1803.] 
of the most useful results from such ex- 
periments. Probably no WES in the 
world affords so great a facility for this 
object, as the well- eataedied veterinary 
surgeons of this neighbourhood enjoy ; 
and we should be happy to learn that 
any such directed their ‘attention to a 
subject which might be attended with 
such beneficial consequences to hu- 
manity. 
—— ee 
TRANSACTIONS OF THE LONDON 
ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY. 
fh Society of Architects of Lon- 
don, have recently published ‘the 
first volumie of their Transactioas, and 
they propose to present the public an- 
nually-with a selection from the labours 
of its members. ‘This volume contains 
four papers, the first of which is by Mr. 
Edmund Atkin, on Modern Architecture, 
or that style of building, which, founded 
on the imitation of the remains of Ro- 
man antiquity, took its’ rise with the re- 
vival of literature and the fine arts, in 
the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries ; 
and gradually, but finally, prevailing over 
the Gothic style, has for a considerable 
period been established throughout the 
countries of Europe. To compare an- 
~ elent with modern architecture, to ex- 
amine how far the latter has been suc- 
cessful in its imitation, and what are its 
characteristic defects, is the purport of 
this paper, which is only the first part of 
2 more extended Essay. 
Mr. Aikin then takes a short his- 
torical view of architecture, and first con- 
siders that of Greece, the extreme sim- 
plicity, andeven uniformity, of which are 
the most striking circumstances. The 
temples of Greece were invariably qua- 
drilateral buildings, differing only in size, 
and in the disposition of the ‘porticos. The 
system ‘of Grecian architecture is foun- 
ded'on the simple principles of wooden 
construction, and it appears probable 
that the earliest Greek temples were 
really of wood, since so many of them 
were consumed during the invasion of 
Xerxes, The Doric order bears the au- 
thentic and characteristic marks of its 
legitimate origin in wooden construction, 
transferred to stone. Fluting the shaft 
of columns is a practice never omitted in 
any great and finished Grecian work, and 
is a beautiful ornament, which is apphed 
with equal happiness to break the other- 
wise heavy mass of a Doric shaft, or in 
the other orders to obviate an inconsis- 
tent piainness. The invention of the 
denice and Corinthian orders enlarged 
Proceedings of Public Societies. 
339 
the bounds of architectural composition, 
and completed its powers of expressions 
The Romans borrowed their architec- 
ture from Greece, but practised it with 
some peculiarities of manner and taste, 
In reviewing the most favourable period, 
and the best examples of Roman archi-+ 
tecture,we find, in addition to the square 
plans of the Greeks, circular temples 
crowned with domes. The Corinthian 
was the favourite order at Rome, and ap- 
_ pears to have been the only order well 
understood and happily executed. 
Together with the other fine arts, though 
not exactly with equal steps, architec- 
ture declined in the Roman empire; while 
the principles of the art were neglected 
er forgotten, the execution progressively 
barbarized. The style of pointed arches, 
or ‘that which is called Gothic architec- 
ture, succeeded this deterioration; it is an 
Ingenious compendium of building, eco- 
nomical in materials and labour, and is 
essentially light and airy, only acquiring 
its awful grandeur by real magnitude, and 
the “religions light” of painted widows. 
In considering this style in a general 
view, we find a system of bold and i inge= 
nious construction, producing a grand, 
consistent, and admirable style of archi- 
tecture ; but this praise cannot be exten- 
ded to the details of ornamental parts. » 
The second paper is, by Mr. Samuel 
Beazley, jun. and is on the Rise and Pro- 
gress of Gothic Architecture. Some per- 
sons have attributed the introduction of 
this style of architecture to the Spaniards, 
from their so often employing Maspeth 
architects ; others, to the Italians, as be- 
Ing merely a corruption of the Grecian 
and Roman, through the progress of false 
taste. Bach country appears to have a 
style of Gothic peculiar to itself; thus 
the more northern nations have beén 
distinguished by a redundancy of orpa- 
ment; in France it was light and simple, 
while Spain presents nothing to the eye 
but the gigantic and the massive ; and in. 
Ttaly again, contrary to allideas of beauty 
and propriety, we find circular atcades 
and porticos, forming a mixture/ef the 
two styles, asin the cathedrals of Pisa 
and Orvietto. But it has flourished per- 
hsps with greater success'in bur. own. 
country than in any other, heing pre» 
ceded by the Saxon and Norinan styles, 
which ma great measure may be consi- 
dered as introductions to the Gothic, and 
which so often have been erroneously 
blended with it. 
In their first specimens, the Saxons ap=. 
pear to have been particularly plam im 
all 
~~ 
