when not the least
intelligence of christian art existed any longer, they pulled
down the lobby made by Erwin, so much admired in the middle age
as a masterpiece of elegance; in 1692 they adorned the interior
of the choir with wainscots of wood painted and gilt; in 1732
they widened it to the detriment of a portion of the nave, and
ten years later galleries were made for the orchestra. To punish,
as it would seem, those who were thus spoiling this wonderful
monument, an earthquake shook it in 1728; in 1759 it was struck
by lightning and considerably injured; the lead on the roof of
the nave was entirely melted, and the fine cupola or arched roof
that crowned the dome fell into pieces; the roof was then covered
with copper, but the cupola was not rebuilt. New destructions
awaited the Cathedral in 1793; in their fury of levelling, the
men who then ruled the country caused two hundred and thirty four
effigies of saints and kings to be taken down from their niches,
of which very few only were saved; the crazy jacobin Teterel even
proposed pulling down the spire, because, by its height extending
far beyond that of the ordinary houses, it was condemning the
principle of equality; the motion not being carried on. Teterel
obtained the assurance at least, that a large red cap made of tin
should be placed on the top of the Cathedral, and it was to be
seen among other curiosities in the town-library, before its
destruction.

The year 1870, so full of important events for Strasburg, was
also fatal for the Cathedral, and during the seven weeks'
cannonading of the town the beautiful building was constantly
threatened with ruin. In the first period of the siege of
Strasburg, the Germans tried to force the surrender by the
bombardment and partial destruction of the inner town. In
the night of the 23rd of August began for the frightened
inhabitants the real time of terror; however that night the rising
conflagrations, for instance in St. Thomas' church, were quickly
put out. But in the following night the New-Church, the Library
of the town, the Museum of paintings and many of the finest
houses became a heap of ruins, and under the hail of shells all
efforts to extinguish the fire were useless. For the Cathedral
the night from the 25th to 26th of August was the worst. Towards
midnight the flames broke out from the roof perforated by shells,
and increased by the melting copper, they rose to a fearful
height beside the pyramid of the