Mr Whittington begins by observing, that the Roman architecture was only pure from the time of Augustus to that of Hadrian and the Antonines; that in the works of Dioclesian, may be found arches springing from tops of columns, consols supported by figures projecting from the face of the wall, and even the zigzag moulding. He says, that Constantine founded churches at Rome and Byzantium in the form of the ancient Basilica, of which there were 19 in Rome ; and that Santa Croce in Geru saleme at Rome, is the only specimen of the architec ture of Constantine, and is thought to have been origi nally open at the sides. St Paul's, without the gates of Rome, built, in its present form, in the time of Valen tinian and Theodosius and Arcadius : near the end of the fourth century it was inclosed on all sides. St Paul's is the best specimen of the manner of building, and St Cle ment's of the internal distribution of the first churches.
In the 3d century there were seven bishops sent to Tours, Orleans, Thoulouse, Narbonne, Paris, Limoges, and Auvergne ; and Constantine built a church at Au vergne. In the 5th century Gregory of Tours relates, that Pepetuus bishop of Tours built a church over the tomb of St Martin, 155 feet in length, 60 in breadth, and 45 in height ; that it had 120 columns, 52 windows, and 3 doors in the sanctuary, and 5 in the body of the church. Naumatius, bishop of Auvergne, also built his cathedral in form of a cross, with aisles on each side, which terminated in a round apsis; the walls of the sanc tuary were incrusted with marble ; it was 150 feet long, 60 wide, and 50 high, had 42 windows, 70 columns, and 8 doors.
Clovis, being converted, built many churches. He founded the abbey of St Peter and St Paul (near St Genevieve) without the walls of Paris in 507, also the church of St Peter at Chartres, and St Mesenin near Or leans. His son Childebert built the abbey of St Ger main des Prez near Paris. It is said that the only re mains of these works are the tower of St Germain des Prez, and that of St Peter at Chartres. The general form was oblong, with a semicircle at the east end. They were sometimes in form of a cross ; the roof was supported by pillars of stone and marble, and covered with lead or gilt tiles; the altar and covered ceiling of apsis were incrusted with marble and Mosaic work, as were sometimes the western front ; the walls were em bellished with sculptures, relieved with painting; the windows were frequently glazed; there was a pediment in the west front perforated with a circular aperture, and afterwards with a rose window. The plans, it is said, were often made by the abbots, and their convent assisted in carrying on the work ; in sundry times the ecclesiastics performed carving, smelting, painting, and mosaic. Leo,
bishop of Tours, was a great artist, especially in carpen try. St Eloy, who was first a saddler, then a goldsmith, and at last bishop of Noyan, built the monastery of Lo lognac near Limoges, but was most noted for shrines of gold, silver, and precious stones, especially those at St Denys and St Martin of Tours ; he died in 668. The greatest work of this century was St Denis, by Dago bert, son of Clothaire. Pepin began to rebuild it, but it was completed by Charlemagne, and dedicated in 775. The vault of the crypt under the cast end, and the great entrance of the present church, is said to be part of the work of Pepin and Charlemagne. It appears that, in the course of the 8th century, stone towers and belfries became common in France.
The palace of Charlemagne at Aix la Chapelle and the church were decorated with the marbles of Rome and Ravenna, and executed probably by Italian workmen. The churches built in the time of this prince, were proofs of the low ebb of the arts. Here magnificent and beautiful pillars supporting pitiful arches, high walls disfigured with uncouth paintings and glittering Mosaic work, pillars of different forms placed in the same row, pavements composed of various and uneven fragments, timber of roofs left naked without ceiling or ornament. The churches of St Vincent and Anastasius, and St Laurence in Verona, and St Agnes without the city, erected about this time at Rome, are specimens of this debased taste; and the internal walls of old St Peter's at Rome, were painted in this rude manner under For mosus I. in 890.
Under Louis, the successor of Charlemagne, the churches and monasteries of St Phillebert, St Florent upon the Loire, of Karoffi, Conches, St Maixant, Menat, Manlieu in Auvergne, Moissac, St Savin in Poictou, Nouaille, St Theotfroy, St Paixant, Lolognac near Li moges, St Marie, St Radegonde d'Agnani, St Laurent and Cannes. It was during his reign that Ebo bishop of Rheims began to rebuild his cathedral, on which occa sion the king sent his own architect, Rumalde, to carry on the work.
The Normans began their irruptions, and destroyed a great many churches, i. e. St Owen in Rouen in 842, and the cathedral of Chartres in 850. A few years afterwards they destroyed St Genevieve at Paris, set fire to St Ger main des Prez, and ruined St Martin of Tours. Charles the Bald attempted in vain to check them. Notwith standing these irruptions, sundry abbeys were built under his reign, as the abbey and church of St Benigne at Dijon. The most celebrated edifice of this period was the abbey of Clugny, built about 910, by Bermo abbot of Bahue. Maignard, a canon of St Genevieve, is said to have built the entrance to that church in the reign of Hugh Capet.