Architecture In France.

Avhich I have already alluded to takes very badly the place of our scroll-work . Sometimes , as at Strasburg , the glass is so thick . with age , that the obscurity is too great . But , in general , the effect of the cathedrals lighted by ranges of such glorious

AvindoAVs as one often sees in France is a thing never to be forgotten , ancl affords means of comparing the general effect of glass of various dates Avhich one can scarcely find elsewhere . Of one thing I must warn the young student , in prosecuting his

studies in France . Ho will find that many churches , ancient or restored , have the vaults and masonry strongly lined with deep white or red lines . In very many cases this is really old , in the vaults especially ; for there , the spaces between the ribs ,

being filled with chalk or light stone in irregular lumps , were plastered over with a thin plaster and lined . I think that this was done as a means of

decoration , and a legitimate one . It certainly has a very good effect in general . But the French architects of the present day often make a point of plastering over the masonry , wherever irregular , of the walls , Avith similar

plastering , so closely resembling stone as to be very deceptive , and then lining it over in irregular courses , quite irrespective of the actual joints of the masonry . I saAv a ludicrous example of this at Saumur , for tlie piers had been jointed at different heights at the sidesand were often at a

, wide distance apart at the angles . Used properly , tlie showing the actual lines of the stones has an excellent effect , better , in fact , than one could expect . There is a striking proof of it in part of the early arcade at Le Mans , where three of tbe arches only have been thus lined , the rest

retaining their old coat of AvhiteAvash . The difference is wonderful . I now come to the fine series of capitals lent to

me by Mr . Scott . In his lecture at the Eoyal Academy , he brought fonvard very prominently them general characteristics , as being chiefly derived from Byzantium . Ton are quite aAvare that the French foliated capitals are very different from ours . We seldom see in France such

beautiful and elegant work as we do here ; but then the French is , as a rule , bolder ; and I know of nothing in other countries quite like them in general design . They are , as Mr . Scott describes them , Coriuthianesque , but not mere bad imitations of Corinthian . One seldom sees , for

instance , the caulicoli at all . There is one instance from my sketch at Le Mans ; and one finds them in early examples , as at Caen , for instance ; but very rarely indeed in thirteenth , century work ; ancl , although the general outline often suggests its Corinthian origin , yet these capitals as a class , may fairly be ranked as genuine French Avork in design . Yet I quite agree Avith Mr . Scott ' s idea

as to their Byzantine origin , and ( after comparing notes with him ) find that I do so from a different point of vieAV altogether . Mr . Scott Avas struck with the general I'esemblance of the French capitals to the Byzantine rendering of Roman Avork , whereas I had invariably classed them as Byzantine owing

to their peculiarity of sculpture . There is a mannered style of manipulation found in nearly all the Byzantine work that I have seen which is rather difficult to describe , but is very evident in most examples . The lines are cut in very sharply and squarely ; the eyes of the leaves

ancl other points Avanting emphasis are drilled in deeply , and the Avhole effect is that of a wish to give as much sharpness as possible , so as to bring out the work wlieu seen at a distance . This gives a certain kind of stiffness to' the work , but it is most so in the subordinate parts , the general

curves and outlines being often as graceful as they are bold . Of course , these details of execution are not to be found throughout . The French school Avas evidently soon an independent one , preserving only in parts the traditionary style of work . But it is so clear that I feel no doubt Avhatever ,

looking at the matter from quite a different point of vieiv to Mr . Scott , that Byzantine influenced French art , as I believe it did all other art , down to the thirteenth century at least . The French school soon then formed quite an independent style of its OAvnas you may see by the drawings

, of the Sainte Ohapelle . I must , hoAvever , in fairness say , that there is a good deal of French work of by no means the high character that one usually sees , simply because one does not care to draw from bad examples . Much of the work , even at Chartres , for instance , is A ery coarse and

poor . I have alluded in this rapid sketch to ecclesiastical architecture only ; for , to notice architecture in its domestic or military phases would have been too great a task for this short space . But I must remark that the same feeling for bold ,

horizontal , crowning lines , is shoAvn , even more in secular than in other AVorks . You find the great croAvning cornices used with a wonderfully good effect . Take , for instance , the Hotel de Ville , at Bourges . It tells most capitally as a finish to the florid enrichments of the front , which would , in

fact , be strangely overcharged without it . So , also , the door and . window openings are often spanned by a bold , straight lintel , carried , perhaps , through the whole front , with no attempt Avhatever to disguise it in any Avay by an arch . It is simply a plain , straight piece of stone , clearly strong enough to do

its work , aud contrasting Avell with the arches of tlie other openings . This horizontality is a strong feature throughout French Gothic , and seems to pervade it even to the design of their most uprig ht features—the pinnacles and spires . To sum up . Whilst English Gothic has its own great beauties—such , as its delicate and graceful foliage , its splendid suits of mouldings , and its