§ 103, 10t, 



SPIRES MISUNDERSTOOD. 



339 



chimneys to perform the office for which they were vainly 

 built. Chimneys are capable of being the greatest ornaments 

 to a house ; but in the whole range of civilisation and bar- 

 barism there are no houses so disfigured as ours by these 

 unsightly appendages. Those who pretend to build houses 

 ought to learn the principle of making chimneys without 

 this defect. 



104. [Many a graceful object is spoilt by some incongruous 

 addition ; sometimes, indeed, with the plea of use, but still 

 not excusing itself for interrupting the harmony of an out- 

 line ; and it may be questioned if the windows at the sides 

 of a spire need obtrude themselves so far as to interfere 

 with the line of its slope (fig. 1). The addition of a weather- 



(54.) 



A. 



Fig. 1. 



Fig. 



cock to the summit, spoiling the beauty of its point, is also 

 a mistake ; which, however, is far outdone by the rays and 

 other monstrosities on the apex of every Egyptian obelisk 

 at Rome, that so effectually disfigure the very part most 

 essential to the beauty of those monuments. (See above, 



z 2 



