In Sir James Hall's theory, it is conceived, that the forms of Gothic architecture may have been derived from the imitation of a rustic dwelling constructed as follows. Two rows of posts are thrust into the ground opposite to each other, the intervals between the posts of the same row being equal, and each post rising to the height of about three of those intervals, as shewn in the ground plan, Plate CL.X.X1I. Fig. 1, and in the view, Fig. 4.
A set of slender rods of willow are then applied to the inside of each post, and thrust into the ground along with it. These rods being rather longer than the posts, they are bound together by two tyings, one near the ground, and the other about two thirds of its height. The rods from that last binding upwards being entirely loose, and free to be moved in every direction, Fig. 2, slims the ground plan of this arrangement ; and Fig. 5 one of the posts, with its rods applied, and as seen in front between the rows. In this simplest case, the num ber of rods applied to each middle post is 5, and 3 to each end post, as shewn in the ground plan. Fig. 2.
The loose summits of the rods are then brought to meet, and arc bound together, so as to form the frame work of a roof fit to bear the thatch, as shewn com pleted in the ground plan, Fig. 3 ; but in order to render the construction intelligible, the three different forms of which it is composed had better be considered separately. First, Two loose summits arc made to meet from each pair of opposite posts, crossing each other in the middle, and producing the form of the Gothic pointed arch, a view of which is shewn in Fig. 6, the same being repre sented, or as executed with every such pair of opposite posts in the ground plan, Fig. 8. An horizontal rod or pole (which in this system is called the ridge-bar) is then laid upon the forks of the crossing rods, and bound to each of them, thus producing a continued Gothic arcade. Next two loose summits are made to meet from every neighbouring pair of posts in the same row, a set of arches similar to those first mentioned being thus pro. duccd, and standing opposite to each other in pairs, as shewn in Fig. 9, each pair of opposite arches being con nected by a transverse ridge-bar laid upon the forks. Two loose summits now remain to be employed in each post. These are made to meet diagonally from the op posite corners of each rectangle ; but in meeting, they arc not made to cross as in the two cases last mention ed, but are applied side by side, so as to form a continued curve or semicircle, and arc joined together after the manner of a hoop, as shewn in Fig. 7. These diagonal
arches cross each other at the centre, as shown in Fig. 10, and at their crossing touch the underbids of the ridge-bar.
These various forms will all be found combined in the ground plan, Fig. 3, and in the view, Fig. 11, seen as looking along from v% ith;n. Fig. 12 she ws a stone building of the Gothic style, in which all the same forms may easily be ti aced.
The mullions of the Gothic windows, seem to have arisen from the imitation of open ribs of cage-work. The simplest form is obtained, as shewn in Fig. 13, by a set of upright rods placed at equal intervals, split down to the level of the impost, one half of each rod being car ried to the right, and the other half to the left, each form ing an arch similar to a portion of the main arch, which it meets, and then by their crossing, producing a set of forms at once varied and symmetrical. Another design has been obtained, by splitting the rods, as in the last case, then bringing each half rod to meet with a similar half in the middle, between each neighbouring pair of uprights, these halves at their meeting not being made to cross, but being bound back to back, and then drawn asun der, so as again to meet their own halves, to which they are bound, and so on till the space is filled, as shewn in Fig. 14, with a set of waving forms all perfectly equal and similar.
These two last forms are represented as executed in stone work in Figs. 15 and 16.
In this manner, the rudiments of the Gothic style are pointed out by Sir James Hall in his memoir, read in the Royal Society of Edinburgh April 7, 1797.
The same gentleman has undertaken, in a work now in the press, to vindicate the authenticity of the principle here announced, by its application to the boundless diver sity of forms employed in Gothic architecture, both as to roofs and windows, constructed according to devices simiiar to those just stated, and as affording an explana tion of the other departments of the style equally diver sified, as the door, steeple, pinnacle, border, Sze. To this work the reader must be referred for more perfect infor mation, which we have reason to expect it is well calcu lated to afford, having long occupied the unwearied re search of the author, and being, we understand, illustrat ed by 58 beautiful engravings executed by Mr Blore.