Production Note Cornell University Library produced this volume to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. It was scanned using Xerox software and equipment at 600 dots per inch resolution and compressed prior to storage using CCITT Group 4 compression. The digital data were used to create Cornell's replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1984. The production of this volume was supported in part by the New York State Program for the Conservation and Preservation of Library Research Materials and the Xerox Corporation. Digital file copyright by Cornell University Library 1993.LECTURES ON THE RISE AND DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE jFig. ii6.—Western Porch, Ely Cathedral. ! The restoration of the Vescica Pise is is taken from a print in the British Museum, dated 1730.LECTURES ON THE RISE AND DEVELOPMENT OF Architecture jDtlftjmb at tfje Eopal #ca&mp By Sir GILBERT SCOTT, R.A., F.S.A., LL. D., "etc. IN TWO VOLUMES—VOL. I. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 1879 Ah SSO Sc 3 \U A. S6S /corn ell RSfTYil 1 10RARY Printed by R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh.PREFACE. Only half of the following Lectures were delivered by me, as the Professor of Architecture, at the Royal Academy. The first seyett'Nvh're' delivered while Pro- fessor Cockerell held the Chair;but,owing to his infirm state of health, I being then an Associate, was, in conjunction with Mr. Smirke, called in to relieve him of this duty. The eighth and ninth Lectures were prepared six years later, after Mr. Smirke had retired, and those which follow, when I had succeeded him in the Professorship. The Lectures are naturally somewhat disconnected ; and having been written both at various times and for audiences often changing, may be found in some in- stances to repeat the same facts and ideas, for which, as well as for too great a prolixity of style, I beg to apologise. They were written with much zeal; and, thanks to my staff, and to my pupils, my sons, and others, they were magnificently and profusely illustrated; more so, perhaps, than any such Lectures had ever been before. They have lain long in abeyance ; but it seemed tovf preface; me, that “ for better for worse,” and notwithstanding the lapse of time, they ought to be published, and Mr. Murray has most kindly undertaken to do this for me. In correcting them for the press, I have made only verbal alterations, or corrected accidental errors, or omitted a few harsh expressions. Where I wished to amplify, I have done so by notes. The illustrations have been mainly drawn by my friend and assistant, Mr. W. S. Weatherley, chiefly from those exhibited when the Lectures were delivered, with additions from my more recent sketches, and will be found to contri- bute largely to the elucidation of the text. Geo. Gilbert Scott. London, February 1878. At the time of the sudden and deplorable death of Sir Gilbert Scott in March last, more than 200 illustrations had been made and engraved. The remaining ones are completed in conformity with his marginal directions. Many of these were prepared by me for the Lectures ten years ago, and all have been compared with Sir Gilbert's sketches, with the diagrams in the MSS., and redrawn. The engraving is by “ Leitch's photographic process.” Some valuable woodcuts, lent by permission of Mr. Fergus son and Mr. Murray, have also been inserted among the letterpress. 20 Cockspur Street, London, S.W. W. Saml- Weatherley.CONTENTS. VOL. I. --------- LECTURE I. 'Qfye €Uim$ of $®9etitoai Srrfjttectute upon our £j>tutip* Introduction—Art follows the course of civilisation—Three firima facie claims Gothic Architecture has upon Study—Additional claim, that it is Christian Architecture—Objections to the title—Explanations of the term—Byzantine the earliest Christian style—Summary of the Historical claims of Mediaeval Archi- tecture—Its intrinsic claims—Abstract beauty—Advantages of an arcuated over a trabeated style—Facility in decorating construction, and in converting struc- tural features into elements of beauty—Adaptability to varied climates—Unites all arts in one—Painted glass—Sculpture—Foliated sculpture—Gothic Archi- tecture suited to the severest and most elegant styles—Beauty of external out- line—Delicacy of mouldings—Religious solemnity of the interior of its temples —The spirit with which the study of Mediaeval Architecture should be under- taken—How to be pursued—Practical objects for which it should be followed up . . . . . . . Page I LECTURE II. of tl)t of Architecture. Anomalous state of things in Western Europe after the destruction of the Roman Empire—Art almost extinct—Saved by the Western Church and the Eastern Empire—Architectural elements of the new races—Charlemagne’s attempts to revive art—Primitive art in England and the north of France—Dawn of better things—Architecture of the tenth century—Schools of art and science—Bishop Bernward’s works—Origin of early styles in France and Germany—Early architecture of Rome—The arcuated and the trabeated systems—Development of Romanesque—Its leading characteristics—Romanesque and Pointed archi- tecture not two styles, but one—Barrel vaults—Groined vaults—Oblong baysCONTENTS. viii —Main arches of groined vaulting changed from the semicircle to the pointed arch—Flying buttresses—Groin ribs—The pointed arch arose from statical not geometrical or sesthetical motives—Wall ribs remain round long after the wider arches become pointed—Two modes adopted to avoid the difficulty of oblong groining over naves—Sexpartite vaulting . . . Page 37 LECTURE III. tErattgtttotn Gradual refinement of Romanesque—French architects the earliest to systematise the pointed arch—The English before the Germans—The Italians from the Germans—Fully acknowledged in France 1140—Suger’s work at St. Denis— Carving in French churches—Corinthianesque outline of capitals—Distinctly Byzantine capitals—A route by which Byzantine foliage may have reached France—The importation indisputable—Its effects seen in Early English capi- tals—West front of Chartres—Fluting on basement of doorways—Cathedral of Noyon—St. Germain des Pres, Paris—Cathedral of Sens, prototype of the Choir and Trinity Chapel at Canterbury—N6tre Dame, Paris—A new kind of foliage—The capital “a crochet”—Englishtransition—Incipient specimens— Refined Norman—Pointed style, with reminiscences of Romanesque—William of Sens—William the Englishman—Influence of French work—Oakham Castle —Glastonbury Abbey—Cathedral of St. David’s—Temple Church, London — Chichester Cathedral—Tynemouth Abbey—Hexham Abbey—Unfoliated capitals — Round moulded capitals—Characteristics of English and French transition—The German transition—Practical lessons from studying these changes—Principles to which the transition was pioneer . Page 69 LECTURE IV. 'Wirteentf) Century Mediaeval architecture usually classified under heads of centuries—Actual points of change do not coincide with these divisions—Auspices for the development of the Early Pointed style—Great works in England and France—Artistic disturbance in Germany—Progress in Italy—Energy pervades every branch of art—Perfected Early Pointed a natural growth from Romanesque—Leading characteristics—Columns—Bases of Columns—Capitals—Plan of the abacus— Circular plan—Whence this arose—Moulded capitals—Windows—Bases of buildings—Cornices and foliated bands—Doorways—French and English compared . . . . . . . Page 137CONTENTS. IX LECTURE V. ^Tlje C&tmetttf) Century—continued. St. Saviour’s, Southwark—Choir of Temple Church, London—Chapel at Lambeth —Westminster Abbey—Its Italian mosaic work, monuments, and ancient reredos :—Chapel of St. Etheldreda, Holborn — St. Alban’s Abbey—Priory Church, Dunstable—Stone Church near Gravesend—Waltham Cross—Jesus Chapel, Cambridge—Ely and Peterborough Cathedrals—Warmington Church—West Walton Abbey—Crowland Abbey—St. Mary’s and All Saints, Stamford— Ketton, Grantham, and Frampton Churches—Lincoln Cathedral—Southwell Minster — Newstead Abbey — York Cathedral—St. Mary’s Abbey, and St. Leonard’s Hospital, York—Skelton Church—-Beverley and Ripon Minsters— Fountains, Rivaulx, Whitby, Kirkham, and Guisborough Abbeys—Chapel of the Nine Altars, Durham—Hexham and Dryburgh Abbeys—Chapel of Holyrood — Elgin and Glasgow Cathedrals — Furness Abbey—Southern examples—Most great churches in France vaulted, not so in England— Universal excellence of workmanship from 1175 to 1400—Domestic architecture of France, Germany, Italy, and England—Influence of thirteenth century work on our artistic practice ... . Page 170 LECTURE VI. C&e Rationale af <3othtc architecture. Contradictory opinions as to the character and origin of Gothic Architecture— True causes of its origin—The arch—The Romans eminently practical—Two defects in their architecture—Practical improvements—Use of small materials —Arches in rims—Sub-ordinating rims—Imposts—Pilaster capitals—Decora- tive columns—Romanesque arch decorations—Labels—Clustered columns— Weight of arches on columns—Doorways—Windows—Rejection of ancient rules of proportion—Efforts to improve construction and decoration in the twelfth centuiy—Absolute demand for an arch of less pressure and for an abut- ment of greater resistance—Ribbed as distinguished from arris vaulting— Reasons for adopting the former—Pointed arch as effecting proportion P. 215 LECTURE VII. I&%t Rationale of (Stothic OCvcfyitectuve—continued. The bases of a thirteenth century church indicate the plan and construction of the vaulting—The system of mouldings—Windows, their development—Rationale of stained glass—A general principle of ornamentation common to all good architecture — The roof—Secular buildings — Cloth market Ypres — Ware-X ' contents: houses, Nuremburg—Windowsill secular and ecclesiastical buildings—Trabeated architecture in its truest forms—Fireplaces—Chimney-shafts—Oriel and Dormer windows—Ceilings—Subordination of external design to internal requirements —Designs adapted to the materials most readily obtained — Conditions de- manded of our future architecture—Gothic architecture well fitted to unite these conditions .. . .... .. Page 246 A jDtgreggtoit cottcerttittg Wniioto# . . . . Page 276 LECTURE VIII. flDtt the Practical <&tuB}> nf Gothic architecture. Evident ignorance or neglect of those who practise Gothic architecture—Faithful- ness of others—The styles should be learned from ancient buildings—Our knowledge to be continually revived and added to—Hints to students—The study of Lincoln Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, and examples in London— Libraries and museums in London—Foreign travel—Examples in Paris, and other parts of France—Germany, Italy, Spain, etc. etc. . Page 290 LECTURE IX. the ^tutip atm Practice of Gothic Architecture. Every-day business and practical work to go on hand in hand with the study of ancient' buildings—How best to be accomplished—The study from books— Artistic and archaeological portions cannot be wholly disconnected—Heraldry —A knowledge of the history of art absolutely necessary for the study of Medi- aeval architecture—Greek art the parent of Gothic sculpture—Ruined cities of Central Syria—Mahometan styles—Our own form of church the direct inherit- ance from the earliest Christian temples—Training as artists—Choice among specimens of different Mediaeval periods and styles—Examples especially recommended—Practical studies of ancient buildings in connection with their structural and mechanical qualities—Vaulting—Timber-work—Stone-work, etc. etc.—The actual practice of Mediaeval architecture—The repairs and restoration of ancient buildings . . . . . . Page 331LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS CONTAINED IN VOL. I. Ely Cathedral. Western Porch Frontispiece. 1-14. Diagrams explanatory of the various systems of Roman- esque Vaulting ..... 15. St. Denis. Interior of one of the Apsidal Chapels 16. Do. Exterior of do. 17. Do. Part of Capital from. do. . 18. Greek Acanthus, from the Choragic Monument to Lysicrates Athens . . . 19. Roman Acanthus, from the Temple of Mars Ultor 20. St. Denis. Scroll from 21. Do. Part of a Cornice . . . 22. St. Mark’s, Venice. Capital from the church of 23. St. John’s, Constantinople. Do. do. 24. St. Frond, Perigueux. Do. do. 25. Do. do. Fragment of do. . 26. Column of Marcion, Constantinople. Capital from 27. St. Germain des Pres^ Paris. Do. 28. Lincoln Cathedral (north-west Portal). Capitals from 29-33. Chartres. Enriched shafts from . 34- Cathedral of Noyon. Interior of one of the Apsidal Chapels 35- Do- Exterior of do. 36. Do. Plan of do. 37. St. Germain des Pres, Paris. Two Bays of Choir 38. Do. do. Western Doorway 39. Cathedral of Sens. Interior view 52-63 78 79 79 .81 81 82 82 83 83 83 83 84 85 85 86 89 89 89 92 93 94xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FIG. 40. Cathedral of Sens. View of Choir Aisles PAGE 96 41-42. Do. Capitals from do. 97 43-46. Notre Dame, Paris. Capitals from .98- -100 47-48. Do. do. Carving from IOI 49. St. Leu, near Creil. Capital from the Apse . IOI 50. N6tre Dame, Paris. Capital from the West Front . IOI 51. St. Eusebe, Auxerre. Capital from IOI 52. Noyon. Capital from the Apse 102 53. Laon. Capital from 102 54. Sens. do. 102 55. Notre Dame, Paris. Capital from 102 56. Sainte Chapelle, Paris. do. 103 57. Do. part of Capital from . 103 58. St. Remi, Rheims. Capital from IO3 59. Fountains Abbey. View across Nave 104 60. Kirkstall Abbey. View of South Transept . 105 61. Durham Cathedral. The Galilee 62. St. Mary’s Abbey, York. Vestibule of Chapter-house. View 106 from Cloister . . . . . 63. St. Mary’s Abbey* York. Do. View 107 from Chapter-house • • • To face 108 64. St. Mary’s Abbey, York. Plan of Vestibule of Chapter-house 108 65. York Cathedral. Archbishop’s Palace, Fragment of. • IO9 66. Ripon Minster. Bay of Choir To face 109 67. Ely Cathedral, South Transept. West end . no 68. St. Cross, near Winchester. Capital from III 69. Canterbury Cathedral. View of Choir To face 112 70. Do. Do. Trinity Chapel 112 71. Do. Capitals. William of Sens . 72. Do. Trinity Chapel. Capital. William the 112 Englishman ..... n3 73. Oakham Castle, Rutlandshire. Capital from 74. Chapel of St. Joseph of Arimathea, Glastonbury. Exterior 114 view ...... U5LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xiii fig. 75. Chapel of St. Joseph of Arimathea, Glastonbury. Interior view 116 76. St. David’s Cathedral. Internal bay of Nave . To face ill 77-78. Do. Capitals from . ■ . . n8 79. Temple Church, London. View of Circular Aisle . . H9 80. Chichester Cathedral. Do. Eastern part . To face 120 81. Tynemouth Abbey. The Choir . . . „ 120 82. Hexham Abbey. South side of Choir . . . 121 83. Bridlington Priory Church, Yorkshire. Capital from . 122 84. Ripon Cathedral. Do. . . 123 85. Fountains Abbey. Do. . .123 86. St. Cross, Hampshire. South Aisle of Choir . .124 87. Durham Cathedral. Chapel of the Nine Altars . To face 14° 88-91. Bases of Columns from Bridlington: St. Mary’s Abbey, York : St. Stephen’s, Caen : Veselay : and Westminster Abbey 150-151 92-93. Sections of early Bases . . . . .152 94. Rollestone, Notts. Capital from . . . .154 95. Chartres. Specimens of carving from . . 154 96. Southwell Minster. Capital, etc., from . . .154 97. St. Quentin, Aisne. Capital with angular Abacus . .156 98. Canterbury Cathedral. Capital from Crypt . . .157 99-102. Moulded Capitals from Salisbury, St. Alban’s and West- minster, with sections .... i57_I5^ 103-107. Base Moulds of Buildings . . . .164 108. St. Alban’s Cathedral. Ornament in Western Portals . 167 109. Do. Western Portals, south entrance To face 167 no. Temple Church, London. View of Choir . . .173 hi. Chapel of St. John Baptist, Westminster Abbey. Conven- tional foliage. . . . . . .177 112. Do. do. Natural do. ...... 178 113. Retabulum, or moveable Reredos, formerly belonging to the High Altar, Westminster Abbey . . . To face 181 114. Iron grille, Queen Eleanor’s Tomb, Westminster Abbey . 181 115. Chapel of St. Etheldreda, Ely Place, Holborn. Side Windows 183xiv: LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FIG. PAGE 116. Ely Cathedral. Western Porch. Frontispiece. 117. Ely Cathedral. Eastern Front . . . .190 118. Peterborough Cathedral. : Circular Window, West Front . 192 119. Peterborough Cathedral . . . . . 193 120. Lincoln Cathedral. Rose-window North Transept . . 197 121. Do. View from the South-east . . 199 122. Do. South-east Portal ' . To face 198 123. Palais des Podestats, Orvieto, Italy. Domestic Windows . 206 124. Torre di Santa, Ninfa, Palermo. Do. . 206 125. Meslay, near Tours. Do. . 207 126. Cluny. Houses at. Do. . 207 127. Gostar. The Emperor’s House. Do. . 207 128-129. Cologne. Houses at Do. . 207 130. Gloucester. West. Gateway, College Green. ■ Do. . 208 131—133. From an. old building called Canute’s Castle, South- ampton. Domestic Windows . 208 134. Moyse’s Hall, Bury St. Edmunds. Do. . 208 135. Oakham Castle, Rutlandshire. Do. . 209 136-137. Diagrams of Arches . . . . . 223 138-140. Diagrams showing development of Piers . . 224 141-143. Diagrams illustrating the development of the Clustered Column . . . . . ., . 226 144. St. Trophimus, Arles. Cloisters, north side . . . 229 145. Bridlington Priory Church. Part of remains of Cloisters .• 230 146-147. Diagrams showing the effect on proportion by the intro- duction of the Pointed Arch into Romanesque work . 243 148. Laon Cathedral. Respond in Choir Aisle . . . 248 149-151. Diagrams explaining the system of moulding . . 248 152. Cloth Market at Ypres . .... To face 262 153. Warehouses at Nuremburg . . . . .. 262 154-156. Diagrams concerning Windows . . . . 278 157. St. Pantaleon’s Church, Cologne . . . . 278 158. Burgh Church, Norfolk. Chancel, Window/rom . . 279 159-164. Diagrams of Rere-arches . . . . . 280LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xv 165. Broughton Church, Oxfordshire. Window from . . 283 166. Christchurch, Hants. North Transept, do. . . 283 167. Stone Church, Kent. do. . . 284 168. Chancel, Brecon Priory . . . . . 285 169. Winchester Cathedral. De Lucy’s work . . . 286 170. Furness Abbey. Bay of Chapter-house . . . 287 171. Chapel of St. Etheldreda, Holborn. West Window . To face 287 172. Do. do. East do.' . „ 287 173. Salisbury Cathedral. Chapter-house .... 288 174. Lincoln Cathedral. Easter Sepulchre . . . 305 175. Do. Capitals north side of Choir . . 306 176-177. Westminster Abbey. ' Carved Capitals from . .311 178-179. Westminster Abbey. Angels, from the Triforium of the South Transept . . . . . . 312 180. Westminster Abbey. Mosaic from the Tomb of the Children of Henry III. and Edward I. .... 313 181. Temple Church, London. Capitals, West Door . .314 182. Montmartre. Capitals from . . . . .319 183. St. Julien le Pauvre, Paris. Plan of Choir . . . 320 184. Do. View of Choir . . .321 185. Do. South Aisle of Choir . . 322 186. Do. Chapel, south side of Choir . 323 187-188. Notre Dame, Paris. Western Portals.. Corbels from . 324 189-191. St. Martin aux Champs, Paris. Capitals from . . 325 192. El Barah, Central Syria. Capital from . . . 336 ERRATA. Page 81, Fig. 19, for Temple of Mars, Ultor, read Temple of Mars Ultor. ,, 94, line 26,for Choir at the Trinity Chapel, read Choir and the Trinity Chapel. ,, 170, Contents, line 6, for Stanford, read Stamford. ,, 175, foot-note, for Beavais, read Beauvais.MEDIAEVAL ARCHITECTURE. LECTURE I. Cfjt Claims of S^ttutehal jatcfjttectute upon our »>tutip* Introduction—Art follows the course of civilisation—Three firimci facie claims Gothic Architecture has upon Study—Additional claim, that it is Christian Architecture—Objections to the title—Explanations of the term—Byzantine the earliest Christian style—Summary of the Historical claims of Mediaeval Archi- tecture—Its intrinsic claims—Abstract beauty—Advantages of an arcuated over a trabeated style—Facility in decorating construction, and in converting struc- tural features into elements of beauty—Adaptability to varied climates—Unites all arts in one—Painted glass—Sculpture—Foliated sculpture—Gothic Archi- tecture suited to the severest and most elegant styles—Beauty of external out- line—Delicacy of mouldings—Religious solemnity of the interior of its temples —The spirit with which the study of Mediaeval Architecture should be under- taken—How to be pursued—Practical objects for which it should be followed up. It is with feelings somewhat closely bordering upon trepidation that, availing myself of the liberty given by the regulations recently passed by the Council of the Royal Academy, I venture to address you on a subject which has never, till now, been more than incidentally touched upon within these walls; a subject, indeed, dear to my heart, and entwined among my inmost thoughts and affections, but one which, perhaps for that very reason, I feel it the more difficult to bring before you through the medium of a lecture. It may be at first sight imagined that love, of all the2 LECTURES ON [LECTURE I. human feelings, is that best calculated to aid in describing the beauties of its object, and in advocating its claims upon the admiration ; but it is not so. We can hardly state the reasons why we love our parents or our brothers. We know that it is a feeling which has grown with our growth, and is a part of our very existence ; yet it is probable that an acquaintance who has never shared in these warmer sentiments might describe their character and even their virtues more successfully than ourselves. If we seek to investigate them, we find the research all too cold and too methodical to accord with the tone of our feelings ; and, like the poet who wished to sing of the Atrides and of Cadmus, the chords of our hearts respond only of love. So it is with those who have harboured an early affection for the architecture of their native land. Strongly as I appreciate the intrinsic beauty of the monuments of classic antiquity, and the merits of very many works of the Revival, I should doubt whether it were possible for any unsophisticated youth, before studying their architecture as a science, to entertain towards its productions in this country any feelings bordering upon real affection. He may see in them much to admire—much to lead him to study the art which has produced them; and this study will, no doubt, often kindle those warmer feelings which ripen into love. But this is a very different feeling from that deep and filial affection which many a youth, untaught in art, but gifted by nature with a perception of its beauties, has entertained from his tenderest years towards the old churches of his neighbourhood,LECTURE I.] MEDIAEVAL ARCHITECTURE. 3 and which has impelled him to walk from village to village, not only under the balmy influences of summer, but along muddy roads or snowy paths, and, with glowing heart but shivering hand, to sketch the humble porch, the unaspiring steeple, and the mutilated though venerable monument, with feelings of indescribable delight. It is this instinctive affection which it is so diffi- cult to reason upon, and to which cold investigation seems so uncongenial; yet most pleasant it is, in after life, to find ever new proof that our early feelings have not been misplaced; that those once callous warm up when they are led to examine; that those who, strange to say, disliked the architecture of their forefathers, are now forced to admit some of its beauties; that the style, once despised, has become gradually appreciated, and its study become the favourite pursuit of thousands—every county having its society organised to promote it; that in every country in which it once flourished (Italy herself not excepted), the same revived feeling towards it has arisen; and, finally, that this distinguished Academy has stamped it as equally classic with the architecture of the ancient world, and admitted it to an equal place in the instructions offered to her students. Having found it impracticable, from previous en- gagements, to give, as had been kindly suggested to me, a short course of lectures during this season, I propose on the present occasion to limit myself to some introductory remarks on the study of Mediaeval architecture, which I trust, with the kind permission of the Council, to follow up next year by one or two fur-4 LECTURES ON [LECTURE!. ther lectures, both upon its original productions, and upon the bearing of the study of them upon our own practice and the architecture of the future. I will commence by considering the different claims which Pointed architecture has upon our study. The more carefully we examine into the subject, the stronger and the more numerous do we find these claims to be. To a casual observer, the interest we feel in the subject may appear to be the result of local prejudice or of arbitrary choice, and our Mediaeval styles may seem to have no greater claim upon us than those of a hundred other periods or countries. The fact, however, is the very reverse—that Pointed architecture is marked out from others in the most signal and remarkable manner. I wrill briefly point out some of the circumstances which thus especially single it out. In tracing the history of civilisation, we cannot fail to perceive that, from the earliest ages to the present, it has followed one not unbroken, yet connected stream, and though branches have struck off in different direc- tions, it has ever had one main channel, which at each period represents the central mass of civilisation; this stream, passing now through this country and now through that, but its place being nearly always so marked as to leave no doubt as to where, in each succeeding age, the main seat of civilisation is to be found. Art has in regular succession followed in the same course'—the main channel of civilisation and art having been the same, though each possessing its minor branches. The earliest seats of mental culture were the greatlecture i.] MEDIAEVAL ARCHITECTURE. 5 valleys of Egypt and Mesopotamia. There, too, were the cradles of primitive art. The less enduring mate- rials of the Eastern valley have deprived us of the remains of its earlier architecture, but the imperishable ruins of Egypt will tell till earth’s closing day how mighty was her primaeval civilisation. Persia seems to have succeeded to Egypt and Assyria as well in art as in dominion; but long before her political power had been overthrown, the stream of mental power had been transferred to Greece, whose arts and knowledge, partly indigenous and partly de- rived from Egypt and Assyria, so infinitely excelled all which had preceded them, that we are apt, and with reason, to view them as the only genuine art and civilisation of the ancient world. Rome, succeeding Greece in external power, bor- rowed both her arts and literature, but, throughout her whole career, was as subordinate to her in these as she was predominant in power; and when that great cata- strophe occurred which crushed to dust the mighty fabric of Roman domination, it was again in Greece that civilisation and art flowed on, and it was thence that those friendly streams proceeded which enabled the Gothic conquerors of Rome to reconstruct what they had destroyed, and among the debris of ancient art and knowledge to sow the seeds and to foster the growth of that richer and mightier civilisation which distinguishes the modern from the ancient world. In all its earlier stages, the growth of civilisation in the modern, as in the ancient world, was marked by corresponding changes in its architecture. Each age6 LECTURES ON [LECTURE I. had its architectural style distinctly and strongly marked ; a style which, though connecting itself unmis- takeably with the long chain of ancient art that, though rudely broken in the West, had been continuous in the Eastern empire, was nevertheless so distinct from any former link in that chain as clearly to mark a new dynasty in human affairs, and to show that the stream which had passed successively through Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome, was now making wide and deep its channel among those Gothic nations whose progenitors had been viewed as the enemies of art and knowledge, and that the seat of art was henceforth to be established among those vigorous races which had destroyed that of the ancient world. My object in going over this well-beaten path is to draw your attention to three very marked prinia facie claims which Gothic architecture has upon our study. Firstly, that, though we are in the habit of considering it antiquated, it is in fact the architecture of the modern as distinguished from the ancient world—that, just as the architecture of the earlier half of the world’s history culminated in that of Greece, which must ever be viewed as its most perfect and most glorious represen- tative, so did the indigenous architecture oG the newer world reach its culminating point in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries among the nations of Western Europe •— the depositaries of a new civilisation. Secondly, that it is the architecture of the Germanic nations, through whose land the main stream of civilisa- tion now runs, as of old it did through Greece, Egypt, and Rome. And, thirdly, that it is the latest original style of architecture which the civilised world has pro-LECTURE I.] MEDIAEVAL ARCHITECTURE. 7 duced; that the chain of architectural styles, com- mencing in Egypt, and passing on in continuous course through Assyria, Persia, Greece, Rome, and Byzantium, and thence taken up by the infant nations of modern Europe, and by them prolonged through successive ages of. continuous progress, terminated in the style which we are treating of, and has never since produced another link of its own. As, then, the architecture of Egypt claims our re- spect as the earliest link in the history of architecture, so are our own Mediaeval styles especially marked out from all others as being its latest creation. That con- tinuous stream of indigenous art which from the earliest ages of the world had unceasingly flowed onwards— now through this country, and now through that; now smoothly flowing on through a deep and copious chan- nel, and now choked up with rocks, or spreading itself sluggishly and unhealthily through marshes and mor- asses, but ever progressing—seemed at the end of the period we are speaking of to turn back upon its course, and, instead of creating as heretofore ever new beauties of its own, to content itself with reproducing those of bygone periods : instead of illustrating, as it were, the collateral stream of civilisation which flowed on so mightily by its side, it accompanied it by images of that of an older world—of another family of nations— of another religion ; and since then, though civilisation has rolled on in a continuous course, it has failed to produce any style of architecture of its own. Mediaeval architecture, then, is distinguished from all other styles as being the last link of the mighty chain v which had stretched unbroken through nearly 40008 LECTURES ON [LECTURE I. years—the glorious termination of the history of ori- / ginal and genuine architecture. The next claim to which I will direct your attention is, that our style is, par excellence, Christian archi- tecture. This is a claim which" it is so much the fashion of the day to dispute, and even to deride, that it demands somewhat careful investigation. Many who have no hesitation in using the terms Mahometan, Hindoo, or Buddhist architecture, and who do not in the least deny the influence of the various religions of the ancients upon their modes of building, see nothing but fanaticism in attributing any such influence to Chris- tianity ; or if they do not deny this influence, they view Pointed architecture as the special property of the Roman Church (though Rome herself boasts of having scarcely admitted it within her walls), and find no style to symbolise their Protestantism but that derived from the heathenism of the ancifent world, and whose more recent type is to be found in the great metropolitan church of modern- Rome. Other more reasoning persons object that, as Chris- tianity, in its purest ages, adopted a modified form of the ancient Roman style, and bent it to its uses, the Roman style became by that process a bona fide Chris- tian architecture; and further argue that Pointed architecture, having derived some of its forms from the Saracenic, has thereby lost its title to being considered a purely Christian style. To meet these objections, it is necessary to explain what we mean by Christian architecture. There can be no doubt that nearly all forms ofLECTURE I.] MEDIAEVAL ARCHITECTURE. 9 architecture have taken their rise in the temple, whose form and character have been regulated by the religion for which it was erected. . From the temple it has dif- fused itself throughout all classes of buildings, carrying with it, in a certain degree, the feeling it had already acquired. No one will deny this of the Egyptian, the Greek, or the Saracenic ; and so inconsistent are people on such questions, that the very persons who would laugh at the term “ Christian architecture ” will almost in the same breath object to the use of our style for secular buildings, on the ground that it will make them look like churches ! Now, what we claim for Pointed architecture is, not that it is the only Christian style which has arisen or is likely to arise, but that it has been more entirely- developed under the influence of the Christian religion, and more thoroughly carries out its tone and sentiment than any other style. It is not exclusively, but par eminence, Christian. The early Christians naturally adopted the style which was ready made to their hands. That this style, as they found it, was essentially Pagan, it would be absurd to deny; but it was the only one they knew ; and, carefully avoiding the types of Pagan temples, they adopted one of its secular forms, and wholly adapted it to their uses. The buildings thus produced were unmistakeably Christian, but it would be absurd to say so of their style. This being nearly identical with that of their Heathen predecessors, it needed a long course of remoulding before it could justly be predicated of it that it was a Christian style— a style generated under the influence of Christian cus- toms, to fulfil Christian requirements, and to harmonise10 LECTURES ON [LECTURE t. fully with the sentiments of the religion of those who made use of it. J The earliest style which may fairly be called Chris- tian was the Byzantine. In the East no sudden re- volution had affected art or civilisation, but the Greek empire, founded at the moment when Christianity be- came the established religion, went on quietly adapting its arts and institutions to its new religion. Art having already degenerated under the later Pagan emperors, and difficulties both from without and from within gradually weakening and undermining the power of the State, it was natural that the changing style should not have that full scope which would have been afforded it had the purifying influences of Christianity acquired full sway during the Augustan age. Painting, sculp- ture, and architectural carving had lamentably fallen off before they were transferred from the Heathen temple to the Christian church, and even the more mechanical features of Roman architecture had de- parted widely from their original purity of form. The task prescribed to the new religion was not to take the highest form of Pagan art as it had existed under Pericles or Augustus, and to mould it to its own uses and its own purer and holier sentiments : what she had to deal with was a mere wreck of its former self: all its early simplicity destroyed, its vigour enervated, its magic instinct for beauty gone, its artists fast falling back into barbarism; and that not the savageness of early but untutored art, but the effete and nerveless heartlessness of a race whose glory had departed. It was this lifeless body which Christianity had to awaken to new energy—this dull and spiritless lump out oflecture I.] MEDLEVAL ARCHITECTURE. ii which she had to mould her future arts, and that at a time when the western half of the empire was about to be crushed to powder by the mighty storm of N orthern barbarism, and the eastern portion itself weakened by gradual decay and by the incursions of the Goths, Huns, Persians, etc., and eventually by the tremendous inundation of the followers of Mahomet. That such a glorious result as Byzantine architecture should have been produced out of materials so lifeless, and through the agency of a decaying nation, speaks volumes for the power of religion over art. Let us turn, however, to the Western empire. There the case is still stronger. With the same de- cayed and lifeless art as their nucleus, the people of Christian Rome had the additional disadvantage caused by the removal of the seat of government, and with it of the seat of art, to Constantinople ; nevertheless, their first efforts were so successful, that though, in the words of Thomas Hope, “ The architecture of the Heathen Romans, in its deterioration, followed so regular a course, that that which most nearly preceded the con- version of its rulers to Christianity is also the worst,”— the same author tells us that “ the early Christian buildings, from their simplicity, the distinctness, the magnificence, the harmony of their component parts, had a grandeur which we seek in vain in the com- plicated architecture of modern churches.” What course art would have taken had the Roman empire continued it is impossible to judge. It was destined to share the fate of the empire itself, and to be utterly overwhelmed by that mighty deluge which severs the ancient from the modern world; so that its12 LECTURES ON [LECTURE I. Christianisation, instead of being gradual and progres- sive, as in the East, became a complete reconstruction by the successors of those who had destroyed it, though aided in their work by the friendly hands of those who, in the Eastern empire, had kept alight the lamp of civilisation.1 The architecture of the West, therefore, instead of being a mere translation of the old style from Pagan to Christian uses and expression, was a new creation, formed, it is true, out of the ancient debris, but nevertheless originated, carried on, and perfected by Christian nations and for Christian uses, and may, consequently, be said, even in a stronger sense than that of Byzantium, to be a distinct Christian style ; and I suppose none would doubt that its culminating point, and that to which all its progress tended, was the Pointed architecture of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. An argument against its claim to the title has been founded on the theory that the Pointed arch, which is, in some respects, the culminating feature of the style, i I fancy Mr. Freeman, who has perhaps more right than any living author to a dogmatic opinion on this question, would think that I have gone too far in this statement; and that the course of architecture was less broken at this period than I imagined when writing the above. In Italy, I have since come to the opinion, the history of architecture was fairly continuous, in spite of Gothic invasions, etc. Although the archie tecture at Pavia, etc., called by Mr. T. Hope “ Lombardic,” has been proved to be of dates far later than he supposed when giving it that name, I feel convinced that truly Lombard architecture does exist, and that of a type naturally succeeding and carrying on the style of the earlier Basilicae. At Lucca, for instance, though little attention has been paid by writers on its churches, to anything earlier than the Pisan work of the twelfth century, a careful examination will show that many of them have a nucleus (and some far more) of a much earlier date, reaching back to the time of the Lombard kings (G. G. S. 1878).LECTURE I.] MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE. 13 was not developed spontaneously by our Christian forefathers, but learned by them from the Saracens. As well might it be attempted to sever Grecian archi- tecture from the mythology and traditions of the Greeks, merely because some of its details may find their pro- totypes in Egypt or Assyria, or to disconnect the native architecture of India from their religion, because its first inspiration seems traceable to the Fire-worshippers of ancient Persia! Even Saracenic architecture itself was an emanation from that of Christian Greece; so that if we are indebted to it for the Pointed arch (a question which I will not now attempt to investigate), she only paid back to the religion from which she had borrowed. No one, however, can study the tendencies of the late Romanesque without seeing that the Pointed arch was becoming every day more necessary to the development of the germ which the rising style con- tained. The gradually increasing predominance of the vertical over the horizontal, the increase in the height of pillars and jambs demanding a proportionate addi- tion to the arch ; the necessities of groined vaulting over oblong spaces, and a hundred other evidences, proved the Pointed arch to be the inevitable result of the already attained developments; and often had it, almost unconsciously, appeared in intersecting arcades. If its systematic adoption can with certainty be traced to the suggestive architecture of the East, surely this does not unchristianise the already Christian archi- tecture of the soldiers of the Cross, who brought the idea home among the spoils won from their unbelieving foes! Is it not rather in the spirit of our religion to receive tribute and homage from all the nations of the14 LECTURES ON [LECTURE I. earth ? And if it may be said of the Christian Church that “ Eastern Java there Kneels with the native of the farthest west; And ^Ethiopia spreads abroad the hand, And worships,” it is equally reasonable to expect of her material temples that