46 PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 



need of geometiical plans, elevations, and sections, which could 

 be procured by the aid of government much more easily, and in 

 less time than they could by the zeal of private persons. 



The lecturer dwelt with pleasure on the consideration that a 

 taste for pointed architecture is now reviving : and he thought 

 that if the present day afforded the same means which were avail- 

 able in former times, buildings would be now arising equal in 

 size, grandeur, and beauty to York or Salisbury cathedrals. He 

 attributed this reviving to the industry of certain persons who 

 have geometrically delineated, from accurate measurement, the 

 leading Gothic examples : — our countryman, Britton, has been 

 conspicuous in this work. 



The prospect of architectural improvement in England, France, 

 and Germany is cheering; and architecture confesses her obliga- 

 tion to the water-colour draughtsman and engraver — whose 

 endeavours have done much for this improvement. 



Havin'^ repudiated the idea that by cultivating a knowledge of 

 Architecture in general we should injtiro the classic reputation of 

 Greece, he proceeded to bring in his Bill for ARcnirrxTtiRAL 

 Reform, whereby the styles of building in Europe, Asia, and 

 Africa were examined as to their fitness, unfitness, or partial fit- 

 ness for imitation ; this was illustrated by a vast nuniber of draw- 

 ings, but here the nature of Mr. \\ iahtwick's admirable paper 

 says " Thus far shalt thou go und no farllier." We are sorry for 

 it but ** 't is true, and pity 't is, 't is true,** for, imless we could 

 present to our readers liis pictorial exaujples, any attempt to fol- 

 low his remarks would be nugatory. 



On this evening the Athenaeum was filled to overflowing, many 

 anxious hearers could barely find sUuiding room. 



Novembf.r 27tii. — JM. Luce's Lecture on French Literature. 



Having jnenjised that the design of his paper would be to 

 trace the present language of France from its origin, through its 

 various changes, touching also upon some collateral topics, Mr. 

 Luce observed that Celtic was the original language of Gaul, but 

 as the Druids prohibited writing, there are no existing remains of 

 it. Subsequently to the subjection of Ciaul, by Caesar, Latin 

 became the ordinary language, in consequence of the Romans 

 using every effort to eradicate the Celtic tongue, and substitute 

 their own. liven the Britons though they long had struggled 

 against Roman power, were at last induced to study Latin elo- 

 quence. Tacitus says — 



** Ita ut qui linguain abnuebant eloquentiam mox concupiacerent." 



An instance of tlie high cultivation of Latin in Gaul may be 

 found in a line of Juvenal — 



" Gallia causidicoB docuit facunJa Britannos." 



Writer^^ of great celebrity in (7aul were not numerous : but 

 there may be mentioned P. T. Varro, poet and historian, born 



