w wood, thus forever
destroying its soft and natural color, as well as the texture of its
surface, so dear to the wood-carver.

The fifteenth century in England was a period of great activity among
wood-carvers, and many beautiful choir-screens were added about this
time to the existing churches, all in the traditional Gothic manner, as
the Renaissance influence was a full century at work in other countries
before its power began seriously to affect the national style. The West
of England (Somerset and Devon in particular) is rich in the remains of
this late Gothic carving, some details of which are shown in the
accompanying illustrations, Figs. 75, 76, 77.

[Illustration: FIG. 75.]

[Illustration: FIG. 76.]

[Illustration: FIG. 77.]

As a general rule the supporting carpentry of these screens bears a
strong resemblance to stonework; so imitative is it in treatment, that
it is only by the texture of the wood and its lightness of construction
that the distinction is made evident. Now a certain degree of modified
imitation, where one craft models its forms of design upon those of
another, using a different material, as in the case of woodwork
imitations of arches, tracery, etc., is not only legitimate, but very
pleasing in its results. To attain this end, the carpenter need only be
true to his own ideals--there is no occasion to abandon the methods of
his own craft in order to copy the construction which is peculiar to
another. The resources of carpentry offer an infinite field for the
invention of new and characteristic forms, and these may be made all the
more attractive if they show, to some extent, the influence of an
associated craft, but never fail to become wearisome if essential
character has been sacrificed for the sake of an ingenious imitation.
The structural parts of some of these screens are composed of elaborate
imitations of stone vaulting and tracery, so closely copied as to be
almost deceiving, therefore they can not be taken as good examples of
suggestive opportunity for the wood-carver.

The carved work, on the other hand, is marked by a strong craft
character, essentially _woody_ both in design and execution. The
illustrations referred to are typical examples of this kind of work,
and, although the execution can not be indicated, they at least give the
disposition of parts, and some idea of the contrast obtained by the use
of alternate bands of ornament differing in scale, or, as in some cases,