3)8 ARCHITECTURE. BOOK 1. 



ing each other in the middle space between the columns, 

 formed the smaller supports of the roof, and thus gave rise to 

 what we call the ribs and spandrils of this style of architecture. 

 A somewhat similar mode of procedure may be supposed to have 

 been adopted in forming the windows and doors. First, the pro- 

 posed width being marked out, two clusters of pole& were fixed 

 in the ground or wall, which constituted the sides. These were 

 preserved perpendicular to the proper height, and there all bent 

 in one cluster towards the center of the window, forming a pa- 

 rallelogram with a pointed top, exactly as we see both in the 

 forms and round mouldings of the Gothic doors and windows 

 of cathedrals. In the windows they proceeded further. As the 

 space was to be filled up in such a manner as to retain aper- 

 tures for the passage of light, or in order to contain the glass, 

 they parted the base of it into a convenient number of divi- 

 sions. In each of these they fixed a rod, or stem of a young 

 tree ; which they either carried straight up until it intersected 

 the pointed arch at top, or bent it, when at the height of the 

 perpendicular sides of the windows. In bending these poles, 

 they sometimes only made them intersect each other and form 

 angular compartments of one general figure : but as they were 

 commonly smaller, and more easily managed than those of 

 the columns, they frequently indulged their fancy in bending 

 them, and produced either openings of different sizes, or imi- 

 tated known figures of leaves, or of some artificial contrivance, 



