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motives lent an elevation to their labours, or borrow^ed 

 grace from its achievements? or did purely artistic con- 

 siderations, or a sublime purpose lend its lustre to crown 

 the glory of their deeds ? These are questions that most 

 naturally occur in reference to the relic of an art of which 

 the bond of sympathy has been torn away, founded by 

 men between whom and ourselves there is a great gulf 

 fixed — for they were not Christians, The same consi- 

 derations occur to lis more promptly, and influence us 

 more powerfully, in connexion with the remains of me- 

 diaeval or Christian art and architecture. The moral of 

 design and spirit of construction of the churches and 

 cathedrals of the middle ages has a nearer and dearer 

 interest, and is a subject no less of pleasant than im- 

 portant inquiry and legitimate research. 



Modern criticism pronouncing on this ecclesiastical 

 architecture, assumes the existence of a moral grandeur 

 and dignified purpose superior to the instincts of emula- 

 tion, or even of those influences of artistic propriety wliich 

 constrain an artist in the execution of his work. It 

 declares that what was accomplished with the rude 

 engineering appliances of a semi-barbarian age, proves 

 that some special motive, more or less exalted, is needed 

 above mere power or resource, to achieve lasting and 

 unchallenged honour, and for the consecration of labour 

 to immortality. That an earnest and zealous devotional 

 spirit, was alike the necessity that originated these splendid 

 edifices, and of their unapproachable excellence. It 

 has proceeded further : it has declared that a certain 

 superiority and grandeur of motive and design, are 

 necessary to the supremacy of all that is to be eternal in 

 duration or universal in acceptance ; that singleness and 

 purity of heart are demanded, to consecrate such ciforts, 

 and fit them with the moral dignity, essential to command 

 unmixed and inevitable approval. 



