At the back of this court is placed a remarkable restoration of the celebrated Walsingham Font. At an early period of the existence of national art in this country, the shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham was even more visited than that of its great rival of Thomas a Becket, at Canterbury; and foreigners came to this little village in Norfolk, from all parts of the world, guided thereto by the "miraculous light of the milky way.' Henry VIII., in the second year of his reign, walked barefoot to Walsingham, from an adjoining village, and laid down his offering on the glittering shrine. A few years afterwards, the same monarch removed the sacred shrine; and, actuated partly by the fury of a renegade, partly by the zeal of a convert, and in the exercise of his new authority as Defender of the Faith, did, to the horror of his Roman Catholic subjects, publicly burn the sacred shrine of Our Lady at Chelsea. A fine copy of the famous work, "The Coronation of the Virgin," from Wells Cathedral, occupies a place near to the Walsingham Font. There are also the tombs of King Ina and Queen Ethelburga, and Anne of Bohemia, with that of another English monarch whose name must be added to the long array of those who came to their death by violent means. All the prudence and courage which the young King Richard II. displayed in the interview with the famous Wat Tyler, and upon other critical occasions, could not avail to keep "the mounting Bolingbroke" from ascending his throne, or ward the fatal halberd which stained with Richard's blood the gloomy dungeon of Pomfret Castle. The other monuments at the back of the court are those of Sir Giles Daubeny, and of Henry IV. and Joan of Navarre. In the front of the court, approaching the nave, are three small, curious-looking kneeling figures-they are from the tomb of Ulrich von Gemmingen; and there are also some larger figures, one of which is a lady with a richly-embroidered dress. These latter are four of the principal figures which surround the tomb of the Emperor Maximilian, at Inspruck. Passing from the works of Gothic art in England, we now proceed to inspect the works intended to illustrate the state of art in the mediæval ages in France and Italy. The two small courts next visited are set apart for this object. In one court, Gothic art is principally illustrated by works of an architectural character; and, in the other, chiefly by models from sculptures. That style of design known as the Gothic had in Italy but a short-lived existence; the artists of that country were among the latest to adopt the pointed and angular characteristics of the style, and they were the earliest to return to an imitation of classic types. The most conspicuous work is a copy of the magnificent altar frontal of San Michele in Florence, richly ornamented with specimens of that glass tesselation which prevailed so largely in the decorations of Italian architecture at this period. As proofs of the extent and perfection to which this style of ornamentation was carried at an early period, Mr. Hope, well known for his extensive and valuable researches in all matters relating to ecclesiastical architecture, states, that "sometimes our Saviour is represented in these mosaics by a lamb exalted on a pedestal, and surrounded by a nimbus, to whom twelve sheep, representing the twelve Apostles, pay homage; at other times, stags approaching a vessel, stand for the souls of the faithful, thirsting after the living waters; these souls, while here below, appear in the shape of doves; after the resurrection, and in a glorified state, in that of the phoenix. Often, too, are represented troops of martyrs, male and female, distributed to the right and left, worshipping the more colossal central figure: if of our Saviour, or of the patron saint, standing on the clouds, or if of the Virgin, sitting on a gemmed throne. The sculptures illustrate, in a most remarkable and interesting manner, the gradual transition from rude Gothic art to that more refined study of the human figure, which, at a later period, took place upon the discovery and exhumation of the beautiful remains of classic art at Rome and other cities, and which led in so marked a manner to that change in style to which the name of the Renaissance has been applied. One of the most interesting figures in the Italian courts, is that of a Madonna by Bembino, from the church of La Spena, and a beautiful figure of “Our Lady," and St. Peter, from the reredos of the altar of the same church. Some beautiful figures from the Campo Santo, at Pisa, are also deserving of the visitor's closest examination. The principal sculptures of France, are illustrated by a complete and interesting series of copies from the bas-reliefs from the choir of Nôtre Dame Cathedral, in Paris. The casts, which have been most ably and carefully made by M. Viollet le Duc, of Paris, are twenty-three in number. These curious and highly valuable sculptures, were commenced by Jehan Roux, and completed by Jehan le Boutelier, in 1352; and they represent passages in the life of Christ. Commencing with the visitation of the Virgin, the sculptures proceed to illustrate the calling of the shepherds to the manger, the nativity, the adoration of the magi, the massacre of the innocents, the flight into Egypt, the presentation in the Temple, Christ in the midst of the doctors, the baptism of Christ, the marriage at Cana in Galilee, the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, Christ washing the feet of his disciples, the last supper, Christ on the Mount of Olives. There were, originally, four bas-reliefs, which followed next in order, but which were destroyed during some recent alterations made in the arches of the choir next to the high altar; the subjects were, the crucifixion, the entombment, the resurrection, and the ascension of Christ. After this break in the series, the next casts which are shown in the court are-Christ's interview with Mary Magdalene and the holy women, Christ appearing to the apostles after his resurrection, Christ and the two disciples in the way to Emmaus, Christ at table with the disciples, breaking bread, Christ again appearing to the disciples, the credulity of St. Thomas, the miraculous draught of fishes, the mission of the apostles, and finally, Christ giving his apostles the benediction before his ascension. As a corresponding feature to the fine old Lichfield door in the English court, is placed in the French vestibule the west door of the Cathedral of Nôtre Dame de Paris, almost the oldest ecclesiastical edifice in France. The dimensions of this cathedral, large as the building appears to visitors in Paris, would very nearly admit of its being erected in the transept of the Crystal Palace. The length of the cathedral is 390 feet, width at transept, 144 feet; height of vaulting, 102 feet; height of western towers, 204 feet-nearly the same as the roof of the Crystal Palace transept; width of west front, 128 feet; length of nave, 225 feet-width, 39 feet; roof, 356 feet in length, and rising 30 feet above the vaulting. The weight of lead which covers the roof is 420,000 lbs. The whole of the work about this structure is remarkable for its great delicacy and finish. The west front, from which the door now shown is taken, is the finest and most remarkable feature in the building, the sculptures upon it representing the angels sounding the last trump, the tombs opening, and the dead rising to judgment. A second series shows the separation of the righteous from the wicked; and a third, our Saviour seated on his throne, worshipped by the Virgin and St. John the Evangelist, and accompanied by angels bearing emblems of the Crucifixion. On the arch are represented figures of Moses and Aaron, the Saviour treading the wicked beneath his feet, whom Satan is dragging away to hell, and the rider on the red horse at the opening of the second seal, the blessedness of the saints, and other allegorical subjects. The remarks of the late Mr. Pugin, in his admirable work on "The True Principles of Christian Architecture," expresses clearly and forcibly the merits of doors of this kind, and how admirably the design is suited to the material and the purpose for which it was constructed. 'Hinges, locks, bolts, and nails," he says, "which are always concealed in modern designs, were rendered in pointed architecture rich and beautiful decorations; and this not only in the doors and fittings of buildings, but in cabinets and small articles of furniture. The early hinges covered the whole face of the doors with varied and flowing scrollwork. Of this description are those of Nôtre Dame at Paris (one of which is now before the visitor), St. Elizabeth's Church, at Marburgh, the western doors of Lichfield Cathedral (in the English medieval court), the Chapter-house at York, and hundreds of other churches, both in England and on the continent. Hinges of this kind are not only beautiful in design, but they are practically good. We all know that, on the principle of a lever, a door may be easily torn off its modern hinges by a strain applied to its outward side. This could not be the case with the ancient hinges, which extended the whole width of the door, and were bolted through in various places. In barn-doors and gates these hinges are still used, although devoid of any elegance of form; but they have been most religiously banished from public edifices as unsightly, merely on account of our present race of artists not exercising the same ingenuity as those of ancient times in rendering the useful a vehicle for the beautiful." The wall at the back of the court is covered with a collection of most interesting monuments from the Cathedrals of Rheims, Char tres, and Nôtre Dame. bb Bronze wells, Ducal Palace, Venice. 9 Vase from Chateau Gaillon, and figures J St. John, by Donatello. N Nymph of Fontainbleau, by Cellini. O Carved door, Hotel de Ville, Ouden arde. OC Open colonnade. P Piscina and high altar, Certoza. Sm Frieze-seven acts of mercy. VV Monuments of the Visconti family. The visitor now passes from the latest phase of Gothic art to the earliest revival of classic styles. He leaves behind the gloomy sublimity of the Gothic arcade and cloister, and contemplates no more the solemn mysteries of an age when, from ecclesiastical edifices, vast pyramids of towers of chaste and beautiful tracery ever soared heavenward, and pierced the clouds with their delicately-tapering spires-when richly-groined vaulted roofs-miracles of art-reposed upon long avenues of slender clustering columns; -when, upon shaft and capital, deep retiring doorways, silent recesses, solemn altar-pieces, and contemplative cloisters, the loving hand of medieval sculptors had carved with lavish profusion the works of an exuberant fancy, full of deep expression, tranquil mystery, and joyous loveliness-when a pious and reverential spirit pervaded the wondrous building, suited to a time when the cathe |