276 N'ew Market of Coveni Garden. 



Covent Garden Market, of the Hungerford Market, and of 

 the Botanic Conservatory at Sion House, as clearly to the 

 former. The School of Authority considers nothing as archi- 

 tecture for which some precedent may not be found in the 

 buildings of the Greeks and Romans, and nothing legitimate 

 in that architecture which cannot be subjected to the rules of 

 one or other of the five orders. Hence the buildings usually 

 denominated Gothic are rejected by the more rigid disciples 

 of this school, as not belonging to architecture at all ; much 

 in the same manner that some sects of Christians deny that 

 the religion of Mahomet is entitled to be denominated a 

 religion. Bigotry and intolerance exist in the arts and 

 sciences, as well as in philosophy and morals ; and in no arts 

 have they been more influential in retarding improvement 

 than in architecture and agriculture. In agriculture, we have 

 lawyers and land-stewards insisting on the insertion, in agri- 

 cultural leases, of the same clauses respecting culture and ma- 

 nagement which were in use three centuries ago, when farmers 

 were little better than cattle, yoked and driven by their land- 

 lords. In architecture, we have architects contending for 

 forms and proportions calculated exclusively for a particular 

 purpose and a particular climate, in a state of society as 

 different from the present as darkness is from light. Nothing, 

 however, exists for which there is not a cause, and that cause 

 founded in nature. Things are chiefly good or bad relatively 

 to circumstances. 



The Stationary Schools, both of agriculture and architec- 

 ture, were very good schools when mankind were in more 

 danger of retrograding in arts and civilisation than of advancing. 

 Where all are not enlightened, the many must always be led 

 by the few ; these few, whether in politics or in the arts 

 and sciences, form the Stationary School ; and the principle of 

 self-preservation will render that school jealous of its power, 

 and, consequently, adverse to all innovation or interference. 

 There is, however, no Stationary School in nature ; and, taking 

 a general view of past ages, mankind have always been pro- 

 gressing, however slowly, towards something better. In 

 modern times, the ratio of this progress has greatly increased, 

 and the School of Reason is now everywhere in conflict with 

 the School of Authority. The first grand shock which the 

 School of Authority in agriculture received was the introduc- 

 tion of clover, turnips, and the artificial herbage plants, into 

 field culture : the first assault upon the Stationary School 

 of architecture was the employment of cast iron ; first in 

 bridges, and afterwards in houses, gates, and fences. A cast- 

 iron bridge is an abomination to the Stationary School of 



