^Esthetic Evolution. 243 



Romanesque a lighter round-arched style became de- 

 veloped, embodying the true principles of construction 

 and much of the picturesqueness of gothic, while free 

 from the special peculiarity of pointed arches and 

 details. There is much reason to believe that if the 

 pointed arch had not made its appearance in Ger- 

 many at all, a style would have been ultimately de- 

 veloped at least as perfect as the true gothic sub- 

 sequently became. But this development was nipped in 

 the bud by the introduction, first of the pointed arch, 

 and then of true French gothic, like that of Cologne 

 cathedral. 



It is here contended that we must have recourse to the 

 Romanesque, not for adoption and imitation, but as a 

 starting-point whence to develop an architecture at once 

 rational and beautiful, embodying all the truest and best 

 principles of construction and ornamentation, and profit- 

 ing by and learning from both pointed architecture and 

 from all that was admirable in the Renaissance of Italy. 

 It is not meant that we are to become architectural 

 eclectics, and cull a feature here from the gothic, there 

 from the Renaissance a window from Lincoln, an arch 

 from Italy, etc. It is meant that the architect should 

 endeavour to improve upon the Romanesque by a mind 

 imbued with all that is best, both in the spirit of true 

 gothic and of the Renaissance. In this way I believe 

 it possible that a style of church -building may be 



