II. 



PAPERS OF THE LlfERART CLASS. 



I. On the Origin and Principles 0/ Gothic Architecture. 

 By Sir James Hall^ Bart, F. R. & A. S S. Edin. 



\Read April ^, i797'l 



INTRODUCTION. 



LONG after the arts of ancient Greece and Rome had been 

 loft, and before any effe(flual attempt was made to retive 

 them, a ftyle of building, known among us by the name of 

 Gothic Architedlure, began to appear in Europe. 



At firft, a few only of its peculiar forms were employed, 

 which, in fome old buildings, are to be met with, intermixed 

 with the remains of a ftill more ancient ftyle. Afterwards, ri- 

 fing by degrees into favour, it fupplanted, in all the depart- 

 ments of architecfture, every other fpecies of defign, and main-> 

 tained an unrivalled dominion during three hundred years. 



a 2 IrN 



