^Esthetic Evolution. 225 



view, and a consideration of them, as types of two 

 schools, may serve to bring forward the author's views 

 as to the probable effect of the progress of modern 

 evolution on Christian church architecture. 



The first of these articles was by an author who signed 

 himself H. W. B., and it appeared in the April number 

 of the Dublin Review for 1872. The second article ap- 

 peared in the January number of the succeeding year. 

 The first article advocated the employment of the 

 " gothic " style in our church architecture. The second 

 article gave the preference very decidedly to the " Italian." 



H. W. B. advances the following arguments in favour of 

 the employment of "gothic" in our churches : (i) It was 

 re-introduced amongst Catholics by the great and good 

 Bishop Milner; (2) it is the only architecture which has 

 originated under Christian influences ; (3) it is the style 

 at present popular for ecclesiastical buildings ; (4) it is 

 capable of adaptation to all needs ; (5) its use is now 

 widely diffused over both hemispheres ; (6) it is cheap. 

 The writer further controverts the allegations of such 

 anti-goths as maintain : (i) That gothic is anti-Roman ; 

 (2) that it causes the obstruction of church interiors* by 

 too many columns; (3) that gothic churches are dark; 

 (4) that they are cold ; (5) that their constructive peculi- 

 arities cause the altar to be hidden from a large part of 

 the congregation. In opposition to these five assertions, 

 H. W. B. contends : (i) That, far from being anti-Roman, 



Q 



