m 



grand principle of uniformity and succes- 

 sion, they are arranged on a line in one or 

 more rows, as in most of the ancient tern^ 

 pies : but the usual form* and construction 

 of a bridge, and the difference in the height 

 of its arches, excludes such arrangements 

 of columns. Those at Blackfriar's, from 

 their detached unconnected position, and 

 from their size being so disproportioned to 

 the great mass of the bridge, (a circum- 

 stance of no slight importance) appear to 

 be, what they really are, — bits of useless 

 finery. Indeed, from every point, they 

 proclaim themselves to be merely ornamen- 

 tal ; and in that, and other respects, they 

 put me in mind of certain human beings 

 that I have sometimes observed parading in 

 more solemn edifices ; for these columns 

 appearing to have no business where they 

 are, nor office to perform, and being more 

 decorated than the other parts, distract the 

 attention and disturb the grandeur and so- 

 lemnity of the whole mass. 



The character of a wooden bridge is as 

 different from that of a stone one, as the na* 



