On GOTHIC ARCHlTECru RE. i^ 



duced to the fame principles. The common fheeple, or jharp 

 pointed fpire, feems to have for its origin fimply eight long and 

 ftraight poles thruft into the ground, one in each of the angles 

 of an ocflagon ; and fo inclined, that they all meet in a point, 

 directly over the centre of the bafe, and raifed above it four or 

 five of its diameters, the rods, thus placed, forming together a 

 very acute odlagonal pyramid, (fig. 34.). The original obje<5t 

 of a ftru6lure of this kind would probably be mere ornament, 

 as it is not calculated to anfwer any purpofe we know of, un- 

 lefs it were to fupport a bell. Perhaps the firfl works of this 

 kind, even thofe executed in ftone, were placed upon the ground ; 

 but as a fpire is feen to befl advantage from a diflance, an ar- 

 chitect would naturally think of raifing it in the air, by placing 

 it on the fummit of a tower ; which is the cafe with all the 

 fpires of this kind I have feen. Figure 2)S' i^ ^ view of the fpire 

 of Tuxford in Nottinghamfliire. 



Besides the redlilineal fpire, we fometimes meet with others 

 of a curved form, which may be accounted for in a manner no 

 lefs fatisfa(5lory, as fhall be fliewn in a fubfequent part of this 

 ElTay. 



Having now taken a view of all thofe parts of Gothic ar- 

 chitedlure, which conftitute its foHd mafs, it remains, in order 

 to complete the elements of the art, that we confider two fets of 

 fmall. ornaments, which very often occur, and which, though not 

 necefiary in theory, nor univerfally obferved in practice, arife 

 naturally from the principles already laid down, and contri- 

 bute very much to give to Gothic architedlure that peculiar 

 appearance by which it is diflinguiihed. Both thefe orna- 

 ments may be traced to the eifecSls of time upon the mate- 

 rials employed in the conftru6lion of our ruftic fabric ; one fet 

 being connected with the vegetation of the rods, and the other 

 with their death and confequent decay. 



c 2. As 



