Warton, Thomas [Editor]: Essays on gothic architecture: twelve plates of ornaments, &c. selected from ancient buildings (London, 1808)

88 rev. j. bentham's

in ail the variety of" modes that had prevailed
for many centuries past, than our own. The
cathedral churches in particular were all ma-
jestic and stately structures. Next to them
the monasteries, which had been erected in ail
parts of the kingdom, might justly claim the
pre-eminence; they were, for the generality
of them, fine buildings; and the churches and
chapels belonging to some of them equalled
the cathedrals in grandeur and magnificence,
and many others were admired for their rich-
ness and elegance; and, whdst they stood,
were without doubt the chief ornament to the
several counties in which they were placed.

The state of these religious houses, on occa-
sion of the reformation in religion then car-
rying on, became the object of public delibe-
ration; but however necessary and expedient
the total suppression of them might be judged
at that time, yet certainly the means that were
made use of to suppress them were not alto-
gether the most justifiable, and the manner oi
disposing of them and their great revenues has
been found in some respects detrimental to
the true interests of religion. For had the
churches belonging to them been spared, and
made parochial in those places where they
were much wanted, and had the lands ana
impropriated tithes, which the several rchgio«s