108 THE LIFE OF JAMES D. FORBES. [CHAP. 



In May 1834, we find him spending three weeks in 

 London, accompanying his sisters to Oxford, and him- 

 self visiting Cambridge, and there attending Airy's 

 optical lectures. 



In June, he went by himself for a tour through the 

 south of England, and had his first interest in Gothic 

 architecture awakened. 



* NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT, June &th, 1834. 

 ' . . . I have grown very architectural in these 

 southern counties, in proof of which I travelled sixteen 

 miles yesterday to see a country church, Romsey, 

 which I had reason to suspect was curious. I was 

 amply rewarded : an almost perfect church, said to be of 

 the time of Edgar, scarcely polluted with Gothic, and 

 rich in horseshoes. Being quite innocent of theory on 

 the subject, or of having read Rickman or Milner or 

 Whewell, I affect to become knowing on facts only, and 

 if I form any theory, I shall of course be very obstinate. 

 Though tempted to be disappointed at first with Salisbury, 

 when seen under a rainy sky, it constantly grew upon 

 me during the two pleasant days I spent in the neigh- 

 bourhood. I examined it internally and externally with 

 some care, and left it full of unalloyed admiration. I 

 next went to Winchester, which has much greater variety 

 of style, and interested me very much. But what 

 particularly gratified me was the small church of St. 

 Cross, a mile off, which I accidentally heard of, and im- 

 mediately went to. It appears to me most interesting, 

 as pointing out the tendency to transition in Stephen's 

 reign, from the round zigzag style to the Gothic. 

 There are interesting arches, lancet windows, and actually 

 Gothic arches with the zigzag ornament, formed by the 

 crossing of two circular arches, placed obliquely to one 

 another, in the roof of the aisle. Connected with this 

 remarkable church, I found a most interesting establish- 

 ment kept up by funds given by Cardinal Beaufort. It 

 supports thirteen decayed tradesmen, who live in thr 

 most charming range of houses connected with the 



