DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41191#0009
ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY* A
PAPER READ BEFORE THE SO,
CIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF
ANCIENT BUILDINGS, ON JULY I,
1884* BY WILLIAM MORRIS*
We of this Society at least know the beauty of the
weathered and time,worn surface of an ancient
* building, and have all of us felt the grief of seeing
this surface disappear under the hands of a 're,
storer;' but though we all feel this deeply enough,
some of us perhaps may be puzzled to explain to
the outside world the full value of this ancient
surface* It is not merely that it is in itself pic,
turesque and beautiful, though that is a great deal;
neither is it only that there is a sentiment attach,
mg to the very face which the original builders
gave their work, but dimly conscious all the while
of the many generations which should gaze on it;
it is only a part of its value that the stones are felt
to be, as Mr* Ruskin beautifullyputs it, speaking
of some historic French building, now probably
changed into an academic model of its real self,
that they are felt to be 'the very stones which the
eyes of St* Louis saw lifted into their places/ That
sentiment is much, but it is not all; nay, it is but
a part of the especial value to which I wish to,day
to call your attention, which value briefly is, that
theuntouchedsurfaceofancientarchitecturebears
witness to the development of man's ideas, to the
continuity of history, and, so doing, affords never*'
PAPER READ BEFORE THE SO,
CIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF
ANCIENT BUILDINGS, ON JULY I,
1884* BY WILLIAM MORRIS*
We of this Society at least know the beauty of the
weathered and time,worn surface of an ancient
* building, and have all of us felt the grief of seeing
this surface disappear under the hands of a 're,
storer;' but though we all feel this deeply enough,
some of us perhaps may be puzzled to explain to
the outside world the full value of this ancient
surface* It is not merely that it is in itself pic,
turesque and beautiful, though that is a great deal;
neither is it only that there is a sentiment attach,
mg to the very face which the original builders
gave their work, but dimly conscious all the while
of the many generations which should gaze on it;
it is only a part of its value that the stones are felt
to be, as Mr* Ruskin beautifullyputs it, speaking
of some historic French building, now probably
changed into an academic model of its real self,
that they are felt to be 'the very stones which the
eyes of St* Louis saw lifted into their places/ That
sentiment is much, but it is not all; nay, it is but
a part of the especial value to which I wish to,day
to call your attention, which value briefly is, that
theuntouchedsurfaceofancientarchitecturebears
witness to the development of man's ideas, to the
continuity of history, and, so doing, affords never*'