Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 2.djvu/435

Rh But this account was more commendable for its ingenious inferences than for the correctness of its dates, one of which, viz. the year 900, assigned to the nave because of a resemblance of its capitals to some in a crypt at Oxford stated to have been built by St. Grimbald of Tournay about that time. Dr. Bromet felt it necessary to impugn by informing the meeting that this statement was now considered apocryphal. But M. Dumortier still contended that this early date was corroborated by the accordance of the measurements of the nave with the Roman foot, whereas the transept was planned with the Byzantine foot, and the choir with the foot of Tournay. Of these and other opinions, however, there was so general a doubt that the President thought fit to suggest the propriety of not further discussing the subject until after the inspection of the morrow.

In the evening some of the Spanish edifices in Lille were visited, among which were the party-coloured brick gates of Gand and of Roubaix, both still retaining the armorial bearings of Castile.

The third day was occupied by the excursion to Tournay, but to this we can only allude in our subsequent account of the proceedings to which it gave rise.

On the fourth day, with reference to the question as to the absence of statuary on the façades of Flemish churches, a discussion took place concerning those equestrian figures so common on church fonts in Poitou. The Abbés Jourdain and Duval of Amiens considered them as representations of the "smiting of Heliodorus by the horse of the terrible rider;" and so did M. de Caumont, because of their being frequently accompanied with a human figure under the horse's "fore-feet." But M. de Lambron—alluding to the equestrian figures on seals, and to the absence of nimbi about the heads of these statutes—thought with M. de Clergé that they are portraits of the founders or patrons of the churches on which they appear. M. Didron, however, thought Christian art could not be explained by profane history, and he therefore looked upon them as figures of St. Martin and St. George, many being accompanied with a dragon. M. de Lessaulx of Coblenz then read a memoir illustrated with plans of several ancient churches in Germany, and of a mode of building vaults without centerings, referring to the Exchange at Lisle for examples of such construction. M. de Roisin gave an account, with drawings, of a large church lately built by the munificence of the Count von Fürstenberg near Remagen upon the Rhine; and the Count then presented a collection of casts made by Herr Lenhart of Cologne from some architectural ornaments in that neighbourhood, and which casts, according to the custom of the Society, were forthwith deposited in the museum of the town in which the congrès had taken place.

In the afternoon's sitting, M. de Godefroy gave an interesting vivâ voce account of a discussion in the Historical section relative to the locality where Julius Cæsar "overcame the Nervii," and which. Dr. Leglay stated, was on the Scheld between Bonavis and Vaucelles. The Secretary of the Archæological section also gave a narration of the preceding day's visit to Tournay; especially mentioning the examination of the cathedral and the