and banded with scroll-work of 

 white Caen stone, the capitals carved with lilies, and primroses, 

 and violets.* And above hangs a Perpendicular timbered roof, 

 resting on the corbel heads of the martyrs and reformers of the 

 Church of Melancthon and Cranmer, and Luther and Latimer, 

 and the carved emblems of the Evangelists at the four 

 corners. 



In the choir and chancel the wall-colouring is more harmo- 

 nious than in the nave, where there is a certain coldness and 

 hardness, whilst the shafts are here wrought of rich Cornish 

 marble. Over the communion-table is Mr. Leighton's fresco, 

 a small piece of it now only completed an angel standing with 

 outstretched hands, keeping back those virgins who have come 

 too late to the bridegroom's feast, the despair and anguish of 

 their faces further typified by the rent wall, and the melancholy 

 dreariness of the owl.f 



* Let me especially call attention to the exquisite carving of some thorns 

 and convolvuluses in the chancel. It is a sad pity that this part of the 

 church should be disfigured by glaring theatrical candlesticks and coarse 

 gaudy Birmingham candelabra. 



f I have only seen but the slightest portion of this fresco, so that it is 

 impossible to properly judge of even the merits of this part. No criticism 

 is true which does not consider a work of Art as a whole. At present, the 

 angel with outstretched hands, full of nervous power and feeling, seems to 

 me very admirable, though the position and meaning of the cloaked and 

 clinging figure below is, at the first glance, difficult to make out ; but this 

 will doubtless, as the picture proceeds, become clear The richness, how- 

 ever, of the colouring can even now be seen under the enormous disadvan- 

 tage of being placed beneath the strong white glare of light which pours in 

 from the east window. Further, Mr. Leighton must be praised for his 

 boldness in breaking through the old conventionalities of Art, and giving us 

 here the owl as a symbol of sloth, and the wretchedness it produces. 



