Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

272 A1·ts and Cl'afts in the l\1iddle Ages

out of sight of visitors, 01· laymcn: incoпspicuous , Ьнt furt. ively entertaining. Тhеге ,vas no self-conscious­ ness in its clahoration, it was often cxecuted for pure }оуе of fun and 'Л 1 hittling; and fог that ve1y 1·eason em­ boclies all thc nюst attгactivc qualities of its art. There ,vas no covert intentioп to pгoducc а genre Ьist. ory of contempora1·y life and maш1c1·s, as Ьаs soшetimes Ьееп claimPd. Thcsc things ,Yere accident. ally intгodttced in the ,vork_, bttt tЬс carveгs Ьаd no idca of ministcгing to this 01· any оtЬс1· rclнeationa] tl1Po1·y. Like all light­ hcarted exrгessioп of pcl'sonality, the misc1·e1·e stalls havc pгoved of inestimaЬle ,Yol'tl1 to the ,vorld of агt, as а rccol'd of hншап skill апd geпial miгth. А good many of tl1c vices of the times ,vеге portrayed on thc miseгeгe seats. Tl1e "backblter " is frequeнtly seen, in most tшlovely fогш, апd t,vo peгsons gossipiпg ,vith an "tшseen ,Yitпess" iп the sЬаре of ап avenging fricnd, lookiпg on and ,vaiting fo1· 11is opportнnity to strike ! Glнttons and шiseгs are al\\'ays accompanied Ьу familiar devils, ,vlю p1·od аш1 goacl tЬеш iпto st1cl1 sin as sl1all makc tl1cш tl1cir ргсу at the last. Aшong favouгitc subjects оп miseгere scats is tl1e "alc,vifc." Nо ,vondc1· ale d1·inking pгoved so laгge а fасtог in thc jokes of tl1e fгatcrnity, fш thc 1·atc at ,vhich it ,Yas сон sшnccl, in tliis agc "'Ьсn it took thc place of ЬоtЬ tea ancl coffec, ,vas еnш·шонs. ТЬе iшnates of St.Cгoss Hospital, " 7 incheste1·, "'·lю ,vегс allнc1ed to as "irnpotents," recciYcd daily onc galloп of Ьее1· each, \\ 1 itЪ t\\'O ехtга qua1·ts оп lюlidays ! If this wеге the allowance of