964 PRACTICE OF

ARCHITECTURE. Book IlL

CHAP. III.
MEDI.EVAL ARCniTECTURE.
Sect. I.
THE STYLE IN GENERAL.
The question tliat first naturally arises is, What is Gothic or Mediasval architecture?
Altlioiigli Hickman, in his essay mentioned on page 971,
gave a sketch in which he wislied
to show the differences between Classic and Gothic architecture, the first real attempt at
defining the char.icter of Medifeval art seems to have been made by the late A. W. I'ugin,
who, in his True Principles
of
Pointed or Christian Architecture, 1841, enunciated tlie fol-
lowing principles, which have formed the keynote for the various works and lectures on
the subject since written and delivered:

I. There should be no features about a building which are not necessary for convenience,
construction, or propriety. II. All ornament should consist of enrichment of the essential
construction of the building. III. The smallest detail should have a meaning or serve a
purpose. IV. The construction itself should vary with the material employed. V. The
design should be adapted to the material in which it is executed. VI. Pointed architec-
ture does not conceal her construction, but beautifies it. VII. I'laster, when used for
any other jiurnose than coating walls, is a mere modern deception. VIII. A flat roof is
contrary to the spirit of the style. IX. A splayed form is necessary for piers, arches,
basimoulds, strings, and copings. X. All mouldings of jambs are invariably simk from
tlie face of the work. XI. Large stones destroy proportion. XII. The jointing of
masonry should not appear to be a regular feature. XIII. A joint in tracery shoidd
always be cut to the centre of the curve where it falls. XIV. The external and internal
anpe;irance of an edifice should be illustrative of. and in accordance with, the purjjose for
which it is destined. XV^. It is a de'ect to make the two sides of a design corres|)ondeut
if their purposes differ. XVI. The jjicturesque effect of the ancient buildings results
from the ingenious methods by which the old builders overcame local and constructive
difficuities. XVI 1. The elevation should be subservient to the plan. XVIII. Details
are multiplied with the increased scale of the building.
These principles, with the addition of the subject mentioned in the next paragraj)]!,
seun to form the creed of the most advanced foreign archaologisis, such as IVI. VioUet le
Due, for the onsideration of the spirit of the style has been neglected in favour of an in-
vestigation of details by French and German writers on architecture.
"
Internal altitude," writes Pugin in the same work
(p. 60.),
"
is a feature which would
add greatly to the efliect of niiiny of our fine English churches, and I shall ever advocate
its iitroductioa, as it is a characteristic of foreign pointed architecture of which we can av ail
ourselves without violating the jirinciples of our own peculiar style of English Ciiristian
architecture, from which 1 would not depart in this country on any account. I once siood
on the very edge of a precipice in this respect, Irom which I was rescued l)y the advice and
arguments of my respected and reveied friend Dr. Rock, to whose learned researches ami
observations on Christian antiquities I am highly ind bted and to whom I feel it a bounilen
duty to make this pulilic acknowledgment of the great benefit 1 have received from his
advice. Captivated by the beauties of foreign pointed architecture, I was on the verge
of departing from the severity of our English style, and engrafting portions of foreign
detail and arrangement. This I feel convinced would have been a failure ; i'or although
the great jirinciples of Christian architecture were everywhere the same, each country had
some peculiar manner of developing them, and we should continue working in the same
parallel lines, all contributing to the grand whole of Catholic art, but by the very varieiy
increasing its beauties and its interest."
This author claimed for pointed architecture the merit of its having been the only phaso
of art in which the "principles" had been carried out, and is supported, witli some reserva-
tions, i)y Viollet le Due. Our space is too litnited to discuss that assertion
;
the student who
desires to investigate the sul)ject must refer to Pugin's publication for his arguments, and
must guard against being captivated by the one-sided illustrations given as
"
contrast."
For an assertion of the .same general princii)les in regard of Classic and Modern architeciure,
the reader is referred to the chapter on Bkauty in Akchitkcxuke, in the present work