sented in their individual characters, they are drawn with complete armour, holding swords with the points upwards, and sometimes with. trumpets. 9. Angels, generally carry a wand, but are variously represented according to the particular message or duty they are supposed to be upon. The first division keep around the throne, and derive their light and glory from the Most High, from whence they reflect it to the second division, who reflect it to the third, who are the appointed messengers of God, and guardians of man and the universe, and therefore reflect it thither. Our illustrations are from a beautiful series in the windows of New College chapel, Oxford. As they are probably the most complete set existing in this country, we give a detailed account of them. The windows of the chapel and antechapel of New College present a series of the nine choirs of angels. They with the virgins occupy the upper lights of the five windows of the north side of the chapel, and a part of those in the antechapel. Each window has one choir, and there are six figures in each window-head. The two uppermost have in every case their names underneath, but the others are without. Commencing with the first window next the east, they occur in the following order; 1. VIRGINS, Virgines. Female figures, having a nimbus, and each holding a lamp trimmed and burning. 2. ANGELS, Angeli. A figure with four wings on the shoulders, and shorter ones rising from the hips, and covering the thighs, and the body is feathered. He has a scarf on the shoulders, which is tied in front, and another round the loins, which covers the springing of the lower wings. He is barefooted, and carries a staff in his hand. 3. ARCHANGELS, Archangeli. Is similar to the angel, except that he carries a trumpet, and has only one pair of wings on his shoulders, but his arms are winged from the elbows. 4. VIRTUES, Virtutes. A figure bare-headed, but in plate armour, carrying in one hand a pennon charged with a cross, and in the other a battle-axe. He has the lower wings and the scarf round his neck, as in the last, but only one pair of wings on his shoulders. 5. POWERS, Potestates. A figure in plate armour, with a helmet or skull-cap on his head, and a baton in his hand. He wears a bauldric, and a tippet of ermine or fur. He has two pairs of wings on his shoulders, but has not the wings on his thighs. NORTH WINDOWS OF ANTECHAPEL. 6. DOMINATIONS, Bna cío·nes. A crowned figure holding in one hand a sceptre and in the other a sword. He is dressed in a close robe, reaching to his knees, and wears a tippet like the last, and shoes. 7. PRINCIPALITIES, Princi pa tii. A figure in plate armour, holding a pennon charged with a cross in one hand. He wears a camail of chain-mail and a bascinet, and has only one pair of wings. WEST WINDOWS OF ANTECHAPEL. 8. THRONES, Troní. A figure similar to the archangel, but there is a mail circlet, surmounted with a cross, on the head, and the hands are simply elevated and extended. Behind the feet is a throne. 9. SERAPHS, Seraphim. Apparently a female figure, with a single pair of wings on the shoulders, and the elbows and hips winged as in the archangel, but having the upper scarf only, and the hands empty, one of which is held down, and the other elevated. The body and limbs are feathered, and sprinkled over with eyes. SOUTH WINDOW OF ANTECHAPEL. 10. CHERUBS, Cherubim. This likewise appears to be a female figure, holding an open book, as if for singing. It has two pairs of wings on the shoulders, the elbows and thighs winged, and has the two scarfs, and the body feathered, as in the archangel. The dedication of S. Michael [and all Angels] was a very favourite one in England during the Middle Ages, especially with the Normans, probably from the fact of William the Conqueror reaching England on "the eve of S. Michael's Masst." About six hundred Churches still retain it. SEPTEMBER 30. S. Jerome, A.D. 420. S. Jerome is allowed to have been in many respects the most learned of the Latin Fathers, and is considered a Doctor of the Church, from his illustrations of the Scriptures; he was born at Stridonium, now Idrigni, a small town upon the confines of Pannonia, Dalmatia, and |
