and the church was falling to
pieces. James I. came with much ceremony, in consequence of the
importunities which he received, to survey the cathedral,[1] and in
consequence of what he saw he appointed a commission to consider what
steps should be taken. At the head of it was the Lord Mayor, and
amongst the names is that of "Inigo Jones, Esquire, Surveyor to his
Majesty's Works." This remarkable man, though he was born in the
parish of St. Bartholomew the Less, Smithfield, was educated in Italy,
through the generosity of Herbert, third Earl of Pembroke.

[Illustration: MONUMENT OF DR. DONNE. _After W. Hollar._]

[Illustration: PREACHING AT PAUL'S CROSS BEFORE JAMES I. _From a
painting by H. Farley. Collection of the Society of Antiquaries._]

[Illustration: OLD ST. PAUL'S FROM THE THAMES. _After W. Hollar._]

[Illustration: WEST FRONT AFTER THE FIRE. _From a drawing in the
Library of St. Paul's Cathedral._]

He now took the lead in the restoration of St. Paul's. It must be
acknowledged that after the first outburst of zeal following the
fire of 1561, St. Paul's was much neglected for many long years. The
authorities were lukewarm, the services were dead and unattractive,
and all manner of irreverence was seen there daily. Bishop Earle's
_Microcosmography_ (1628) often gets quoted, but his description
of "Paule's Walke" ought to find place here. I take it from a
contemporary MS. copy. Paul's Walk was the whole nave of the
cathedral:--"Paule's Walke is the lande's epitomy, or you may call it,
the lesser Ile [Aisle] of Greate Brittayne. It is more than this,
the whole woorlde's map, which you may here discerne in its perfect
motion, justling and turning. It is an heape of stones and men, with
a vast confusion of languages, and were the steeple not sanctified,
nothing liker Babell. The noyse of it is like that of bees, an humming
buzze mixed with walking tongues, and feet. It is a kind of still
rore, or loude whisper. It is the greate exchange of all discourse,
and noe business whatsoever but it is here stirring and on foote. It
is the Synode of all pates politicke, jointed and layed together
in most serious postures; and they are not halfe soe busy at the
Parliament. It is the anticke of tayles to tayles, and backes to
backes, and for vizzards you neede goe noe further than faces. Tis
the market of young lecturers, which you may cheapen at all rates and
sizes. It is the generall mint of famous lyes, which are here (