DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6914#0021
PREFACE.
savour of egotism, and be repugnant to the feelings of the proud and
reserved, I am induced to enter into this detail from a knowledge that
the private pursuits and conduct of an author are necessarily associated
with his works; and also that a plain " unvarnished tale" of facts and
reasons may tend to ward off severity of criticism with some, and
propitiate kind and generous feelings in others.
The terms Saxo7i and Gothic have been much confounded and
^discriminatingly used by almost every writer, who has published
opinions or observations on the subject, whilst that of Norman has
been improperly and unfairly omitted by the writer of the literary
part of Storer's Account of Cathedrals. Even those who are learned
and acute in most matters of criticism and history, seem to be either
indifferent or undecided on this: yet precision in phraseology is
essential to correct writing, as it is to correct thinking. In the
ensuing pages I have endeavoured to guard against every thing like
vague language, and have applied the terms Saxon, Norman, Pointed,
&c. to designate the Architecture which I regard to be purely Saxon,
Norman, and Pointed; whilst the word Gothic, as it conveys no
definite description of any one style or class, has been omitted in my
vocabulary, excepting to denote some tasteless, non-descript inventions
of the Batty Langley kind, or of modern works of a similar character.
Respecting the term Christian Architecture, I have assigned reasons
in page 24.
In the ensuing pages, the reader will observe a great number of
references to authors and documents : on this point it has been my
aim to do justice to every one, and to make each writer responsible
for his individual statements and opinions. Fidelity of quotation has
been carefully attended to. Eager and anxious to do justice to all my
predecessors, contemporaries, and even rivals, some of whom jealously
avoid all notice of my own works, I have referred to every book,
and every author that has come under my notice, and I trust have
b
savour of egotism, and be repugnant to the feelings of the proud and
reserved, I am induced to enter into this detail from a knowledge that
the private pursuits and conduct of an author are necessarily associated
with his works; and also that a plain " unvarnished tale" of facts and
reasons may tend to ward off severity of criticism with some, and
propitiate kind and generous feelings in others.
The terms Saxo7i and Gothic have been much confounded and
^discriminatingly used by almost every writer, who has published
opinions or observations on the subject, whilst that of Norman has
been improperly and unfairly omitted by the writer of the literary
part of Storer's Account of Cathedrals. Even those who are learned
and acute in most matters of criticism and history, seem to be either
indifferent or undecided on this: yet precision in phraseology is
essential to correct writing, as it is to correct thinking. In the
ensuing pages I have endeavoured to guard against every thing like
vague language, and have applied the terms Saxon, Norman, Pointed,
&c. to designate the Architecture which I regard to be purely Saxon,
Norman, and Pointed; whilst the word Gothic, as it conveys no
definite description of any one style or class, has been omitted in my
vocabulary, excepting to denote some tasteless, non-descript inventions
of the Batty Langley kind, or of modern works of a similar character.
Respecting the term Christian Architecture, I have assigned reasons
in page 24.
In the ensuing pages, the reader will observe a great number of
references to authors and documents : on this point it has been my
aim to do justice to every one, and to make each writer responsible
for his individual statements and opinions. Fidelity of quotation has
been carefully attended to. Eager and anxious to do justice to all my
predecessors, contemporaries, and even rivals, some of whom jealously
avoid all notice of my own works, I have referred to every book,
and every author that has come under my notice, and I trust have
b