244 Notes 



rivet the eye. For this purpose a point of view should be chosen 

 which appears the best for shewing all the objects ; and the 

 building should be so contrived as to present as many sides as 

 possible at once. 



It is in giving prominence and relief to the principal forms, 

 by the opposition afforded by the others, and by a fine contrast 

 of shade and light ; it is in an accurate adjustment of the propor- 

 tions of the buildings to those of the surrounding objects, which 

 will be seen in the same coup d'aeil; it is in placing the objects 

 on different levels, so that the effect of the perspective may 

 seem almost to give movement to the different parts, of which 

 some will appear in strong light and others in the shade, some 

 will be brought prominently forward and others seem as though 

 retiring ; in short, it is in composing beautiful masses, of which 

 the ornaments and details never interfere with the principal 

 effect, that the great art of architecture consists. 



The ancients understood this so well that in their buildings 

 the general mass only was taken into consideration, so that the 

 most costly ornaments seemed to be absorbed in the general 

 effect, and were never at variance with the principal object of 

 the whole, which always announced, at first sight, by its style 

 and proportions, the character and destination of their edifices.] 



■♦s This remark concerning our finest prospects being to- 

 wards the west has been so often confirmed by repeated ob- 

 servations that I have endeavoured to discover some natural 

 cause for its general prevalence ; and perhaps it may, in some 

 degree, be accounted for from the general position of the strata 

 in all rocky countries, which appear to dip towards the east and 

 rise towards the west ; in one direction, the view is along an 

 inclined plane ; in the other, it is taken from the edge of a 

 cliff, or some bold promontory overlooking the country towards 

 the west. 



■♦* It has occasionally been objected to Gothic houses that 

 the old form of windows is less comfortable than modern 

 sliding sashes ; not considering that the square top to a win- 

 dow is as much a Gothic form as a pointed arch, and that to 

 introduce sash-frames, as at Donnington, we have only to sup- 



