DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0042
mTRODUCTION.
xxxviii
strengtli as sliall satisfy tlie mind tliat the bnilding is calcnlated to
last for ages.
YI.—Forms.
It is extremely difficnlt to lay down any general rnles as to the
forms hest adapted to architectural purposes, as the value of a form
in architectnre depends wholly on the position in which it is placed,
and the nse to which it is applied; and there is in consequence no
prescrihed form, however ugly it may appear at present, that may not
one day he found to he the very hest for a given purpose, and in like
manner none of those most admired which may not hecome ahsolutely
offensive when used in a manner for which it is unsuited. In itself
no simple form seems to have any inherent value of its own, and
it is only hy their comhination one with another that they hecome
effective. If, for instance, we take a series of twenty or thirty figures,
placing a cuhe at one end as the most solid of angular, and a sphere
at the other as the most perfect of round shapes, it would he easy to
cut off the angles of the cuhe in successive gradations till it became a
polygon of so many sides as to he nearly curvilinear. On the other
hand hy modifying the sphere through all the gradations of conic
sections, it might meet the other series in the centre without there
heing any ahrupt distinction hetween them. Such a series might he
compared to the notes of a piano. We cannot -say that any of the hase
or trehle notes is in itself more heautiful than the others. It is only
by a comhination of several notes that harmony is produced, and gentle
or brilliant melodies by their fading into one another, or hy strongly
marked contrasts. So it is with forms : the square and angular are
expressive of strength and power; curves of softness and elegance;
and heauty is produced hy effective comhination of the right-lined witli
the curvilinear.1 It is always thus in nature. Eocks and all the harder
suhstances are rough and angular, and marked hy strong contrasts and
deep lines. Even among trees the oak is rugged, and its hranches are
at right angles to its stem, or to one another. The lines of the willow
are rounded, and flowing. The forms of children and women are round
and full, and free from violent contrasts; those of men are ahrupt,
hard, and angular in proportion to the vigour and strength of their
frame.
In consequence of these properties, as a general rule the square
parts ought always to he plaoed helow, where strength is wanted,
and the rounded ahove. If, for instance, a tower is to he hrrilt, the
lower story should not only he square, hut should he marked hy
buttresses or other strong lines, and the masonry rusticated, so as to
convey even a greater appearance of strength. Ahove this, if tlie
square form is still retained, it may he with more elegance and less
1 There are some admirable remarks on information, and more common-sense crit.icism
this subject in Mr. E. L. Garbett’s 1 Rudi- on the snbject, than perhnps any other in our
mentary 1 reatise on the Principles of Design languago.
in Architecturea work that contains more
xxxviii
strengtli as sliall satisfy tlie mind tliat the bnilding is calcnlated to
last for ages.
YI.—Forms.
It is extremely difficnlt to lay down any general rnles as to the
forms hest adapted to architectural purposes, as the value of a form
in architectnre depends wholly on the position in which it is placed,
and the nse to which it is applied; and there is in consequence no
prescrihed form, however ugly it may appear at present, that may not
one day he found to he the very hest for a given purpose, and in like
manner none of those most admired which may not hecome ahsolutely
offensive when used in a manner for which it is unsuited. In itself
no simple form seems to have any inherent value of its own, and
it is only hy their comhination one with another that they hecome
effective. If, for instance, we take a series of twenty or thirty figures,
placing a cuhe at one end as the most solid of angular, and a sphere
at the other as the most perfect of round shapes, it would he easy to
cut off the angles of the cuhe in successive gradations till it became a
polygon of so many sides as to he nearly curvilinear. On the other
hand hy modifying the sphere through all the gradations of conic
sections, it might meet the other series in the centre without there
heing any ahrupt distinction hetween them. Such a series might he
compared to the notes of a piano. We cannot -say that any of the hase
or trehle notes is in itself more heautiful than the others. It is only
by a comhination of several notes that harmony is produced, and gentle
or brilliant melodies by their fading into one another, or hy strongly
marked contrasts. So it is with forms : the square and angular are
expressive of strength and power; curves of softness and elegance;
and heauty is produced hy effective comhination of the right-lined witli
the curvilinear.1 It is always thus in nature. Eocks and all the harder
suhstances are rough and angular, and marked hy strong contrasts and
deep lines. Even among trees the oak is rugged, and its hranches are
at right angles to its stem, or to one another. The lines of the willow
are rounded, and flowing. The forms of children and women are round
and full, and free from violent contrasts; those of men are ahrupt,
hard, and angular in proportion to the vigour and strength of their
frame.
In consequence of these properties, as a general rule the square
parts ought always to he plaoed helow, where strength is wanted,
and the rounded ahove. If, for instance, a tower is to he hrrilt, the
lower story should not only he square, hut should he marked hy
buttresses or other strong lines, and the masonry rusticated, so as to
convey even a greater appearance of strength. Ahove this, if tlie
square form is still retained, it may he with more elegance and less
1 There are some admirable remarks on information, and more common-sense crit.icism
this subject in Mr. E. L. Garbett’s 1 Rudi- on the snbject, than perhnps any other in our
mentary 1 reatise on the Principles of Design languago.
in Architecturea work that contains more