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Since the sixteenth century, Gothic architecture has been 
a dead language, and until lately, " unread of all men ;" the 
smatterers in that language, at the period of its decline, were 
Torregiano, Sir C. Wren, Hans Holbein, and others, who 
(real Goths that they were) endeavoured to engraft upon the 
declining Gothic the young shoots of the Cinquecento style. 
And we may mention other veritable Goths at the period of 
the resuscitation of the style, viz.. Batty e Langly, Horace 
Walpole, and others, who, as closet antiquaries, vainly 
attempted a style of architecture, their utter ignorance of 
whose true principles is proved by their monstrous abortions. 
But a brighter period has arisen, and the works of a Barry, 
a Savage, a Cottingham, and of many other living architects, 
fully prove that upon their shoulders have fallen the mantles 
of the ancient freemasons ! 
But how has this arisen ? Simply by these architects 
personally investigating our ancient structures. They have 
pursued the same course in reviving the practice of Gothic 
or rather pointed architecture, as did Vignola, Palladio, 
Fontana, Scamozzi, and others at the period of the " renais. 
sance" of Roman art, — as did Steuart, Revett, and many 
later architects, in endeavouring to re-introduce the long- 
forgotten Grecian style. In all these cases personal investi- 
gation and research have led to the happiest results, nor need 
any despair of imbibing the spirit of the mid-eval architects, 
who will but study their incomparable works with devotion 
and industry. That these architects were regulated by sound 
principles cannot be doubted ; and it is not for me to say how 
far I have discovered those principles in the plans which I 
have submitted to your notice. The cathedrals of York, 
Salisbury, and Lichfield are, however, three of the most 
beautiful of which England (or indeed Great Britain) can 
boast. I shall now endeavour to show the application of my 
theory to the exterior of one or two structures. 
