ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATIONS. 115 



Committee, of which I have tbe honour to be a member, 

 of the Society of Antiquaries, and which we have properly 

 embodied in a brief circular for distribution, as circum- 

 stances shall occur, through tbe length and breadth of 

 England, whose memorials are esposed to such fearful 

 jeopardy : — so-called restoration is not only " Avholly 

 opposed to the judgnient of the best archteologists," but is 

 essentially "untrue in art, unjustifiable in taste, destructive 

 in practice," and productive of "irreparable miscbief." 



" Woodman spare that tree !" sings in pathetic strains 

 the fair ! " Rectoi's, churchwardens, vestrymen, architects," 

 sighs the archeeologist, " spare your churches, have pity on 

 your ancient houses, and let your crurnbling walls alone." 

 They will last much longer than many of you suppose. 

 And rest assured that you cannot match them, if you try ! 

 You may remove subsequent additions, unsightly galleries, 

 flat ceilings above which timber roofs lie concealed, niulti- 

 tudinous coats of whitewash, and as multitudinous coats of 

 paint. You may let the light into windows, and allow 

 feet to pass through doorways where modern brickwork 

 has denied an entrance ; and you may take away as 

 many recent excrescences as you please, be they of what- 

 ever kind tbey may. And then you will have done to the 

 old portion of your church all that you ought to do. 

 " But the structures themselves are falling," perhaps you 

 answer. Fhst of all, I reply, be sure of this. Then, if 

 the fact be certain — if time, or neglect, or both, have pro- 

 duced their worst result — endeavour what you can to 

 sirnply strengthen, without removing, and without adding 

 to. See what iron will effect in the way of binding 

 together parts which are becoming disunited. Let your 

 motto be, " Preserve." Recollect that everything rescued 

 l'roin destruction is a precious gain. And reflect for a 



