In music, we shall seek to exprefs paffion and measure, by pleafing melody joined with pure harmony, and reject all attempts to impofe on our feelings when drawn from illegitimate fources.

any

the

In painting, it will no longer be found impoffible to combine grandeur of defign with the hue and forms of nature, which will be found more perfect than invention of man can fupply.* The province of the painter is rather to arrange than to create. Nature produces men, animals, and inanimate objects, but does not often dispose of them to the painter's fancy.

Architecture will not be flavishly held in Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian bonds, but formed on fuch aliquot parts as correct judgement, joined with elegant tafte, fhall find most proper for use and grandeur of effect,

*See Sir J. Reynolds's Difcourfes paffim.

If

If the progrefs of human attainments lead at last to that Golden-Age which the ancients held to be our primitive state; the philofopher will confider this as the happy future ftate of society—a state of reward to the fpecies, not to the individual-a flate of blifs, the natural confequence of fcientific and virtuous exertions.

Thus we have endeavoured to fhew, that nothing but rudeness can exist in the first age, that it becomes smoother in the fecond, and more polished in the third; but that we are not to look for the laft degree of refinement, until human nature, having proceeded through all the different stages of improvement, becomes perfectly inftructed by science, and purified by virtue.

ESSAYS.

ESSAYS.

On Gothic Architecture.

So much has been written lately on Gothic Architecture, that I am tempted to depart from the conciseness I have hitherto obferved, and to convert what was intended as a note (fee page 67) into an effay on a subject of which I may be supposed to have spoken too slightly.

The Saxon Architecture may be clearly traced from the Roman, from which it differs no more than the Italian language from the Latin, fo that it may be confidered only as a barbarous corruption of the old Orders. But the Architecture

ufually

This

ufually termed Gothic, having its prin-
ciples totally diftinct from the Roman,
must be derived from another fource. Its
origin has not been fatisfactorily traced,
but its rules, as far as they have a foun-
dation in art, may be ascertained.
fubject has been treated of by writers
more converfant with it than myself-my
intention is not to go over their ground
farther than a few remarks make necef-
fary, which may not be found in their
works.

To the circle, or portions of it, and to the right-angle, may be referred the general forms in the Roman and Saxon Architecture.

From acute arches, or acute angles, may be derived the general forms of Gothic Architecture-but caprice and whim are as prevalent as principle.

Warburton

*

Warburton (in a note upon Pope) conceives that the firft idea of Gothic Architecture arose from observing the effect of branches croffing each other in an alley of trees. The refemblance is undoubtedly very great, and had before been obferved by Stukely; if admitted, it only gives a principle for the pillars and roof, and of the infide only.

A late writer derives this order from the pyramid, which is the most general principle,

* A Theatre at Paris is conftructed to reprefent a bower of trees: the interlacing of the branches form the cieling. As it is used for summer amusements the thought is judicious, and the effect pleafing.

"Gothic Architecture (as it is called) for a gallery, library, or the like, is the best manner of building, because the idea of it is taken from a walk of trees, whose branching heads are curiously imitated by the roof."

STUKELY'S ITINERARY.

H