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tions of the canon. In truth, almost every building, of which there are 

 remains, oflfers varieties of proportion ; and it is customary, to avoid the 

 uncertainty of abrogating the standard, to adopt some particular 

 example, on the proportions of which the modem instance is said to be 

 modelled. Thus the proportions which pervaded the noblest works of 

 antiquity are introduced into buildings of eveiy class in this country, 

 from the church or cottage to the front door of a dwelling-house, the 

 shop front, the lamp pillar, or even the balluster of a stair or balcony. 

 Are these specimens necessarily agreeable ? Do they generally come up 

 to the ideal standard of excellence ? — On the contrary, are they not usually 

 cold, stiff, insipid and awkward ? speaking of the rigidity of exact 

 measurement, of the scale and dividers, of aliquot parts, and common 

 multiples. They are so painfully correct, it is pleasant to detect an 

 error, just as it is a relief to see a very proper person betrayed into a 

 Httle natural impropriety. Though the Assize Courts and Branch Bank 

 may apparently refute these observations, they in fact yield strong 

 confirmation. Their architects have been superior to the literal require- 

 ments of the style ; they have Anglicised or Italianized the Greek ; 

 neither of these buildings bear such traces of the line and rule as usually 

 prevail in the imitations of the classical " Orders." 



Analogies between scientific experiment and the practice of art are 

 frequently delusive ; but the value of mathematics in each appears 

 similar, though greater in science than in art. As the formulae derived 

 by Professor Hodgkinson from Mr. Fairbairn's experiments assisted 

 Mr. Stephenson to design the Tubular Bridge — ^and will aid in the 

 construction of any other tubular bridge, whatever the span — so the 

 discovery of the Kleis, or primary figure of the Temple of Theseus, will 

 facilitate the reduplication of that temple to a larger or smaller scale. 

 But, as the formulae for tubular bridges are totally useless in designing 

 wooden girders, so the Kleis of the Temple of Theseus is of no value in 

 designing a Gothic church or private residence. 



If a number of forms and their relations be given, these relations may 

 be interchanged to an almost infinite extent ; but in many cases the 

 practical value of this interchange is nothing ; and in most there is a 

 sameness of effect, which for a continuance usually proves wearisome. 

 The ancient temples, which appear to have been designed on strict 

 geometrical rules, are pervaded by great sameness of character ; of their 

 three orders the buildings belonging to each are very similar, and are 

 principally distinguished by variations in the proportion of the column 

 and entablatiu-e, or in the detail of ornament, and probably derived 

 their chief interest and aesthetic influence from the sculpture and poly- 

 chromy, with which they were lavishly decorated. 



