On GOTHIC J RCHITECI t/ RE. 5 



Having endeavoured to inveftigate the theory of Gothic ar- 

 chite(flure, I fhall prefent a view of what I have been able to 

 colledl concerning its hiftory ; and, without pretending to dif- 

 pel the very deep obfcurity which flill furrounds this curious 

 fubjedl, I Ihall venture to fuggeft fome hints, which may be of 

 fervice in guiding the refearches of antiquaries. By this hifto- 

 rical view, I hope, hkewife, to refute an opinion, which has 

 contributed greatly to difcredit the Gothic ftyle, namely, that it 

 prevailed only in barbarous times ; fince I fliall fhow, that, al- 

 though it made its firft appearance in a period of that defcrip- 

 tion, it continued to flourifh, while the arts of defign were ad- 

 vancing in excellence, and ftill maintained its pre-eminence, 

 when they had attained to the higheft degree of modern fplen- 

 dour. 



Lastly, by inftituting, between the Gothic and other ftyles, 

 a comparifon, founded upon the general and fundamental prin- 

 ciples of architedlure, I fhall endeavour fairly to appreciate its 

 merits, and to fhow the high eftimation to which it is entitled, 

 in point both of beauty and of utility*. 



Before 



*'rHrS plan IS now nearly completed, the whole Effayteing written out, and ac- 

 companied with a fet of drawings fufficient to render it intelligible, but by no means 

 in a ftate for publication. To bring them to fuch a ftate mufl be a work of much 

 labour and time, efpecially fince the nature of the fubjeft has hitherto compelled me ^ 

 to execute all of them with my own hands. 



I HAVE judged it advifeable, therefore, to lay before the Society a part of the Ef- 

 fay, which requires but few drawings, while it announces the fundamental and ef- 

 fential views of the theory ; referving the full illuftration of it to another occafion, 

 when I hope to produce the whole in a feparate work. 



In the mean time, it may not be improper to obferve, further, with refpeft to my 

 general plan, that the firft part, comprehending the theory of Gothic architeflure, 

 has been arranged under three fubdi\ifions; the firft of thefe contains a view of its 

 elements, all its forms being reduced to their firapleft ftate ; the fecond treats of the 

 deviations from thofe elements, which, in the courfe of pradice, have been occafioned 

 by various circumftances ; and, the laft, combining the other two, contains an exa- 



tnination 



