19i 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[Uj 



iY, 



la the middle and South of France there still exist many remains of Ro- 

 manosque of a very early date. In Auvergnc, Baron Taylor remarked a 

 curious church of that era, of which tlie arch was decorated with the chevron 

 mouldin". At Pontoise, the cathedral, altViough altered in the sixteenth 

 century, still show marks of great antiquity, and to the tower in jiavticular it is 

 irspossible to assign a date. 



We then come to the Transition period corre^iionding to our Norman, and 

 we sec its progress from the Romanesque. We can perceive as it were, the 

 principles of Gothic architecture developing themselves in an infant existence. 

 These arc after all inseparable from the Transition styles, and although they 

 may, like colour, in some cases be unimportant, yet they are stdl an essential of 

 the design. The identity of the Norman and the Anglo- Norman is perfect, 

 although in the latter less advanced. At the same time, the English style is 

 free from that meanness which too oflt-n degrades the original Norman, and is 

 extremely perceptible in St. Etienne, at Caen, and St. .lulien ; the elaborate 

 doorways also, which we possess in England, arc rare in France. The differ- 

 ence in the execution of the ornamental details it is diSficult to account for, un- 

 less on those principles of the subdivision of labour, which we know to have pre- 

 vailed in Gothic architecture. Thus these details being left to native artists, 

 there is a conbiderable diversity between them. In France, the Byzantine 

 style long exercised an influence peculiar to that country, and we see, in the 

 Anflo-Sa.von missals, that the English possessed a_mode of decoration having 

 its distinct peculiarities. 



The period of the transition, from the circular to the pointed arch, is the 

 same in the two countries, although undoubtedly earlier in France, yet not to 

 the extent which the zeal of the Norman antic[uaries would endeavour to make 

 us believe. No sound proofs have ever been brought forward by them of the 

 authenticity of the dates they assign to the origin of the pointed siyle, and we 

 i;annot therefore, in the absence of such evidence, recognise these extraordi- 

 nary claims. In the middle of the twelfth century, ive tind the lancet arch 

 coming into use, although the round arch was retained in both countries for 

 occasional use. Tljc Cathedral of Lisieux is one of the earliest specimens 

 of this style, and the porch lias some remarkable dovetail mouldings. The 

 Cathedral of Coutances, in Brittany, be it said, without oll'ence to Salisbury, 

 is one of the best examples of lancet arcbitecture, and it also has the rare cir- 

 cumstance of aisles in the transept, greatly conducing to the beauty of the 

 eifect. Perhaps not six JEnglish travellers have seen this building, and it is 

 one which is as interesting as it is rare. 



We now come to the rayonnant corresponding to the decorated English 

 style, one of the earliest and best specimens of which we see at Amiens. 

 These styles we find appearing together both in France and England, 

 and gradually developing their beauties. This period the F'reneh authorities 

 divide into two epochs, of the first of which the Sainte Chapel at Paris, 

 is an example. This building also is remarkable for containing some 

 of the earliest and most extensive specimens of painted glass, well 

 worthy of the attention of the visitant. In the second epoch we find the 

 finest cathedrals in France constructed, but in attempting to mark its 

 limits we must not suppose that these are to be defined by any strict line, 

 nor that these eras practically exist, but like the epochs of geology are 

 conventional arrangemetns for general convenience. In the gradual 

 development of this period, it is remarkable that its influence was not 

 Cierted upon those members which are usually aftectcd, but that it was 

 removed to others. Thus the windows of the choir, which are a general 

 criterion, sutr.;red little change in this time, as we may see for instance in 

 Exeter. This period in France derives its name of Rayonnant from the 

 ornaments of the windows being formed by the evolution of circles so as 

 to give the appearance of rays, as the F'iamboyant docs from its forms 

 resembling fianics. The churcli of St. Ouen at Rouen is one of the noblest 

 examples of this period, and the eastern portion is particularly worthy of 

 aUention. 



In the fourteenth century we find the connection between English 

 and French architectiu-e to cease, and that each tbilows an independent 

 course. The claims of the English perpendicular style have perhaps been 

 ovcratcd, if indeed it possess sufficient distinction of character to claim 

 for it the title of a style. It seems indeed as if it were conceived, but 

 miscarried, and is .everywhere full of the grossest anomalies. Even its 

 proudest examples, the cathedrals oi Dorchester and Gloucester, and 

 IMerton College, Oxford, are open to the severest criticism. The Flambo- 

 vant has adopted the depressed arch like the perpendicular style, but is 

 principally characterised by dividing the_windows from three centers, four 

 being rare. It has the appearance of being composed only of windows and 

 buttresses and hence its imposing eft'ect ; its fault, however, is an exuberance 

 of decoration. It must be observed that although during its career it 

 mainlained a superiority over the English Perpendicular, yet that it fell 

 into a degeneracy, to which the latter was never subjected. The tower of 

 the church of Verneuil is well worthy of attention, and is even a greater 

 rarity to English travellers than that of Coutances. 



IVlr. Poynter concluded by pointing out the pecidiarities in the composition 

 of the Flamboyant style. Five aisles, are common in France, although 

 in England we have no such instance except at Chichester, otherwise 

 they affixed a range of external chapels, and both of these processes greatly 

 tend to destroy the outline. The F'rench raised the doorway in the 

 west front, while the English lowered it, and the former made their portals 

 occupy the centre compartment. The spires in Normandy, of whatever it 

 period, seem to be east in one mould, and possess a general uniformity which 

 is very remarkable. Thus those of St. Etienne at Caen, and St. Leu at 

 Coutances, and many others, although of ditt'erent epochs, have much the 



same appearance. In vaulting the English have a groat superiority, and 

 their fine ceilings are without rivals in France, allhougit the deliciency of 

 the French did not proceed from ignorance. The Fr«nch cliurclics also are 

 remarkable for being without battlements. In conclusion, Jlr. I'oynter 

 remarked that he presented these notes as the results of his own observations, 

 and expressed his gratification if he should have contiibutcd to the stores 

 of knowledge, which must increase frcur such contributions like the accu- 

 mulation of geological masses. 



ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY. 



Moiilhl;j Mettiny uf the Sxicl;/, hclil on Tuesday Eveiiimj, the Oih of April. 

 Wm. Tjxe, Es«., President, in the Chair. 



E. W. Brayley, jun., Esq. P". G.S., F. L.S., delivered his fourth and con- 

 cluding lecture of his present course; the subject of which was. " On those 

 Physical and Chemical properties of Building-stones, on wliich their use 

 essentially depends." — This lecture, like the former ones, entered very fully 

 into the matter under consideration, and was very clearly exemplified by 

 tables of experiments, by drawings of various kinds, and by specimens of the 

 stones themselves. 



After the lecture, the President called the attention of the meeting to the 

 sketches produced by the student members for the subjects iumounced at the 

 last meeting : he then announced the subject for the next sketch as fol- 

 lows : — viz., A Design for an Ornamental Inidgc in a Park — to be in one 

 Arch of 50 feet span, and the style to be either Gothic or Italian. 



Some very beautiful specimens of locks and other fastenings of a superior 

 nature were lying upon the table, and were furnished by Messrs. C. Smith and 

 Son, of Birmingham. Many of the hinges and fastenings were exceedingly 

 clever, arid obtained general approbation. 



There were also several other specimens of art, besides dravpings arranged 

 about the rooms. Among the latter was one by Mr. A. \V. Hakewill, showing 

 the manner proposed for laying out the grounds of the Royal Horticultural 

 gardens at Chiswick. 



At the conclusion of the meeting the President gave notice that a special 

 mcetingofthe members would beheld on Monday evening the 1 jth April, to take 

 into consideration the printed resolutions of the Greshani Connnittee, issued as 

 instructions to architects furnishing designs for the New Royal Exchange. 



ROYAL SOCIETY. 



March 21. — The Marquis of NoiiriiAMrxoN, President, in the chair. 



Thomas William Fletcher, Esq., and the Rev. Thomas Gaskin, were elected 

 Fellows. 



The following papers were read: — 



1. Dvscnpliun uf a Compcnsuliiv] Hiimmetcr, udapled lu McleorokyUal 

 Purposes, and ref/iiiring 110 Corrections cither for Zero or Jbr Temperature: 

 by Sajiui:!, B. Howlett, Esq. 



In the instrument here described, there is |)rovidcd, in addition to the 

 ordinary barometric lube inverted, in the usual way, in a cistern of mercury, a 

 second tube of the same dimensions, placed by the side of the former, and 

 likewise filled with mercury, but only to the height of twenty. eight inches 

 above the level of the mercury of the cistern. This tube is closed at its lower 

 end, and fixed to a float supported by the mercury in the cistern ; and it bearg 

 at its upper end, an ivory scale three inches in length. The elevation of the 

 mercury in the barometric tube is estimated by the dilfercnce between its level 

 and that of the mercury in the closed tube, and is measured on the ivory scale 

 by the aid of a horizontal index, embracing both the tubes, and sliding vertically 

 along them. As the float which bears the closed tube to which the scale is 

 attached rests freely on the mercury in the cistern, and consequently always 

 adjusts itself to the level of that fluid, no correction for the zero point is 

 needed ; and, as every change of temperature must similarly afi'ect the columns 

 of mercury in both the tubes, after the scale has been adjusted so as to read 

 correctly at any given temperature, such as 3-2°, which may be effected by 

 comparison with a standard barometer, every other reading will correspond to 

 the same temperature, and will require no correction. The author considers 

 the error arising from the difference of expansion corresponding to the different 

 lengths of the two columns of mercury, and which will rarely amount to ore 

 four-hundredth of an inch, as too small to deserve attention in practice, being- 

 in tact, far within the limits of error in ordinary observations. Subjoined to 

 the above paper is a letter from the author to Sir .lolm Herschel, containing a 

 statement of comparative observations made with a mountain barometer, and 

 with the compensation barometer, from which it appears that the use of the 

 latter is attended with the saving of a great quantity of troublesome calcula- 

 tion. The comparative observations are given in a table, exhibiting a range of 

 differences from +.012 to — .016 of an inch. 



-. An Account of the Fall of a Meteoric Stone in the Cold Bohheveld, Cope 

 of Good Hope i by T. Maclear, Esq., in u letter to Sir J. F. W. Herschel. 



The appearance attending the fall of this aerolite, which happened at half, 

 past nine o'clock in the morning of the i:!th of October, 18.j8, was that of a 

 meteor of a silvery hue, traversing the atmosphere for a distance of about sixty 

 miles, and then exploding with a loud noise, like that from artUlery, which was 

 heard over an area of more than seventy miles in diameter — the air at the time 



