THE LOGARITHMIC CURVE. 205 



of which the arches that spring from the columns 

 and corbels, melt so beautifully and so naturally 

 into the roof that all notion of one part support- 

 ing another is lost to the perception, and the feel- 

 ing that we have is that the roof is self-balanced, 

 and would float in the air even though the walls and 

 upright pillars were removed. St. George's cha- 

 pel is one of many instances of that most sublime 

 and most natural of all styles of architecture ; and 

 there cannot be a better material incentive to re- 

 ligious feeling, than the view of a roof which even 

 to common observation is independent of gravita- 

 tion the test and characteristic of every thing 

 material. The pendant drops which belong to the 

 same style of architecture, have the same aerial 

 and floating character, just because the curves, 

 by means of which they melt into the ceilings, are 

 logarithmic curves ; and it is not a little remark- 

 able, that when two pieces of flat glass are placed 

 on edge in a coloured liquid, with their one ends 

 touching, and their other ends a little asunder, 

 the coloured liquid rises between them, so that its 

 upper edge forms the same kind of curve ; and 

 that is a proof that, if we could see it, the column 

 of evaporated moisture would have the same beau- 

 tiful and self-balanced appearance. 



It may seem not a little singular that the Catho- 

 lic architects should have applied to the roofs of 

 their churches that very curve, by assuming which 

 water hangs poised in the air ; and that considera- 

 tion alone should teach us to pause before we 

 arrogate to ourselves, in these modern times, the 

 perfection of all science. Columns and an archi- 

 trave, proportion them as we will, and sculpture 

 them as we may with the richest foliage and the 



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