yond question the existence, in that country
at least, of "round arched Gothic." Some of the best authorities have
indeed proposed to employ this title as a designation for much, if not
all, the round arched architecture of the west of Europe, but Scott,
Sharpe, and other authorities class mediaeval art down to the middle of
the twelfth century under the general head of Romanesque, a course
which has been adopted in this volume.

The proportions of Gothic buildings were well studied, their forms
were always lofty, their gables sharp, and their general composition
more or less pyramidal. Remarkable numerical relations between the
dimensions of the different parts of a great Gothic cathedral can be
discovered upon careful examination in most, if not all instances, and
there can be little doubt that a system of geometrical proportions ran
through the earlier design, and that much of the harmony and beauty
which the buildings present is traceable to this fact. Independent of
this the skill with which subordinate features and important ones are
fitted to their respective positions, both by their dimensions and by
their relative elaboration or plainness, forms a complete system of
proportion, making use of the word in its broadest sense; and the
results are extremely happy.

Apparent size was imparted to almost every Gothic building by the
smallness, great number, and variety of its features, and by the small
size of the stones employed. The effect of strength is generally,
though not perhaps so uniformly, also obtained, and dignity, beauty,
and harmony are rarely wanting.

Symmetry, though not altogether overlooked, has but a slender hold
upon Gothic architects. It is far more observed in the interior than
in the exterior of the buildings; but it must be remembered that
symmetry formed the basis of many designs which, owing to the
execution having been carried on through a long series of years and by
different hands, came to be varied from the original intentions. Thus,
for example, Chartres is a cathedral with two western towers. One of
these was carried up and its spire completed in the twelfth century.
The companion spire was not added till the end of the fifteenth, when
men's ideas as to the proportions, shape, ornaments, and details of a
spire had altered entirely;--the later architect did not value
symmetry enough to think himself bound to adhere either to the design
or to the height of the earlier spire, so we have