§ 101, 102. FAULTY DESIGNS. 



33* 



advantage of obtaining these by raising an immense story 

 above the others." 



101. Great is the charm of variety, when judiciously in- 

 troduced, both in buildings and in ornamentation. It is one 

 of the chief beauties of our Grothic churches; and it is re- 

 markable that the architecture of ancient Egypt, though so 

 ponderous in most of its forms, should have admitted this 

 element at so early a period ; and to such an extent that 

 neighbouring columns were dissimilar, and side-doors, statues, 

 and other accessories were often different on opposite sides 

 of the same building. Variety in details is particularly 

 pleasing to the sight, which is fatigued by the constant re- 

 currence of the same form ; and a great fault in an orna- 

 mental design is to repeat some one of the details till the eye 

 is haunted by it, and retains, on being closed, an unwelcome 

 image of the obtrusive pattern. The want of this variety is 

 often observed in wall-papers, carpets, and many common 

 designs; and in borders the simple change of a leaf or flower 

 on different sides of a stalk at once shows the advantage of 

 this diversity of arrangement, as in the borders of coloured 

 glass windows, where the change of form and colour is most 

 important. 



102. But a double motive is rarely tolerable, and in most 

 cases is highly offensive, both in ornamental designs and in 

 architecture. Yet it is constantly admitted and even ad- 

 mired; and the round-headed window or niche, within a 

 framework of rectangular mouldings, surmounted by a pedi- 

 ment, is one of these anomalies, borrowed from a corrupt 

 Eoman model. 



It is also of importance that a building should be entirely 

 planned and designed by one mind before it is erected ; many 

 are spoilt by some unsuitable addition ; and that architect is 

 generally to be pitied whose works are altered by a suc- 

 cessor. 



z 



