332 



totally destroyed : and then, perhaps, this 

 picture, a frail memorial of such a work, 

 may be the only one existing of its former 

 splendour and magnificence." 



" I wish your fears may not be too well 

 founded," said Mr. Hamilton ; " and I own 

 I feel just as you do : now, if Howard were 

 here, he could comfort you, though I can- 

 not ; for, according to his system, it will 

 become still more beautiful, when it is in, 

 the state that yqu have just been describ- 

 ing with so much horror/' 



f You cannot mean this seriously," said 

 the other; " you cannot mean, that How* 

 ard would assert, that when all the circum- 

 stances which now give beauty to this 

 building are destro}'ed, it will then become 

 more beautiful !" 



" No/ replied Mr. Hamilton, " not in 

 those terms; he is not a man to give such a 

 hold to his adversary ; but it is a conclusion 

 fairly to be drawn from what he has assert- 

 ed. He must, acknowledge, (for nothing is 

 more generally acknowledged) that a builds 

 ing when in ruins, is more picturesque than, 



