283 



the comparative liglitncss of tlie material, 

 and the small proportion of what is solid 

 to what is perforated, have made use of 

 wooden bridges only. 



But there are likewise very singular and 

 striking effects, produced by a mixture of 

 wood and stone, of which painters have 

 equally availed themselves. It sometimes 

 happens, where there is a failure in one or 

 more arches of a stone bridge, that a tempo- 

 Kiry junction is made with timber, which, be- 

 ing found sufficiently strong, is suffered to re- 

 main. So incongruous a mixture, most cer- 

 tainly will not answer the purposes of gran- 

 deur, or of beauty, but, at the same time, no- 

 thing can be more picturesque; and if any 

 additional examples were wanting, to shew 

 the distinction of that character from the 

 two others, nothing could be more con- 

 vincins: than the result of such a mixture. 

 A remarkable instance of it I have seen in 

 prints and drawings of the bridge at Cha^ 

 renton near Paris, which is a perfect model 

 of variety, intricacy, and picturesque irre- 

 gularity. 



