DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.29898#0020
XVI
PREFACE.
arrived when their afiiliation can be pointed out, if it ever can be, and
the study of architecture may be raised from dry cletails of measure.
ments to the dignity of an historical science.
In the present work it is intended that the first two volumes shall
cover the same extent of ground as was comprised in the two volumes
of the ‘ Handbook,’ as originally published, with such enlargement as
is requisite to incorporate all recent additions to our knowledge ; and
chapters will be added on Celtic—or, as they are vulgarly called,
Druidical—remains omitted in the ‘ Handbook.’ The ‘ History of
Modern Architecture ’ will thus form the third volume of the work;
and when—if ever—it comes to be reprinted, it is intended to add
a Glossary of architectural terms, and other matters necessary to com-
plete the book. When all this is done, the work will be increased
from 1500 pages, which is the number comprised in the three volumes
as at present published, to more than 2000 pages, and the illustrations
will be augmented in at least an equal ratio.1 Notwithstanding all
this, it is too evident that even then the work can only be considered
as an introduction to the subject, and it would require a work at least
ten tixues as large to clo full justice even to our present knowledge of
the history of architecture. Any one at all familiar with the litera-
ture of the subject can see at once why this is so. Ariollet le Duc, for
instance, is now publishing a dictionary of French architecture from
the eleventh to the sixteenth century. The work will consist, when
complete, of ten volumes, and probably 5000 illustrations. Yet even
this will by no means exhaust the history of the style in one country
of Europe during the five centuries indicated. It would require at
least as many volumes to illustrate, even imperfectly, the architectural
history of England during the same period. Germany would fill an
equal number; and the mediasval architecture of Italy and Spain
could not be described in less space.
In other words, fifty volumes and 20,000 woodcuts would barely
suffice to complete what must in the present work be compressed into
500 pages, with a like number of illustrations.
Under these circumstances it will be easily understood that this
book is far from pretending to be a complete or exhaustive history of
the art. It is neither an atlas nor a gazetteer, but sirnply a general
map of the architectural world, and—if I may be allowed the small
j0pe—on Mercator’s projection. It might with propriety be called an
1 The number of illustrations in the
chapters of the Haudbook comprised in
this first volume of the History was 441.
They now stand at 536 (1874); and in
the second volume the raiio of increase
will probably be even greater.
PREFACE.
arrived when their afiiliation can be pointed out, if it ever can be, and
the study of architecture may be raised from dry cletails of measure.
ments to the dignity of an historical science.
In the present work it is intended that the first two volumes shall
cover the same extent of ground as was comprised in the two volumes
of the ‘ Handbook,’ as originally published, with such enlargement as
is requisite to incorporate all recent additions to our knowledge ; and
chapters will be added on Celtic—or, as they are vulgarly called,
Druidical—remains omitted in the ‘ Handbook.’ The ‘ History of
Modern Architecture ’ will thus form the third volume of the work;
and when—if ever—it comes to be reprinted, it is intended to add
a Glossary of architectural terms, and other matters necessary to com-
plete the book. When all this is done, the work will be increased
from 1500 pages, which is the number comprised in the three volumes
as at present published, to more than 2000 pages, and the illustrations
will be augmented in at least an equal ratio.1 Notwithstanding all
this, it is too evident that even then the work can only be considered
as an introduction to the subject, and it would require a work at least
ten tixues as large to clo full justice even to our present knowledge of
the history of architecture. Any one at all familiar with the litera-
ture of the subject can see at once why this is so. Ariollet le Duc, for
instance, is now publishing a dictionary of French architecture from
the eleventh to the sixteenth century. The work will consist, when
complete, of ten volumes, and probably 5000 illustrations. Yet even
this will by no means exhaust the history of the style in one country
of Europe during the five centuries indicated. It would require at
least as many volumes to illustrate, even imperfectly, the architectural
history of England during the same period. Germany would fill an
equal number; and the mediasval architecture of Italy and Spain
could not be described in less space.
In other words, fifty volumes and 20,000 woodcuts would barely
suffice to complete what must in the present work be compressed into
500 pages, with a like number of illustrations.
Under these circumstances it will be easily understood that this
book is far from pretending to be a complete or exhaustive history of
the art. It is neither an atlas nor a gazetteer, but sirnply a general
map of the architectural world, and—if I may be allowed the small
j0pe—on Mercator’s projection. It might with propriety be called an
1 The number of illustrations in the
chapters of the Haudbook comprised in
this first volume of the History was 441.
They now stand at 536 (1874); and in
the second volume the raiio of increase
will probably be even greater.