pretations for these scenes. Probably, however, they are merely wild grotesque devices of a sculptor's unbridled imagination. His ideas may have been partially influenced by recollections of such passages in Holy Writ as Revelation ix. 7-10, 17, 19, where we read of locusts like horses, with faces of men, hair like women, teeth of lions, wings of birds, and scorpion-like tails, with stings; and likewise of horses with heads of lions, and tails terminating in heads. Perhaps the sculptor intended to represent various forms of the war waged, by the powers of evil, against the souls of men.

We observe that, on the north and south, in a line with columns B and L, later additions to Ernulf's side piers project on their western sides. These were inserted in A.D. 1177, by William of Sens, to support new columns in the choir above. He probably also carved a cap, adjacent to his southern pier, in the French church.

(north).-The next carved capital, in the north rank, has on its north and south faces two of those grotesque lions, so forcibly, and so frequently, drawn by Norman artists in the twelfth century. Do they represent the devil, as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour? The face of this creature is semi-human; pointed locks of long shaggy hair surround its mouth, cheeks, and shoulders. Its right fore-paw is uplifted, and its tail, after passing between its hind legs, is raised until its forked extremity, having reached the level of the creature's head, hangs downward in two different directions.

This method of treating an animal's tail is a clever expedient, which enables the artist to fill up a vacant space. In effect, he thus causes the tail artistically to balance the head. This expedient is repeatedly used on the carvings in Ernulf's crypt, and it is quite a feature of the grotesque art of the period. It may be observed, in use, upon several Fonts carved in the early part of the twelfth century; and it occurs also upon an ivory reliquary of that period.* A lion, similar to that upon our capital, is carved upon the tympanum of the north doorway of the church of Cormac,

*Archæological Journal, iii., 185.

on the rock of Cashel, the date of which is A.D. 1134.* There the lion is being shot by a human-headed quadruped, with a bow and arrow. A string-course or moulding above that tympanum terminates in a horse's head.

On the east and west faces of is a winged dragon, or serpent, being strangled and trampled under foot by a huge, 4 winged quadruped, of which the head is somewhat bird-like, and on the east face its tail, passing between its hind legs, is erected above its back; but on the west face of the cap the tail is short like a bird's.

F (north).—The last of the carved capitals in the north rank has a shallow cable moulding immediately above its sculptured subjects. On each face, we see a man's head, with beard, moustache, and long hair curled at the tips. The mouth is open, the tongue protrudes; and the treatment of the eyebrows and forehead should be noticed. A semi-circular band, studded with beads, is arched over the head; and two scrolls (not unlike the forked tails of this sculptor's animals) spring from the necking, and, after rising to the upper angles of the capital, curl inward to twine their ends around the beaded semicircle. The whole design is graceful and in good taste. At each corner of the base, the band forms a W.

☞ (south).—In the south rank of the central alley, the carved capital opposite to that last named has, above its subjects, a moulding carved with unequal and rectangular beads. The depth of the necking of the shaft is irregular, varying in thickness from two-fifths less than one inch, to two-fifths more than one inch. The scenes carved upon its four faces are very remarkable. They have suffered from decay more than usual, but can be deciphered as follows:West face. A man on horseback holding a long spear is galloping forward.

South face. A nondescript monster, tied by one leg, seems to bend its head, as if to toss or butt at an assailant.

East face. A galloping horseman, who wears a hood, appears to be charging over the body of a prostrate foe.

North face.-A man with long, beaded, tail erected behind his back, and curled over, struggles with a monster whose Archæological Journal, iii., 181.