  This tower is all that remains of the church of S. Jacques de la Boucherie, which had to be demolished to make way for the Rue de Rivoli. It was commenced in 1508, and finished in 1522. The figure of S. James upon the little turret, and his friends the Evangelistic animals, by Rauch, were thrown down in 1793; but in 1836, when the municipality saved the tower by purchasing it, the statues were repaired and replaced. The church contained many tombs and slabs, some of which have found a home in the HÔtel Cluny. One of the most famous persons buried at S. Jacques was Nicholas Flamel, a member of the University, and librarian, who died in 1417, leaving large sums of money to the church. His effigy, and that of his wife, were to be seen kneeling at the Virgin's feet in the tympanum of the porch. He was venerated as their patron by the alchymists, for having, as was affirmed, discovered the philosopher's Stone; and several times his house in the Rue des Écrivains was rummaged in order to find some indication TOUR SAINT-JACQUES, LOOKING TOWARDS THE HÔTEL DE VILLE FEU NICOLAS FLAMEL JADIX ESCRI VAIN A LAISSÉ PAR SON TESTAMENT À LEUSORE DE CESTE ÉGLISE CERTAINES RENTES ET MAISONS QU'IL AVOIT ACQUESTÉES ET ACHETÉES À SON VI- VANT POUR FAIRE CERTAIN SERVICE DIVIN ET DISTRIBUCIONS D'ARGENT CHASCUN AU PAR AUMOSNE TOU- CHANS LES QUINZE VINS: LOSTEL DI EU ET AULTRES ÉGLISES ET HOSPITEAUX À PARIS.—SOIT PRIÉ POURS LES TRÉPASSÉS. The Tour S. Jacques is an excellent example of what may be done with the remaining portions of demolished buildings. As it stands, surrounded by gardens, it is a most beautiful object, an oasis in the desert of streets, and trams, and omnibuses, a quiet spot where children may skirmish, and mothers can sit in the open air and knit their stockings. Why cannot we do likewise in London? If churches must be felled to the ground, why cannot we leave their towers as a centre to the burial-ground gardens, or remove and re-erect them in our parks? We might with advantage follow the example of Paris, both in the preservation of the old tower of S. Jacques, and in the arrangement of the garden of the HÔtel Cluny, where, also, fragments of churches are set up as ornaments. It was from the top of the tower of S. Jacques that Pascal made certain experiments of the density of the air; and in memory of this, his statue, in white marble, was placed under the porch. |
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