EXPRESSION IN ARCHITECTURE. 



were the gods and heroes of antiquity. More rational and artistic compositions than 

 many of these could doubtless be formed; but they might be made the basis of a system 

 worthy of the present advanced state of art and religion. Surely Scripture yields a suf- 

 ficient field for this, and sculpture could embody the sacred memories and associations of 

 our religion, — the sublime personages of Bible history, as well as the myths and allegories 

 of the ancients. For secular purposes, the case is different; and though faith has ceased 

 to be exercised in the Thunderer of Olj-mpus, and the emp3'real conclave of subordinate 

 divhiities, j'et a great portion of Greek mythology and allegor^^ will apply to our general 

 purposes; and, as fur as they are so applicable, they are unimprovable. Their is some- 

 thing so exquisite in the conceptions of these ideal and figurative beings, which so beauti- 

 fully personify the different qualities, physical or moral, that they represent, — their roots 

 are so deep in nature, — that they must ever have a potent spell upon our feelings and 

 imagination. For emblematic illustration, what could be superior to the attributes and 

 emblems of the mythology? The helmet and lance were the symbols of war, and maj^ be 

 such while war continues. The lyre and laurel branch are still appropriate symbols of 

 harmony and fame. The myrtle-branch and the dove were to characterise affection, and 

 may still do so, as the palm branch and M'reath may announce victory, and the olive, peace. 

 Though .symbols of a banished creed, do they not belong to humanity?- Xo more natural 

 and beautiful emblem of justice than the equal balance could be conceived: the hoodwink 

 of Impartiality, the veil of I\Iodesty, the bridle of Temperance, are unrivalled in their 

 significant beauty. Festoons, wreaths, garlands, to whatsoever they owe their origin, 

 have been universally received among cultivated nations as representative of certain ideas, 

 a:id may still be so employed while art shall need them. Symbolism and allegory are a 

 source that has been inadequately drawn upon in modern architecture: yet it is surely an 

 artistic one. The Greek architecture spoke bj'^ it, and emblems were invented when an- 

 cient art. had reached a high point of perfection. The trope and metaphor of poetry and 

 Scripture are used on the same princii)le, — to illustrate and strengthen the intended idea. 

 What striking morals are conveyed by allegorical persons and things in poetry I The 

 destination of some buildings cannot be distinguished from that of others by an appeal to 

 analogy alone, and therefore a further language is required; and here is one of almost in- 

 finite scope, that supplies genius with a boundless field of invention, — a rich and beautiful 

 language, and, withal, a natural one, for we are instinctively prone to allegorise: personi- 

 fication is the natural language of feeling and imagination. 



But whatever mode of illustration we adopt, we must not neglect our own national re- 

 sources. In drawing from British litei-ature and history, and embodying in stone the 

 creations of our poetr}^ or the great historical personages of our country, we follow the 

 highest ancient examples, and such subjects generally will be more interesting to English 

 hearts than the brightest imaginings of Homer and Ilesiod. Thus enriched, we should 

 find no difficulty in characterizing our respective works. The destinations of modern edi- 

 fices are not too numerous in their variety to be distinguished, when all our resources 

 are drawn upon, and all our unwrought elements organized. The various arts and 

 sciences, — the different virtues, have their respective natural emblems; the Romans dei- 

 fied all the virtues, and gave them their appropriate attributes, or distinguished them by 

 their attire, and such creations we could not improve. The instruments used in the vari- 

 ous arts and sciences have been emplo3'^cd on buildings as indications of their devotion to 

 these arts, and they may be still employed with the greatest propriet}'. We do well to im- 

 ise in stone the fading forms of nature; but artificial forms are often called fo 

 not only be useful in expression, but conducive to beauty : many musical and 



