ARCHITECTURAL ItESTORATIONS. 113 



Taunton there is a precious Tower, now, alas, in jeopardy 

 from the same feeling as that to which 1 have referred — 

 hanging, as it were, in the balance of public opinion, and 

 whose days, for aught that I know, are numbered ! My 

 accomplished friend, the architect applied to, has honour- 

 ably and truthfully declared of it, " The old tower, so long 

 as it remains, will always be more valued than a new one, 

 however perfect." Most thankful shall I be if any words 

 of mine shall aid in recommending such an opinion, and in 

 leading to a more accurate judgment those who, with the 

 best intentions, (for of that their liberality is a convincing 

 proof) seein, nevertheless, inclined to dispute its truth. 



But observe not only the unpardonable violation of 

 every feeling of reverence, truthfulness, and reality, 

 whereof such doings are guilty, but the irreparable injury 

 which is thus perpetrated on every department of art. 

 Let it not be forgotten that restoration at the very best 

 can be but restoration. Its authority, therefore, must 

 needs be limited, and by a large class of minds will not 

 be so much as recognised at all. Because, in fact, the 

 authority of a restored buüding is but the authority of 

 the restorer. The edifice ceases to be an independent 

 testimony, and becomes the mere exponent of the views 

 of some modern architect. Its artistic value is entirely 

 gone ; and the nearer it apparently resembles the original, 

 the more false it is, and the more certain to deceive. I 

 do not underrate the taste and acquirements of modern 

 builders by thus expressing my grief over the ancient 

 works with which too many of them have presumed to 

 meddle. I have some learned members of that noble 

 profession among my most intimate and valued friends — 

 men so imbued with the feelings of their great predecessors 

 that all their creations are veritable impersonations and 



vol. vir., 1856-7, part ii. o 



