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THE CIVIL ENGiXEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[October, 



ARCHITECTURE AS A FINE ART : ITS STATE AND 



PROSPECTS IN ENGLAND. 



Br George Godwix, Jux., F.R.S. 



" Hint art where most magnificent apjKars 

 Tlie liltJe Uiililer, man." 



«I shall not nepde (like llie most part of writers) to celebrate the 

 suhjcct which I deliver. In that point I am at ease. For architecture 

 can want no commendation, where there are noble men and noble 

 mindcs." So wrote Sir IIcDry Wotton more than two hundred vears 

 ago, with reference merely to the Roman style, when classic architec- 

 ture was but beginning to revive: — before "inigo .Tones and Sir Chris- 

 topher Wren had nationalized it amongst us, or Lord Burlington's ex- 

 ample and endeavours, had made a smattering of its principles almost 

 a necessity of fashion. Since then, the treasures of Greece have been 

 ransacked and sent home to us to correct our taste and aid the study; 

 the claims of middle-age arcliiteclure to be regarded as the work of 

 supreme genius have been admitted universally, (its intrinsic beauty, 

 the extraordinary skill displayed in its development, its power of 

 inducing 



" ,'\ slir of mind too natural to deceive ; 

 Giving the memory h?Ip when she would v.eave 

 A crowai for Hope !"' 



liave all been felt,) and delineations of its choicest specimens in a 

 thousand and one books have been dispersed amongst us to render its 

 details more known, aud its imitation less difficult. 



The history of architecture has been written, — the beautiful rela- 

 tidnship of the various styles has been shown, (each growing out of 

 and in its turn producing, — ) forming a narrative most interesting and 

 striking to all who look not carelessly on the progress of the human 

 family, and suflicient it might be thought, to arrest and retain the at- 

 tention of all readers. The history of our ancient buildings is more 

 fully felt to be inseparably connected with the history of our country, — 

 every old stone in England is known to tell a story, and therefore 

 should have now a firmer hold upon the people than then, and yet we 

 doubt whether any might venture to repeat at this time Sir Henry 

 Wotton's remark which we have quoted. Certain it is that many 

 "noble men" care nothing about architecture, and that many more 

 "noble mindes" seem to require it should have very much "" com- 

 mendation" before they will be induced to give attention to it. 



The degree of ignorance on the subject of architecture to be found 

 amongst persons in other respects not merely well infoimed, but even 

 learned, is quite extraordinary. Grecian, Roman, Gothic, Elizabethan, 

 as applied to architectural style, are to them but words without any 

 corresponding ideas ; they have never considered that architecture 

 lias a chronology, still less, a philosophy, — architectural integrity, 

 harmony, proportion, fitness, are to them foreign things, — in fact, 

 beyond a notion that architecture means piling one stone upon another, 

 and forming places to live or meet in, they know nothing and care 

 less. 



Great jiart of this inattention on the part of the multitude to the 

 interesting and noble study under notice, (and of which the results 

 ■whether for good or ill, usually endure long, and are constantlv before 

 the eyes of all,) has been justly ascribed to the cotmectio'n which 

 exists in the public mind between architecture as a constructive sci- 

 ence, and architecture as di fine-art, and every endeavour ought there- 

 fore to be made to enforce a knowledge of this difference on general 

 readers, aud to point out to them how large a source of fresh delight 

 ■would be opened to them by its study in the latter ijoint of view. The 

 pleasure of travel is trebled by if. Proofs in aid of former studies, 

 objects for investigation, incentives to inquiry, arise on all sides; 

 tongues are literally, found in stones, and a habit is acquired of weigh- 

 ing causes, aud testing by judgment whatever is brought before the 

 mind, which is of the greatest value, not merely in this particular case 

 but in all the affairs of life. 



For the sake of example, but briefly, let a man possessed of its 

 liistory, and imbued in some degree with its principles, visit, in com- 

 ■pany with one entirely ignorar.t of both, an old town, or be set down 

 before a new building. In the first, he might perhaps find a massive 

 piece of walling, formed of beach-stones imbedded solidly with mortar, 

 and bound together at certain distances in its height, by layers of long 

 thin bricks almost resembling tiles. This he woiild at once recognise 

 as a remnant of the work of that period when the Romans brought, 

 though as conquerors, the arts to England, and laid the foundation for 

 after-elevation and prosperity. Britain and its skin-clad inhabitants, 

 the invasion of Casar, the downfall of Rome, the invitation to the 

 Saxons would be the concomitant remembrances. 



One of the gateways leading into the cathedriU-close — which we 



will suppose the town to possess, might present semi-circular arches 

 springing from sma|l columns, and ornamented on the face with a rude 

 zig-zag moulding, or a series of bird's beaks, which he would know to 

 be the design of some of those Norman architects who. after the con- 

 quest of England by Duke William, employed themselves activelv for 

 some time, in covering the land with donjons and churches. The 

 abasement of the Saxons, the curfew, forest laws, the feudal svstem 

 generally, would jiass involuntarily throngh his mind, and afford matter 

 for long and pleasant reflection. 



The cathedral itself would perhaps display in part, the feathery 

 lightness of the pointed style of architecture with lofty arches, pinna- 

 cles and buttresses, intermixed with work of later date, shewing 

 arches almost flat, superfluity of adornment, and the decay of taste : 

 all which would be sufficient not merely to recall to the initiated be- 

 holder the changes which took place in architecture during two or 

 three hundred years, and ended in the importation of a style from 

 Italy, in the reign of Charles I, or a little earlier, and a contemptuous 

 disregard of the beautiful structures before spoken of, aud then first 

 termed Gothic, in derision, — but would bring before him the progress 

 of Christianity, the power attained by the clergy, and the state of the 

 country and tiie people, in a variety of fresh phases. 



At the new structure again, he would perhaps see the clever adap- 

 tation of means to an end, and proportions well preserved ; read in its 

 architectural expression an accordance or otherwise, as the case migiit 

 be, with its purpose ; and study the causes which conduced to render 

 the elfect of the whole on the mind satisfactory and pleasing. Thus 

 would the imagination of the one be gratified, his judgment strength- 

 ened, his sagacity increased, while the second, who had given no 

 thought to the subject, and had gained no information upon it, would 

 necessarily be blind to it all, or seeing, would understand not. 



The analysis of the causes of beauty in works of architecture, is 

 certainly far from an easy task ; it yet remains for some powerful 

 mind keenly perceptive and nicely discriminating to deduce a code 

 of laws or principles to be universally applicable in this inquiry. 

 Whether however, this is likely soon to be effected, or that these sub- 

 tle properties will continue to evade reduction to general rules, it is 

 difficult to say. At present we must be contented to apply in indivi- 

 dual cases, a number of unconnected canons, aud to investigate the 

 particular results of certain arrangements of form, compliance with 

 prejudices, or the production of novelty. 



"The art which we profess," says Sir Joshua Reynolds, speaking 

 of painting, "has beauty for its object; this it is our business to dis- 

 cover and to express ; the beauty of which we are in quest is general 

 and intellectual ; it is an idea that subsists only in the mind ; the sight 

 never beheld it, nor has the hand expressed it : it is an idea residing 

 in the breast of the artist, whicli he is always labouring to impart, and 

 wdiich he dies at last without imparting— but which he is yet so far 

 able to commimicafe, as to raise the thoughts and extend the views of 

 the spectator ; and which by a succession of art, may be so far diffused 

 that its effects may extend themselves imperceptibly into public bene- 

 fits, and be among the means of bestowing on whole nations refine- 

 ment of taste." Now in architecture, which is not an imitative art, 

 but one of imagination and adaptation, if we may so speak, (bom of 

 necessity,) there are two other objects to be attained, namely, com- 

 modiousness, (or fitness for the purpose,) and stability : in reference 

 to both of wdiich, although perhaps it is not for these it is entitled to 

 the appellation of a fine art, the claims of a building to perfect admir- 

 ation must be tried. It seems clear that these qualities may exist 

 without the production of beauty, even with proportion oi the parts 

 superadded, — (a word by the way the meaning of which is any thing 

 but precise, as what is deemed proportion umler some circumstances, 

 or in one place, is not so in others ;) but the production of beauty 

 which will satisfy the mind can hardly be hoped for without minute 

 attention to all these points. Variety and intricacy, with yet a pre- 

 vailing uniformity, may be regarded as important in the production of 

 pleasure in the spectator: — in so far as while the mind is able at once 

 to comprehend and dwell upon the unity of the whole, it may be in- 

 terested ill the novelty or propriety of each detail, and find delight in 

 this indication of the energy, ingenuity, and power displayed in its 

 formation. We must not however here venture on an inquiry, which 

 interesting as it may be, is beyond the intention of the present paper. 

 To return, then, to our former subject. The neglect which archi- 

 tecture has experienced at our universities (as, indeed, have all the 

 arts), is another plainly apparent cause of the ignorance complained 

 of, and it is gratifying to see indications, although but partial, of the 

 presence of a different spirit amongst the members of the universities, 

 if not in the universities themselves. Oxford and Cambridge both 

 have now societies for the study of Gothic architecture, and for the 

 purpose of aiding in the proper restoration of old buildings. Many 

 papers of great merit have been read at both, and museums of casts 



