The interpretations are frequently very far-fetched, and as the writers were more interested in the morals than in the facts of natural history themselves, the supposed facts from which they drew their morals were frequently very far from being of the nature of facts. Sometimes the product of this inaccuracy is grotesque, as shown by the following quotation:
"The elephants are in an absurd way typical of Adam and Eve, who ate of the forbidden fruit, and also have the dragon for their enemy.
It was supposed that the elephant . . . used to sleep by leaning against a tree. The hunters would come by night, and cut the trunk through. Down he would come, roaring helplessly.
None of his friends would be able to help him, until a small elephant should come and lever him up with his trunk.
This small elephant was symbolic of Jesus Christ, Who came in great humility to rescue the human race which had fallen `through a tree.' "[1]
[1] A. H. COLLINS: _Symbolism of Animals, etc_., pp.
41 and 42.
In some cases, though the symbolism is based upon quite erroneous notions concerning natural history, and is so far fantastic, it is not devoid of charm.
The use of the pelican to symbolise the Saviour is a case in point.
Legend tells us that when other food is unobtainable, the pelican thrusts its bill into its breast (whence the red colour of the bill) and feeds its young with its life-blood.
Were this only a fact, the symbol would be most appropriate.
There is another and far less charming form of the legend, though more in accord with current perversions of Christian doctrine, according to which the pelican uses its blood to revive its young, after having slain them through anger aroused by the great provocation which they are supposed to give it.
For an example of the use of the pelican in church architecture see fig. 36.
Mention must also be made of the purely fabulous animals of the Bestiaries, such as the basilisk, centaur, dragon, griffin, hydra, mantichora, unicorn, phoenix, _etc_. The centaur (fig. 39) was a beast, half man, half horse.
It typified the flesh or carnal mind of man, and the legend of the perpetual war between the centaur and a certain tribe of ****** savages who were said to live in trees in India, symbolised the combat between the flesh and the spirit.[1]
[1] A H. COLLINS: _Symbolism of Animals, etc_., pp.
150 and 153.
With bow and arrow in its hands the centaur forms the astrological sign Sagittarius (or the Archer). An interesting example of this sign occurring in church architecture is to be found on the western doorway of Portchester Church--a most beautiful piece of Norman architecture.
"This sign of the Zodiac," writes the Rev. Canon VAUGHAN, M.A., a former Vicar of Portchester, "was the badge of King Stephen, and its presence on the west front [of Portchester Church] seems to indicate, what was often the case elsewhere, that the elaborate Norman carving was not carried out until after the completion of the building."[2]
The facts, however, that this Sagittarius is accompanied on the other side of the doorway by a couple of fishes, which form the astrological sign Pisces (or the Fishes), and that these two signs are what are termed, in astrological phraseology, the "houses" of the planet Jupiter, the "Major Fortune," suggest that the architect responsible for the design, influenced by the astrological notions of his day, may have put the signs there in order to attract Jupiter's beneficent influence.
Or he may have had the Sagittarius carved for the reason Canon VAUGHANsuggests, and then, remembering how good a sign it was astrologically, had the Pisces added to complete the effect.[1b]
[2] Rev. Canon VAUGHAN, M.A.: A Short History of Portchester Castle, p. 14.
[1b] Two other possible explanations of the Pisces have been suggested by the Rev. A. HEADLEY. In his MS.
book written in 1888, when he was Vicar of Portchester, he writes:
"I have discovered an interesting proof that it [the Church] was finished in Stephen's reign, namely, the figure of Sagittarius in the Western Doorway.
"Stephen adopted this as his badge for the double reason that it formed part of the arms of the city of Blois, and that the sun was in Sagittarius in December when he came to the throne.
I, therefore, conclude that this badge was placed where it is to mark the completion of the church.
"There is another sign of the Zodiac in the archway, apparently Pisces. This may have been chosen to mark the month in which the church was finished, or simply on account of its nearness to the sea. At one time I fancied it might refer to March, the month in which Lady Day occurred, thus referring to the Patron Saint, St Mary. As the sun leaves Pisces just before Lady Day this does not explain it. Possibly in the old calendar it might do so. This is a matter for further research."(I have to thank the Rev. H. LAWRENCE FRY, present Vicar of Portchester, for this quotation, and the Rev. A. HEADLEYfor permission to utilise it.)
The phoenix and griffin we have encountered already in our excursions.
