WELLS CATHEDRAL, SOMERSETSHIRE.

SINGULAR CAPITALS.

THE CATHEDRAL at Wells (one of the most, interesting in the kingdom) presents innumerable examples of the skilfulness of our ancient sculptors;--and particularly, in respect to the richly-diversified and varied Capitals which surmount the larger co

remarked by a judicious observer, we have proof" that the artist who designed, and the artizan who executed, wrought with conjoined taste and kindred feeling." Whether in clustered foliage, in scroll-like adornments, or in the human figure, these sculptures display an ingenious and florid fancy;---but picturesque withal, and at times, not unassociated with the grotesque and the ludicrous. We present a specimen, which our readers, perhaps, will range in the latter class,---An aged Woman freeing her foot from a

pelyned also by mouth to the said depute, and ther-
upon he ordeyned no remedy. And forasmuch as all
this mysrule done by the said Henry, Edmund and
William, by statutes and lawes made in the said
land as well as in the tyme of oure said sov'rayn lorde
as in the tyme of hys noble progenitours is treyson, and
also who soeer of the trewe liege pople here knowyng
such mysrule wold not aryse to arrest such mysdoers
shuld be demed felones, the lordes and gentles of the
Counte of Kildare consyderyng the emynent mys-lumns in many parts of the interior. In these, as
cheve and fynall destruccionne of the said Counte
and also the desolacoune of the said Cite desired the
seid Maire and coes to com into the said Counte of
Kildare to put away the said William with his sequele
and to avoide all this mysrule: upon the which they
went with the said lordes and gentles and by the
grace of God avoided all the said mysrule out of the
said Counte. Also please youre hynes to be adver-
tised that the said William Botiller Nicholas Wogan
David Wogan and Richard Wogan came with dyvers
Irish ennemyes and english rebelles to the castle of
Rathcoffy where Anne Wogan sumtyme wiffe to
Olyver Eustace then beyng the kynges vidue was
dwellyng, and brant the gates of the said place and
toke hir with them, and Edward fitz Eustace son and
hire to the said Olyver, and son and heire aparant to
the said Anne, and of the age of vij yere, and yit
holdeth them as prysoners, and toke godes and catals
of the said Anne to the value of ve (500) marke.
Also the said Henry with a grete multitude of pople
armed in manne of were (war) came to Osberneston
in the saide Counte an ther toke and enprisoned
Cristofie Flatesbye, and destrued and wasted the said
Toune, and toke all godes and catals of the said
Christofie to the value of C. li. Besechyng youre
all thees mat'es.

gracious remedy and help upon
And forasmuch as thees mat'es been trewe and that
it wold please youre hynes to geve faith and credence
to thes pmises we Nicholas Priour of the hous of
Conatt, Edward fitz Eustace Knight, the Portreves
and Coes of the Naas, the Portreves and Cocs of
Clane, William fitz Eustace, Cristofie Flatesby, Nicho-
las Sutton, Wallian fitz Eustace, Cristofie fitz Eustace,
Patrik fitz Morice, James Lang, Phelip Brytt, Rob
fitz Eustace, John Saundre, and John White, have
put to this oure Seales. Written at ye Naas the xxiiij
day of Ianuer the yere of the reigne of the king oure
sov'rayn lord that now is xxxij."

thorn.

This sculpture, which appears on a capital in the south-transept, is about fourteen inches in height; and forms one of some sixteen or twenty others,---of subjects where the human figure is introduced,--which decorate the capitals in that and other parts of the edifice. They vary in height from about twelve to fifteen inches; and are generally diversified by varied and enwreathed foliage.*

* In Britton's "History," &c. of the Cathedral of Wells, twelve of these fanciful carvings are represented: plate xxii.

as represented in the view, erected upon corbels before | by exploring ancient ruins and remains, seeks to draw each of them. It was probably considered, that as the knowledge and inspiration from the fountain head. chapel formed a distinct and independent mass, the All this is very good, as far as relates to the mapenetration so far would not endanger the security of terials or elements of architectural science; and he the fortress. The chapel, and some other vaulted who has been enabled thus to store himself abundantly apartments, have been of late years, appropriated as with them, has every advantage (arising from the cyder cellars and offices. possession of ample means) for forming his taste and maturing his judgment; by which he may eventually look forward to distinguish himself in his profession. But success in art must be the result of study, whereby to deduce from every thing excellent the principles upon which that excellence is founded, and so to apply them in practice as to produce a similar result. The mere acquaintance with the details of ancient works, however accurate and extensive, can no more constitute an architect than can the possession of a good collection of the books in which

This Castle stands in a low and uninviting spot, although in the midst of a luxuriant country, abounding with the most beautiful situations; so that we may presume the considerations which determined the choice of the site by the founder were wholly different from those which would influence a baronial possessor in modern times. We may conclude, indeed, that if its original owners had any taste for the beauties of scenery, they did not care to indulge it by viewing the landscape through their windows; as this was rendered utterly impracticable by the screen-like machicola-those details are described :---yet, to judge from many tions before noticed, which were doubtless intended for a defence against hostile assault. Besides the remains shewn in the cut, part of the north front, with its embattled tower and arched gateway, is yet standing.

ON AFFECTATION IN ARCHITECTURE. EXEMPLIFIED BY REFERENCE TO MODERN PRACTICE. AFFECTATION, in every shape, is reprehensible, and especially so in regard to architecture ;---a science which, prima facie, might be thought to consist too strictly in solid matter of fact to admit of such a vice; yet, on inquiry, it will be found that this baneful propensity has a most extensive influence over the works of modern architects, and is likewise one of the chief causes of their inferiority to those of the ancients. It becomes important, therefore, to expose it to public obloquy, in order to check, if not destroy, so pernicious an evil.

In tracing the causes of Affectation in Architecture to their source, it will be seen to have arisen from the delusive pursuit, or misapplication, of a good principle. It has long been an established axiom in the fine arts that excellence is to be found only in the works of antiquity; consequently it becomes almost the sole object of the modern aspirant to acquire an intimate acquaintance with these works: he therefore applies himself with indefatigable zeal to storing his mind, his portfolio, and his shelves with all the history and details of ancient buildings of celebrity; and not content with the sources at hand, of books, drawings, and models, he laudably embarks on foreign travel, and,

instances of modern practice, it is the correctness of the copy of some renowned work of antiquity which has been the ambition of the architect, and he humbly contents himself with the reflected fame of his great prototype, instead of employing his own genius and inventive faculties.

Should any person be rash enough to exercise his common sense in questioning the appropriateness of character, situation, &c. of these imported copies, he is stopped short by the high sounding assurance that it is correctly wrought, or designed, after such or such an authority of acknowledged celebrity, and therefore is most chaste, classical, and apposite.

Upon this principle, (or rather want of principle,) we see continually produced a number of exotic structures, altogether unsuited to the situation, purposes, materials, and other circumstances, which ought ever to guide and to controul the disposition, style, and construction of every building. Instead of bespeaking their own proper character and station, they serve only to remind us of the greatness of dis tant times and nations; and, by a natural association, whilst they proclaim the grandeur of antiquity, betray the wretched diminutiveness of modern art.

So then, the boasted march of intellect is limited to this result;---to follow implicitly in the path of the ancients, without considering the object it leads to, and without taking advantage of the additional lights afforded by the vast advances made in almost every kind of knowledge!

But to proceed to examples,-of which our new Churches present many sufficiently striking. In these, an affectation of Grecian, or other antique and classic style of architecture, has led to servile imitations, in

which nothing, except an abstract principle of beauty, | in their erection; yet it were greatly to be desired appears to have been aimed at, and even that very that such beauty should properly result from the arimperfectly. The situation, character, climate, and rangement, and be consistent with the character and materials, and the many other common-sense consi-purposes; having due regard to situation, and the derations, which should ever lead, and not follow, opportunities of viewing them, whether near or disin architectural design, are generally disregarded in tant, direct or oblique ;---but what is the modern these compositions, and not unfrequently altogether practice in this respect? violated. May it not be reasonably presumed, with respect to an ancient group of buildings accidentally combined without uniformity, but doubtless with great propriety for the purposes required, (and all very beautiful in their proper place ;) that if the Grecian architect could see his designs repeated in an instance where all the circumstances were completely different, and his accidental irregularity reduced to uniformity by a studied repetition of parts,-his astonishment would be very great at such absurdity ?--And may it not also be presumed, that the same genius which gave birth to the excellence so much admired in the antique example would, upon the same principle, if exercised in the modern instance, have produced something suitable to the occasion, and therefore totally different in its modifications, although accordant in spirit to his own admired example?

The beautiful simplicity of the ancient temple is universally acknowledged, but, unfortunately for modern practitioners, it is almost as inadmissible in the design of a christian church as are the heathen rites to which the former was dedicated. The tower, in accordance with modern usages, is an indispensable accompani'ment to a church, and even a chapel cannot be without its campanile, (however unpretending its figure) but what can present a greater violation of the propriety of style than the placing of either upon the roof of a temple? The discordance and inconsistency are too obvious to require the discrimination of the critic to detect, for they strike the eye and offend the taste, even of ordinary observers. It may be deemed superfluous to descend to details, yet it must be equally clear, that to adopt in a christian church the decorations which have a distinct reference to heathen rites is a most gross violation of propriety, and at the same time betrays a great dearth of inventive genius in the architect who descends to such plagiarism.

But if this affectation in regard to churches be reprehensible, surely it is no less unreasonable to adopt the style of the ancient temples for edifices devoted to business or amusement. It is not here intended to deprecate the endeavour to impart to all buildings as much architectural beauty as may be consistent with the means to be employed, and the objects contemplated

First, in regard to style or character:---In approaching the splendour and gaiety of theatrical exhibitions, you pass under the awful solemnity of the Grecian porch; whose massive columns and entablature give a pigmy insignificance to every other object, and seem better calculated to bespeak the approach to the solemnities of a court of justice, or of divine worship, than to the scenes of mirth and festivity. Then as regards situation, we find frequent instances of these grand and solemn porticoes in streets not wider than the columns are high, so that no direct view of them can be obtained, unless it be so near that the whole cannot be embraced within any moderate angle of vision; and consequently, those forms and proportions which would have been pleasing and graceful if viewed from a proper distance, become distorted and repulsive from their two close proximity.

But then, say its adaptors, it is antique and classical, and therefore its appositeness must not be questioned !---Surely this servile and senseless copying of antiquity amounts to an admitted censure on the inventive genius and talent of the age.

It is commonly quoted as a striking proof of the decline of the fine arts in the time of Constantine, that the triumphal arch erected to his honour was composed of the spoils of preceding structures of the same kind, instead of being an original work produced for the occasion;-yet this was a very venial act compared with some instances of modern plagiarism. There the parts, though pillaged, were at least suitable to the purpose intended; here, on the contrary, we too often find the style, subject, situation, and purpose, quite unsuited, and totally inapplicable. Ancient basso relievos, originally placed under a portico, are transplanted into external friezes, in which, according to ancient practice, alto relievos would alone be proper. The triumphs of Minerva are displayed to public wonderment in a London street; yet it is only to the classic few that the subject can be known at all, for their lofty station literally renders them above all common ken or comprehension !

More recently we have witnessed other importations from the Continent, in the shape of imitative structures, and displaying much beauty with less inconsistency, inasmuch as there is greater analogy betwixt

the nature of the public buildings of London, and the | buildings, which were calculated for the profusely palaces of modern Italy, than betwixt the former and rich finishings of our forefathers. the sacred edifices of ancient Greece :---but still it is deplorable that we cannot attain to more than successful copying; and that we are so little versed in the principles of architecture, or so diffident in the application of them, that, instead of producing something proper to the occasion, we should be ever aiming at and affecting the style and resemblance of something remote and foreign, and too often quite unsuitable to our own climate and country; thus publishing the celebrity of the genius of other times and nations, and the inferiority of our own.