DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6914#0108
76
ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES.
architecture, as a style, half a century before the construction of any English work
in the same style of comparative excellence."16 In pursuing this argument, he
notices the " four important instances," brought forward by Whittington as evi-
dence that the " Pointed arch existed in France long before the twelfth century, and
that not merely as an ornament, or in bas-relief, but as an integral part of the several
structures in which it is found;"17 and he strengthens those affirmations by refe-
rences to a manuscript of Whittington's Tour, in his own possession. He afterwards
contradicts several of the particulars stated by Milner, in respect to ancient buildings
both in this and other countries ; and, in his second " Letter," proceeds to " demon-
strate the very high probability" of the Eastern origin of the Pointed style, affirming
with Sir Christopher Wren, that Europe owes the introduction of that style to the
Crusades, its appearance in " every part of Europe being nearly contem-
poraneous."18 Mr. Haggitt supports his general argument by referring to numerous
instances of the Pointed style still remaining in the Holy Land, and his remarks
are illustrated by engravings of the Fountain of Serpents, near Tortosa, the Cathedral
of St. John d'Acre, the interior of the Nilometer, at Cairo, and the ruins, in the saint:
city, of the great hall of Saladirfs Palace; in all which buildings Pointed arches
form an integral feature, and are therefore adduced as strong testimony in favour of
the Eastern origin of Pointed architecture.19
In Mr. Hawkes Smith's " Outline of Architecture, Grecian, Roman, and Gothic,"
are brief notices of the origin and progressive variations of the Saxon and Pointed
styles, the former being an " adoption of a species of Tuscan" by our native
architects, " as most easily imitated," and in " every alteration " of which " the
characteristics of solidity and strength were prominent."20 His opinions on the
origin of Pointed architecture, which are similar to Milner's, are elucidated by
sectional diagrams, ingeniously folding down over each other.21
The Rev. R. Knight, in his " Cursory Disquisition on the Conventual Church of
16 Vide " Letters," &c. p. 8. " Ibid. p. 7.
13 Vide " Letters," &c. p. 7. '9 Ibid. pp. 97—122.
20 Vide " An Outline," &c. p. 21, 4to. 1816.
21 In noticing the theory of Sir James Hall (see ante, p. 63), Mr. Smith has quoted the following elegant
lines upon the subject from Sir Walter Scott's " Lay of the last Minstrel," in which, describing a night
scene in Melrose Abbey, the poet says, in allusion to that theory—
The moon on the east oriel shone,
Through slender shafts of shapely stone,
ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES.
architecture, as a style, half a century before the construction of any English work
in the same style of comparative excellence."16 In pursuing this argument, he
notices the " four important instances," brought forward by Whittington as evi-
dence that the " Pointed arch existed in France long before the twelfth century, and
that not merely as an ornament, or in bas-relief, but as an integral part of the several
structures in which it is found;"17 and he strengthens those affirmations by refe-
rences to a manuscript of Whittington's Tour, in his own possession. He afterwards
contradicts several of the particulars stated by Milner, in respect to ancient buildings
both in this and other countries ; and, in his second " Letter," proceeds to " demon-
strate the very high probability" of the Eastern origin of the Pointed style, affirming
with Sir Christopher Wren, that Europe owes the introduction of that style to the
Crusades, its appearance in " every part of Europe being nearly contem-
poraneous."18 Mr. Haggitt supports his general argument by referring to numerous
instances of the Pointed style still remaining in the Holy Land, and his remarks
are illustrated by engravings of the Fountain of Serpents, near Tortosa, the Cathedral
of St. John d'Acre, the interior of the Nilometer, at Cairo, and the ruins, in the saint:
city, of the great hall of Saladirfs Palace; in all which buildings Pointed arches
form an integral feature, and are therefore adduced as strong testimony in favour of
the Eastern origin of Pointed architecture.19
In Mr. Hawkes Smith's " Outline of Architecture, Grecian, Roman, and Gothic,"
are brief notices of the origin and progressive variations of the Saxon and Pointed
styles, the former being an " adoption of a species of Tuscan" by our native
architects, " as most easily imitated," and in " every alteration " of which " the
characteristics of solidity and strength were prominent."20 His opinions on the
origin of Pointed architecture, which are similar to Milner's, are elucidated by
sectional diagrams, ingeniously folding down over each other.21
The Rev. R. Knight, in his " Cursory Disquisition on the Conventual Church of
16 Vide " Letters," &c. p. 8. " Ibid. p. 7.
13 Vide " Letters," &c. p. 7. '9 Ibid. pp. 97—122.
20 Vide " An Outline," &c. p. 21, 4to. 1816.
21 In noticing the theory of Sir James Hall (see ante, p. 63), Mr. Smith has quoted the following elegant
lines upon the subject from Sir Walter Scott's " Lay of the last Minstrel," in which, describing a night
scene in Melrose Abbey, the poet says, in allusion to that theory—
The moon on the east oriel shone,
Through slender shafts of shapely stone,