SS'5 



absolutely excluded ; and this alone makes a most 

 material difference between the forms of build- 

 ings, and of other objects. A tree, for instance, 

 being supported by its roots, a waving line in its 

 stem is often in the highest degree graceful, yet 

 gives no idea of want of firmness and stability ; 

 but a building owes it's chief stability, and still 

 more the impression of it, to it's perpendicularity. 

 Another principle of architecture is, that the 

 curves, especially in the main parts, must be 

 regular and uniform : this again excludes number- 

 less varieties in the direction of the parts, so 

 pleasing in many objects. A varied knoll (to give 

 another example from natural objects) while it 

 presents a pleasing form from whatever point you 

 view it, offers a number of perpetually changing 

 .swellings and hollows as yon go round it: whereas 

 in going round a circular building, the same uni- 

 form curve must continue. 



These examples are sufficient to shew, that a 

 manifest distinction exists, and ought to be made, 

 between buildings and other objects ; and that ac- 

 cording to my restriction, the qualities' of beauty 

 are to be applied to them as much, but only as 

 much, as the principles of architecture will allow 

 of: if therefore among the principles 6f beauty 

 there should be any which those of architecture 

 will not allow of at all> or only in a small degree, 

 they of course are either totally excluded, or in 

 that degree only to be admitted. Thus, when in 

 Mr. Burke's enumeration it is said of beautify 

 £oh. H c c 



