The church of Milan appears to have been built in 1387; and Cæsar Cæsarianus gives a plan of the structure,* together with a wood cut of its orthography (or elevation) and another cut, of the same description, containing the scenographic+ representation of that edifice. These cuts exhibit the geometrical principles on which respective parts of the building are said to have been designed. For particulars concerning the rules promulgated by the above writer, the reader is necessarily referred to the publication of Mr. Hawkins. The future enquirer into the principles of this style will, assuredly, find them worthy of careful consideration, however insufficient to explain the whole of the system which forms the object of his research. Mr. Hawkins has collected, and stated in his work, many of those varieties of proportion which are observable in the arches and columns of buildings erected in this mode: but he observes "that the proportions of Gothic architecture, as it is termed, may, still, perhaps, in some instances be found to approach nearer to those of Grecian than persons little acquainted with the subject would be inclined to suppose, or the advocates for this last-mentioned style be disposed to admit." In a subsequent page he contends that in every Gothic cathedral as yet known, the extent from north to south of the two transepts, including the width of the choir, if divided into ten, as Vitruvius directs, would exactly give the distribution of the whole. Three arches form the north, and three the south transept; the other four give the breadth from one transept to the other. One division of the four being taken for each of the side-aisles of the nave, and The explanatory title which C. Cæsarianus affixes to his plan is thus translated by Mr. Hawkins: "The plan of the foundation of a sacred building, with columns at a distance asunder, constructed after the German man. ner, by means of a triangle and square, like that which is now to be seen at Milan." By the term Scenography is generally understood a perspective view of the front and side of an edifice. and two left for its centre walk, the complete distribution of the nave is also given." Whilst noticing the relative proportions of buildings in this style of architecture, it may be desirable to cite the following remarks of Browne Willis, although unconnected with any presumed similitude of arrangement between the works of Grecian and ancient English architects: "In most of the stately abbies, the height was equal to the breadth of the body and side-aisles; "The steeple and towers were frequently built equal in height to the length of the whole fabric, or rather the crossaisle from north to south, as is the case in Bristol, Chester, and St. David's'; "The cross-aisles often extended half the length of the whole fabric, as did the nave or western part, viz. from the great door at the west-end to the lower great pillars that supported the steeple; "And the side-aisles were just half the breadth and height of the nave, insomuch that both added together exactly answered it." Several modern writers have attempted to simplify the study of Pointed, or English, architecture, by dividing its specimens into DISTINCT CLASSES. But it is to be regretted that the terms respectively adopted by these authors, partake of that want of uniformity which is so perplexing to the enquirer, in regard to the great distinguishing appellation of this style. Among the earliest attempts to divide the pointed style into determinate classes, must be mentioned that of Mr. Warton, in his well-known Observations on the Fairy Queen of Spenser. This writer describes those first rude attempts in pointed architecture, 213 . B. Willis's History of Mitred Abbies, &c. Vol. II. Pref. p. 8.—I am not aware that the merit of the remarks thus extracted, has been ascertained by actual re-measurement. tecture, which immediately succeeded to the Anglo-Norman mode, as a "sort of Gothic-SAXON." The character of buildings to which he alludes will be noticed in a subsequent page; but he certainly errs (as has been remarked by several commentators) in placing the cathedral of Salisbury in such a class. The pointed style, when formed by successive efforts into an acceptable order, he divides into three classes, which he thus denominates: The ABSOLUTE Gothic; "which began with ramified windows of an enlarged dimension, divided into several lights, and branched out at the top into a multiplicity of whimsical shapes and compartments, after the year 1300." Of this fashion he considers the body of Winchester cathedral to afford a just idea. The ORNAMENTAL Gothic; of which he names, for examples, the choir of St. Mary's church at Warwick; the roof of the divi nity school at Oxford; and the chapel of King's College, Cambridge. The FLORID Gothic; of which the chapel of St. George at Windsor, and the chapel of Henry the Seventh at Westminster, are conspicuous specimens. Mr. Britton, in the judicious "Sketch 'of a Nomenclature of Ancient Architecture," contained in the first volume of his Architectural Antiquities, proposes to divide the pointed style inte three classes, which he thus designates, and appropriates to res pective dates and reigns: English, from 1189 to 1272, embracing the reigns of Richard the First, John, aud Henry the Third. Decorated English, from 1272 to 1461, including the reigns of Edward the First, Second, and Third; Richard the Second; and Henry the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth. Highly decorated, or Florid English, from 1461, to 1509, including the reigns of Edward the Fourth and Fifth, Richard the Third, and Henry the Seventh. "From this era," observes Mr. Britton, we lose sight of all style and congruity; and publick buildings erected during the reigns of Henry the Eighth, Elizabeth, and James, the First, may be characterized by the terms of Debased English, or AngloItalian." Dr. Milner* also considers the vicissitudes of fashion in pointed architecture, to have led to the formation of three perceptible orders in this style, "as distinct from each other as are the orders of Grecian architecture, having their respective members, ornaments, and proportions; though the essential and characteristical difference among them consists in the degree of angle formed by the pointed arch."+ The First Order, that of the acute arch, he considers to have been perfected before the end of the twelfth century, and to have continued till near the conclusion of the thirteenth century. Example, interior of the east end of Canterbury cathedral. The Second Order, Dr. Milner terms that of the perfect, or equilateral arch; but adds, in an explanatory note, that “it is not meant that all the arches of this second order are of the proportion in question; it is sufficient that they come near to it, and are all elegantly turned." He states this order as prevailing from the disuse of the former, till after the middle of the fifteenth century. Example, interior of York minster. The Third Order, or that of the obtuse arch, obtained from the date at which the preceding was rejected, down to the middle of the sixteenth century, when the style itself was exploded. Example, chapel of Henry the Seventh, Westminster. * Treatise on the Ecclesiastical Architecture of England during the Middle ages. + Antiquaries are not decided as to the propriety of such a criterion in endeavours to ascertain the age of an erection. Mr. J. A. Repton, in a letter to Mr. Britton, printed in the fourth volume of Architectural Antiquities, asserts that be has "communicated a paper to the Society of Autiquaries, containing observations on the progress of English architecture from the Conquest to the reign of Henry the Eighth, elucidated by drawings of capitals, arch-mouldings, cornices, &c. by which it will be shewn that the shape of the arch alone is not to be depended on, to point out the dates of buildings." This paper is not yet given to the public. Mr. Dallaway* divides the pointed style into four classes, which he thus names, and applies as to dates of prevalence: Lancet Arch Gothic, from 1220 to 1300. Mr. Millers, in some observations prefixed to his Description of the Cathedral church of Ely, presents a "Sketch of the Characteristics of English church Architecture," containing the following scheme of division in regard to this style: EARLY ENGLISH; from 1200 to 1300, comprehending the reigns of John, Henry the Third, and Edward the First A ORNAMENTED ENGLISH; from 1300 to 1460, comprehending a small part of the reign of Edward the First, and those of Edward the Second, Edward the Third, Richard the Second, Henry the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth. FLORID ENGLISH; from 1460 to 1537, the dissolution of religious houses; comprehending the reigns of Edward the Fourth, and Fifth, Richard the Third, Henry the Seventh and Eighth. Notwithstanding a disagreement as to the application of terms and dates of prevalence, it will be observed that nearly the whole of the above writers coincide in believing that English architec ture is amenable to three divisions in point of character; and it is presumed that an illustration of the justness of such an opinion will be afforded by the examples and remarks presented in suc ceeding pages. Convinced that the terms applied by Mr. Britton are suffici ently appropriate and expressive, I have on the present, as on other occasions, adopted his Nomenclature (with one slight alter. ation, suggested by Mr. Millers) and shall proceed to a brief 'statement of the characteristical features of these three fashions, of • Observations on English Architecture. |