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AND AFTER-GOTHIC STYLES IN GERMANY. 225 but is always conceived to operate, and thus materially affects the decorative construction. This principle prohibits the structure from being mere frame-work, as a structure of timber and wicker, or a structure of cast-iron, might be. It requires that large portions should be, and should be con- ceived to be, solid wall, though there may be upon the wall a superinduced decorative structure. This principle of wall- work, again, seems to require that free tracery should be symmetrical, for otherwise the eye is disturbed by the want of apparent balance in the two sides of the pattern ; and this I conceive to be a cause of the repugnance, which, I think, most architectural eyes, at first, feel to the French flam- boyant tracery. There is a like reason against German stump tracery, arising from its apparent inconsistency Avith stone walhng ; and, perhaps, we may attribute to the influ- ence of this principle (the obvious consistency of the structure with good mason-work) the acceptableness of good Perpendi- cular tracery to the eye ; for, however such tracery may be condemned by some, as harsh in its lines and having no simi- larity to any beautiful natural object, it will not be doubted by those who have carefully looked at fine specimens of it, where the design is full and the parts and tracery bars in due and graduated subordination, that this kind of tracery has more truly the aspect of good architecture than the later tracery either of Germany or of France. This third principle, the principle of wall- work, to a certain extent, operates to balance and oppose our first principle, that of frame-work. For though the principle of frame- work, carried to a certain extent, is a source of beauty in architecture, it ceases to be so if it be carried so far that the whole work becomes frame-work.^ Though the masses of solid wall are much reduced in bulk in the most elaborate ^ The principle of wall-work modifies which has been condemned on this ac- the principle of frame-work long before it count. Even considered as franie-worl;, injuriously affects it. It does this, indeed, we nuist take the whole bundle of mould- as I have said, very conspicuously in the ings, and not one alone; but, in fact, the Decorated style in England, giving to the principle of wall-work operates theoreti- vertical mouldings different forms and cally as well as practically in all such values from those of mere frame-work, cases, and prevents us from regarding the making some members broad, some nar- shafts as separate supports. The two row, and so on. We are not, therefore, to ideas, that of frame-work and that of consider buildings as showing the evi- wall-work, are both present to the mind; dence of corruption of style, merely be- and it is their combined concords and cause there are vertical moulded vaulting discords which protluce the kind of har- shafts too slight to support vaulting; as in mony in which architecture peculiarly King's College Chapel, the architecture of rejoices. VOL. VII. H II