224 General Notices. 



3. That no features were introduced in the ancient pointed edifices which 

 were not essential either for convenience or propriety. 



4. That pointed architecture is most consistent, as it decorates the useful 

 portions of buildings, instead of concealing or disguising them. 



5. That the true principles of architectural proportion are only found in 

 pointed edifices. 



6. That the defects of modern architecture are principally owing to the 

 departure from ancient consistent principles. 



The great error into which Mr. Pugin has fallen, in our opinion, is in con- 

 demning every thing and every body that does not exactly square with his 

 views. Mr. Pugin is a newly converted and consequently a zealous Catholic ; 

 but what Catholic of sound sense, in the present day, would publish such a 

 passage as the following: — "Mechanics' institutes are a mere device of the 

 day to poison the minds of the operatives with infidel and radical doctrines ; 

 the church is the true mechanics' institute, the oldest and the best. She was 

 the great and never failing school in which all the great artists of the days of 

 faith were formed. Under her guidance they directed the most wonderful 

 efforts of their skill to the glory of God, and let our fervent prayer ever be, 

 that the church may again, as in days of old, cultivate the talents of her 

 children to the advancement of religion and the welfare of their own souls, — 

 for without such results talents are vain, and the greatest efforts of art sink 

 to the level of an abomination." (p. 33.) 



The following passage may be considered by some as objectionable ; but 

 here it will be observed that the author is speaking of principles, and, taking 

 the passage in this sense, we entirely agree with him. 



" We can never successfully deviate one tittle from the spirit and principles 

 of pointed architecture. We must rest content to follow, not to lead : we may 

 indeed widen the road which our Catholic forefathers formed, but we can 

 never depart from their track without a certainty of failure being the result 

 of our presumption." (p. 9.) 



MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



Art. I. General Notices. 



Species and Varieties. — When the willows, and several other genera of trees, 

 are cultivated and studied for many years in an arboretum, the number of spe- 

 cies will be greatly diminished, and, doubtless, many new varieties originated. In- 

 deed, there is nothing in any of the species of Salix that would lead us to doubt 

 the possibility of there being only one original species; assuming as the charac- 

 teristic of a species some mark always present, and indestructible by cultivation, 

 soil, or climate. There are some genera, some of the species of which are so 

 decidedly distinct, that it is impossible to conceive that they can ever be 

 mere varieties; and equally impossible to suppose them distinct genera. For 

 example, no one ever supposes that J'cer Pseiido-Platanus and A. campestre 

 are not specifically distinct, and yet no one would ever think of raising them 

 into separate genera. In like manner, Quercus i?6bur, Cerris, 7 v lex, rubra, 

 virens, &c, are all decidedly distinct species ; and yet, by the commonest 

 observer, they would all be pronounced oaks. This, however, is not the case 

 with the genus Salix, nor with C/'lmus, J'lnus, and some others. It is easy 

 to conceive any one kind of elm changed by culture, locality, or climate 

 into any other kind, and equally easy in the case of the different kinds of 

 .4'lnus. 



Hitherto botanists have been chiefly enabled to study ligneous plants from 

 specimens obtained from their native habitats; but with the progress of 

 civilisation, and the consequent establishment of botanic gardens and arbo- 

 retums in all parts of the country, they will be enabled to study species in a living 

 state, and under a degree of uniformity in external circumstances which had 



