Architecture. 263 



I can furnish you with a colored drawing of Melrose Abbey, copied 

 from an old Book, printed long before Scott was born, which con- 

 tained as fine a description in prose, of the ruins, as they then stood, 

 as the Poet gives of its earlier beauty, when supposed to be perfect. 

 The description is even more minute, than Scott's, of the admirable 

 delicacy of the flowers, foliage and tendrils, " wrought in stone." 

 These are distinctly mentioned, and also many circumstances, and 

 peculiarities which I have forgotten, but all tending to impress upon 

 the reader, that the finest possible taste in this particular style, was 

 then at its height. 



The drawing will be a familiar illustration to your young ladies, 

 and will I think, gratify them, particularly, as the very " East win- 

 dow," in Scott's description, through which the moon shone into the 

 " Oriel," is seen in this drawing. You will recollect probably the fol- 

 lowing lines — 



" The moon on the East Oriel shone 



Thro' slender shafts of shapely stone 



By foliaged tracery combined. 



You would have thought some fairy hand 



Thro' poplars tall the Osier wand — 



In many freakish knot had twined 



Then framed a spell when the work was done 



And changed the willow wreaths to stone." 



I will also furnish you with a common print, although a correct 

 one, of the west front of " Westminster Abbey," and a common print, 

 of the facade of the chamber of Deputies in Paris, probably the 

 handsomest modern Corinthian Portico in Europe. That of the Pan- 

 theon at Rome, is considered the handsomest ancient one of that or- 

 der. The lad, you will see amongst the prints of Roman buildings, 

 in the Portfolio you will take from here, and also a colored drawing 

 of the Pyramids. It would perhaps be well to remark to the young 

 ladies, that the Pyramids are probably the oldest as well as the larg- 

 est structures, as to quantity of materials, now to be seen, raised 

 on the surface of the earth, possibly some of the tombs, and tem- 

 ples, cut out of the solid rock : both in Africa and Asia, may be of 

 greater antiquity, but I do not know that it has been absolutely prov- 

 ed. From the variety of books which you will have it in your power 

 to consult, in addition to the few volumes I can furnish, you will read- 

 ily obtain much more information than I can give; but if these short 

 notices, are found to aid you, it will give me much pleasure. 



Your friend and servant, 



Daniel Wadsworth. 



