On GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE. 17 



The ruftlc fabric might thus be covered completely, but 

 would not be habitable, unlefs the openings of the fides and 

 ends were clofed, fo as to refill the weather. This might eafily 

 be accompliflied, by means of baiket-work, covered, as is ftill 

 pradifed in many countries, with a mixture of clay and 

 flraw. In order to furnilh ribs for the balket-work, a fet 

 of upright rods would be thruft into the ground below, and 

 bound to the arch above, dividing the opening into fpaces reach- 

 ing from top to bottom, (PI. IV. fig. 23.), which, being filled up 

 with twigs wattled through them, would be entirely clofed, 

 (fig. 24.), and the work would be tolerably flrong. It might 

 however be thought advifeable, for the fake of greater ftrength, 

 to fplit all the upright rods, down to the level of the points at 

 which the main rods of the opening feparate from their refpec- 

 tive polls ; or.^ to borrow a term from archite(5lure, down to the 

 level of the impofts of the arch ; and then to carry the half 

 rods, fo fplit, acrofs the reft, in fuch a manner as to afford the 

 opportunity of repeatedly binding them to each other, (fig. 25.). 



But were the fpaces all fhut in this manner, the houfe would 

 be rendered abfolutely dark. It would therefore be necefi^ary 

 to provide for the admifilon of light, which might be done, 

 without materially weakening the ftruclure, by omitting fome 

 of the wattled work in the middle, fo as to leave part of the 

 ribs open and bare, (fig. 25.). 



These naked ribs feem to have fuggefted the forms of the 

 {lender bars of ftone, called Mullions, which conftitute the frame- 

 work of the glafs, in all Gothic windows ; the moft common 

 example of which may be feen in (fig. 27.). 



The window, in the fabric of ftone, as well as in that of wil- 

 low, being very confpicuous, would naturally become an objecfl 

 of attention in point of beauty. Accordingly we find, that, in 

 the compofition of Gothic edifices, much pains have been 

 beftowed in ornamenting the windows, by the introducflion 



Vol. IV. c of 



