DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6914#0096
64
ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES.
giving an account of the building of that Cathedral, he introduces the opinion of
Lord Burlington, in an extract from a letter of Mr. Sympson, of Lincoln, to
Professor Trimnel, dated July 9, 1740.83 " I have his lordship's leave to say that
this is by far the noblest Gothic structure in England, and York in no degree com-
parable to it. He even prefers our west front to any thing of the kind in Europe ;
and says, that whoever had the conducting of it was well acquainted with the
noblest buildings of old Rome, and had united some of their greatest beauties in
that one work." To which Mr. Essex subjoins, " Lord Burlington had a taste for
architecture, and was as capable of deciding this question as any person; but the
merit of Gothic architecture was then but little noticed, and the distinctions of
style but little known. It was the fashion to apply the name of Gothic to every
irregular or disproportioned building; and, strange as it must appear, the noblest
of our old Cathedrals, and other ingenious works, have been no better esteemed
than the productions of a rude people, who were ignorant of all the principles of
designing, and the art of executing. But under whatever denomination the con-
ductors of these noble fabricks may be placed, whether we call them Goths or
Free-masons, we must acknowledge, that the style of building which they used
was brought to a more perfect system by them than the Greek or Roman has been
by modern architects ; and that the principles on which it was founded were
unknown to the greatest professors of architecture since the Reformation, is evident
from the attempts of Inigo Jones, Sir Christopher Wren, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Kent,
and many others of inferior abilities since their time, who have endeavoured to
imitate it without success. But we are not to conclude that the conductors of
these stately fabricks had no principles to direct them, because these great men did
not discover them ; for if any one, who is properly qualified, will divest himself
of his prejudices in favour of the mode of building which fashion has made
agreeable, and impartially examine the merits of those Gothic buildings which are
perfect, he must acknowledge, that the ancient Free-masons were equal to our
modern architects in taste for designing (agreeable to the mode of their times,)
and superior to them in abilities to execute ; that they perfectly understood the
nature and use of proportions, and knew how to vary them when they wanted to
produce a striking effect. In the execution of their designs they knew how to
please, by uniting neatness and delicacy in their work ; and to surprise, by the
artful execution of it. In short, when we consider the greatness of their designs
83 From the Rev. Mr. Cole's " M.S. Collections" in the British Museum.
ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES.
giving an account of the building of that Cathedral, he introduces the opinion of
Lord Burlington, in an extract from a letter of Mr. Sympson, of Lincoln, to
Professor Trimnel, dated July 9, 1740.83 " I have his lordship's leave to say that
this is by far the noblest Gothic structure in England, and York in no degree com-
parable to it. He even prefers our west front to any thing of the kind in Europe ;
and says, that whoever had the conducting of it was well acquainted with the
noblest buildings of old Rome, and had united some of their greatest beauties in
that one work." To which Mr. Essex subjoins, " Lord Burlington had a taste for
architecture, and was as capable of deciding this question as any person; but the
merit of Gothic architecture was then but little noticed, and the distinctions of
style but little known. It was the fashion to apply the name of Gothic to every
irregular or disproportioned building; and, strange as it must appear, the noblest
of our old Cathedrals, and other ingenious works, have been no better esteemed
than the productions of a rude people, who were ignorant of all the principles of
designing, and the art of executing. But under whatever denomination the con-
ductors of these noble fabricks may be placed, whether we call them Goths or
Free-masons, we must acknowledge, that the style of building which they used
was brought to a more perfect system by them than the Greek or Roman has been
by modern architects ; and that the principles on which it was founded were
unknown to the greatest professors of architecture since the Reformation, is evident
from the attempts of Inigo Jones, Sir Christopher Wren, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Kent,
and many others of inferior abilities since their time, who have endeavoured to
imitate it without success. But we are not to conclude that the conductors of
these stately fabricks had no principles to direct them, because these great men did
not discover them ; for if any one, who is properly qualified, will divest himself
of his prejudices in favour of the mode of building which fashion has made
agreeable, and impartially examine the merits of those Gothic buildings which are
perfect, he must acknowledge, that the ancient Free-masons were equal to our
modern architects in taste for designing (agreeable to the mode of their times,)
and superior to them in abilities to execute ; that they perfectly understood the
nature and use of proportions, and knew how to vary them when they wanted to
produce a striking effect. In the execution of their designs they knew how to
please, by uniting neatness and delicacy in their work ; and to surprise, by the
artful execution of it. In short, when we consider the greatness of their designs
83 From the Rev. Mr. Cole's " M.S. Collections" in the British Museum.