184 ^t<''^te of ArchiteBure to the end of 



I certainly do not mean by this little con- 

 traft to make any comparifon between the 

 rational beauties of regular architecture, 



and 



te£bs, but as politicians — a difiindion M. Mariette'did 

 not give himfelf time to make, or he could not have un- 

 derllood a book fo ill that he gave himfelf the trouble 

 to tranflate : after an account of thefe anecdotes, and too 

 flattering mention of the author, he fays, ** Queft* 

 opera e arrichita di prefTo di cento ritratti, e la ftampa 

 c veramente magnifica. lo vi faro ridere, fe vi diro, che la 

 Chiefa di San Pietro non e di fuo guilo, &: che egli la trova 

 troppo carica d'ornati, il che non gli pare proprio per 

 un tempio degno dello Maefla dell' Effere fupremo, che 

 lo abita : che gli ornamenti, che vi fono fparfi a profu- 

 fione, non vi fono pofti per altro che per fomentare f la 

 fuperftitione, di che egli accufa malamente la noftra 

 Chiefa Romana. Ed a cjuale edifizio credete voi, che 

 egli conceda la preferenza fopra a S. Pietro ? A una 

 Chiefa fabricata ful gufto Gotico, & le di cui muraglie 

 lieno tutte nude : cofa, che fa Pieta 1'* 



f Obferve that I have faid juft the contrary' ; (in that Gothic 

 churches infufe fuperftition ; Grecian, admiration.) In my compari- 

 fon between the efFecls of a Grecian and a Gothic church, is there any 

 ^ueftion of preferring the latter to the former in point of architec- 

 ture ? Have I not faid that Gothic architefts had not the happi- 

 nefs of difcovering the true beauties of the Grecian orders ? Is there 

 a word of St. Peter's being overloaded with ornaments ? Have I 

 not even faid, that a Gothic church, though ftripped of its ihrines 

 and fplendor, makes ftronger religious impreflion, than the cathedral 

 of Rome, though advantaged by all thofe decorations ! and why, but 

 bccaufe gloom and well-applied obfcurity are better friends to devo- 

 tion than even wealth ! A dark landfcape, favage with rocks and 



precipices, 



