14 On GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE, 



might jnflly be confidered as fuperfluous, were the theory fup- 

 ported by dired teflimony. 



OF THE ELEMENTS OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE. 



When we enter a Gothic church, our attention is firft at- 

 tracted by a double row of cluftered pillars, compofed of an af- 

 femblage of long and flender fhafts, which, reaching from the 

 ground nearly to the fummit, there feparate and fpread in all di- 

 redions, forming the ribs or groins (as they are called) of a 

 vaulted roof. In the meeting of thefe groins, and in the win- 

 dows of the fides and ends, we fee the form of the pointed arch, 

 the principal charaderiftic of Gothic architedure. 



Such buildings have, I conceive, been executed in imitation 

 of a ruftic dwelhng, conftrudted in the following manner : 



Suppose a fet of round polls, (PL I. fig. i. & 5.), driven firmly 

 into the ground in two oppofite rows, the interval between the 

 neighbouring pofts in the fame row being equal to that between 

 the rows, and each poft being raifed above the ground to a 

 height equal to three of thofe intervals. 



Then a fet of long and flexible rods of willow, being ap- 

 plied to each poft, (fig. 2. & 6.)j let them be thruft into the 

 ground at its bafe, and bound to it by two tyings, one near the 

 ground, and another at two-thirds of its height ; the rods being 

 left loofe, from this laft point upwards, and free to be moved in 

 any diredion. Let three rods be connedled with each outfide 

 corner poft, (as A or H of the ground-plan fig. 6.), and five with 



each 



