Page:Charles Moore--Development and Character of Gothic Architecture.djvu/256

Rh a lathe. Fig. 146, a capital from the triforium of Beverley, sufficiently illustrates this class. Such capitals give to the interiors in which they occur a bald, hard, and uninteresting effect.

The profile of the abacus in England has, with few exceptions, all of its members, except the lower one, rounded. The upper member, whether in the interior or on the exterior of the building, has usually more or less of the character of a drip-mould, as at A, Fig. 147, from the west transept of Lincoln. Another characteristic profile is B, in the same figure, from the choir screen of Lincoln. Exceptional profiles, showing French influence, are C and D, from Glastonbury and Wells respectively. The astragal in England has usually either the profile shown in Fig. 143, or that shown in Fig. 144, rarely the varied profile of France.

The profiles of bases in the early style are usually like those of the French Gothic in exhibiting various modifications of the ancient Attic type. They are, however, as at

FIG. 146. A, Fig. 148, frequently composed of a larger number of members than were common either in ancient times or in the Gothic of France. Less refined in outline than French bases—their rounds being often nearly segmental curves rather than finely varied ones—they are very spreading in form, and their hollows are excessively deep-cut. The pro-