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Gothic of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; and even that peculiar
kind called Queen Eliza-
beth's Gothic, in which turrets prevailed, though battlements were discarded,
and Grecian columns
occasionally introduced. Under the horizontal character I include all edifices
built since the intro-
duction of a more regular architecture, whether it copies the remains of
Grecian or Roman models.
There is, indeed, a third kind, in which neither the horizontal nor perpendicular
lines prevail, but
which consists of a confused mixture of both; this is called CHINESE.
'The two characters of architecture might, perhaps, be distinguished by merely
calling the one
' GOTHIC, or of old date, and the other GRECIAN, or modern: but it is not
the style or date that necessarily
determines the character, as will appear from plate V.; which represents
a view of an house at such a
distance that none of its parts can be distinguished, yet the prevalence
of horizontal or perpendicular
lines at once fixes and determines the character. The first we should call
a Grecian, or modern
house ; the latter, a Gothic one: and there can be little doubt, in such
a situation, which ought to be
preferred. I may here observe, that it is unnecessary to retain the Gothic
character within the
mansion, at least not farther than the hall, as it would subject such buildings
to much inconve-
nience; for since modern improvement has added glass sashed windows to the
ancient Grecian and
Roman architecture, in like manner the inside of a Gothic building may, with
the same propriety,
avail itself of modern comforts and convenience.
The character of the house should, of course, prevail in all such buildings
as are very conspicuous,
or in any degree intended as ornaments* to the general scenery; such as lodges,
pavilions, temples,
* In consequence of the general observation, respecting the prevalence of
perpendicular lines in the Gothic; at plate VI. is introduced
a design of a gate, which is every where used at Welbeck, but would be utterly
incongruous to Grecian architecture.