The Eleventh General Meeting. 11 
Cathedral were originally filled with painted glass, and its des- 
truction or removal was greatly to be lamented. He trusted, 
however, that the time was close at hand when it would be restored, 
together with the colouring of other parts of the building. Colour 
was essential to every Gothic structure. In an edifice like that, 
there ought to be colour on the floor, walls, windows, roof, and 
indeed everywhere. The best medieval restorations yet accom- 
plished were the Chapter Houses of Salisbury and Chester. 
At the close of Mr. Parker’s observations, the company left the 
Nave and proceeded through the cloisters to the Chapter House. 
There, Mr. Parker said, they saw everything as perfect as possible, 
in the way of colouring and decoration. The Chapter House at 
Chester was the only restoration equal to it, and that was done by 
the same clever man, Mr. Hudson. Those who remembered the 
Chapter House at Salisbury 20 years ago must be struck with 
amazement that so much had been done, and done so admirably. 
¢. As to the clustered column in the centre, with its marble shafts, he 
_ did not see a fault to find with it. The stained glass, too, was 
_ peculiarly English, and adapted to our cloudy climate. The thick 
_ giass of France and other countries would have been inconsistent. 
The figures, they would observe were of an aérial character—merely 
in outline—which was characteristic of no other kind of glass. As 
to the colouring of the vault, he had no doubt that it was strictly 
_ in accordance with its original character. It was more simple than 
_ the French vaults, and he had no doubt that all Mr. Hudson’s 
work had been carefully studied. Taking it as a whole, he had 
never seen anything more conscientiously or better done. 
Earl Netson remarked that Mr. Hudson visited the place many 
years ago, as a lover of painted architecture, and took copies of 
many things which became obliterated before the restoration was 
commenced. It was from those drawings alone that they were able 
to identify them. He wished to ask Mr. Parker’s opinion ona 
_ statement made by a Society of Bristol architects depreciating the 
west front of the Cathedral, as well as the design of the Chapter 
_ House, saying that the outside was the weakest part of the struc- 
ture, the buttresses being very poor. 












