PERPENDICULAR TOWERS OF SOMERSET. 



49 



fiight of the Church herseif. The Romish estabUshment had 

 beea graduaUy losing its hold upon the affections of the 

 people, even from the time of Eichard IL, when, under the 

 patronage of John of Gaunt, WickcliflPe preached Refor- 

 mation, and endeavoured to give the Scriptures to the 

 laity. The grasping avarice of Henry VII., and the 

 extortion of which he was guilty, gave Httle hope that 

 church property might long be respected ; and might not 

 those sagacious men, who at that time directed the expen- 

 diture of the reveniies of the church, have read in the 

 signs of the times a true warning of the fate which hung 

 over the Romish establishment, and actuaUy befel it in the 

 following reign; and, by buUding these exquisite towers, 

 have endeavoured to preserve to the church that part of its 

 wealth which was avaüable for the purpose, and being^ in 

 the shape of money was in greater danger of secularization 

 from the rapacity of the crown than thek landed property, 

 though how little even that was secm-e from the unbounded 

 avarite and despotic power of Henry VIH., the fate of the 

 monastic establishments but too clearly proves. But 

 whatever was the cause of their erection, there they stand, 

 the Ornament and pride of the county, which a native, whose 

 eye is accustomed to them, would probably not wish to 

 exchange for the finest Early EngUsh Decorated steeples 

 that ever pointed to heaven. 



But however much we may admire them, still if we 

 would be really archaeologists, and not mere antiquaries, it 

 it is our part not only to know and to admire the works of 

 by-gone generations, but also to reason on them,— not 

 merely to learn these things as sources of amusement, or 

 even as subjects of curious investigation, but as things of 

 practical utility, the knowledge of which may be pro- 

 ductive of improvement to modern art ; and though I am 



1853, PART II. ^ 



