The effigies of both these princes still remain placed upon sarcophagi, under plain niches in the wall.  They are certainly not contemporary with the persons which they represent, but are probably productions of the thirteenth century, to which period Mr. Stothard, from whose judgment few will be disposed to appeal, refers the greater part of what are called the most ancient in the Musee des Monumens Francais.  At the same time, they may possibly have been copied from others of earlier date; and I therefore send you a slight sketch of the figure of Rollo.  Even imaginary portraits of celebrated men are not without their value:  we are interested by seeing how they have been conceived by the artist.—­Above the statue is the following inscription:—­

     HIC POSITUS EST
     ROLLO,
     NORMANNIAE A SE TERRITAE, VASTATAE,
     RESTITUTAE,
     PRIMUS DUX, CONDITOR, PATER,
     A FRANCONE ARCHIEP.  ROTOM. 
     BAPTIZATUS ANNO DCCCCXIII,
     OBIIT ANNO DCCCCXVII. 
     OSSA IPSIUS IN VETERI SANCTUARIO,
     NUNC CAPITE NAVIS, PRIMUM CONDITA,
     TRANSLATO ALTARI, HIC COLLOCATA
     SUNT A B. MAURILIO ARCHIEP.  ROTOM. 
     ANNO MLXIII.

Two other epitaphs in rhyming Latin, which were previously upon his tomb, are recorded by various authors:  the first of them began with the three following lines—­

     DUX NORMANNORUM, CUNCTORUM NORMA BONORUM,
     ROLLO FERUS FORTIS, QUEM GENS NORMANNICA MORTIS
     INVOCAT ARTICULO, CLAUDITUR HOC TUMULO.

Over William Longue-Epee is inscribed—­

     HIC POSITUS EST
     GULIELMUS DICTUS LONGA SPATHA,
     ROLLONIS FILIUS,
     DUX NORMANNIAE,
     PREDATORIE OCCISUS DCCCCXXXXIV.

with an account of the removal of his bones, exactly similar to the concluding part of his father’s epitaph.

The perspective on first entering the church is very striking:  the eye ranges without interruption, through a vista of lofty pillars and pointed arches, to the splendid altar in the Lady-Chapel, which forms at once an admirable termination to the building and the prospect.  The high altar in the choir is plain and insulated.  No other praise can be given to the screen, except that it does not interrupt the view; for surely it was the very consummation of bad taste to place in such an edifice, a double row of eight modern Ionic pillars, in white marble, with the figures of Hope and Charity between them, surmounted by a crucifix, flanked on either side with two Grecian vases.

The interior falls upon the eye with boldness and regularity, pleasing from its proportions, and imposing from its magnitude.  The arches which spring from the pillars of the aisles, are surmounted by a second row, occupying the space which is usually held by the triforium:  the vaulted roof of the aisles runs to the level of the top of this upper tier.  This arrangement, which is found in other Norman churches,