Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/571

 1869.] Science of Building. 461 management on the part of the organ builder, this can be in a great measure obviated, in the arrangement of the parts, and character of the voicing. It is particularly desirable an organ should not be crowded, especially within a re- cess, but that, wherever possible, room for a passage on each side, and behind it, be allowed. We are indebted for many of the points which we have here collected to- gether, and laid before our readers, to the kindness of Messrs. E. & G. G. Hook, manufacturers of Church Organs, Bos- ton, Mass., who have produced, amongst many hundreds of their instruments, supplied to every part of the country, the five largest and most complete or- gans ever built in America, and, perhaps, in the world. SCIENCE OF BUILDING, IT would be supposed, that after the lapse of so many centuries since the creation of the world, during which the erection of habitations for man, of temples to a known or unknown God, of commercial marts and of palaces was constantly carried on, that the science of building would now be exhausted, from having reached perfection ; but, strange to say, it is not; although, from the completion of the Pj-ramids to the pres- ent hour, thousands of men have culti- vated the science, and millions have en- gaged in the art. The general arts and sciences have been fostered, till now, in the nineteenth century, we view our achievements with pride ; and look back, with pity, upon generations past, which lived, without all these improvements ; yet, I say, we are only infants in science. Our own daily developments and discoveries con- stantly reveal to us hidden and unknown objects and ideas ; a race yet unborn will as far eclipse us, as we have eclipsed our predecessors, whom we only surpass in the means to build. I am forced to acknowledge, that dur- ing the past 500 years, the science of building has advanced slowly, until during this last centurj-, when, through- out the world, the improvement in dwelling-houses for man has taken a gigantic stride, while national architect- ure has declined. The natural qualifica- tions, and mental acquirements neces- sar}^ for a professor of this art, numerous and difficult of attainment, have caused the stucby of Architecture to be ranked among the highest branches of human knowledge ; have dignified the excellent among its professors : and have enlisted in its ranks enlightened men from every class of society An architect should be sufficiently master, in all the arts connected with his profession to judge perfectly of the merit of their productions. This is the most, that should be insisted upon ; and, if so qualified, he will not need to blush at his own insufficiency. It is not to be wondered at, that able architects have always been held in high esteem and honor by the great and powerful. The first Grand Master of the most ancient and powerful organiza- tion of men in the world was an archi- tect and builder ; and, although a poor widow's son, a co-equal with King Solo- mon, and Hiram, King of Tyre. The very rules and regulations used by him during the building of King Solomon's Temple are now used by modern masons ; and the memory of our first Grand Master, Hiram, is as fresh and green in the breast of every true mason to-day, as if he died but yesterday. The architects of Greece and Rome were honored. In a letter extant from Theodoric, King of the Goths, to Sym-