Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/539

 UK. II. Ch. VI. FRAMKISH rilOVJNCE. 507 warlike race had raised themselves to power, and, with an incon- sistency characteristic of their state of civilization, devoted to sacred ])urposes the wealth they jiml acquired by rapine and plunder, covering their jjrovince with churclies, and perfecting a rude style of architecture singularly expressive of their bold and energetic character. In Burgundy, as we have just seen, both the style and its history differed considerably from this. From some cause, which has not yet been explained, this country became early the favorite resort of hermits and of holy men, who founded here those great monastic establishments which s])read their influence, not only over France, but over the whole of Europe, controlling to an immense extent all the relations of European society in the 31iddle Ages. The culmi- nating epoch of the architecture of Normandy and Burgundy was the 11th century. In the 12th, the monarchical sway of the cen- tral province was beginning to be felt in them. In the 18th it superseded the local character of both, and gradually fused them with the whole of France into one great and singularly uniform architectural ])rovince. Latin Style. ' Before proceeding to describe the local forms of architecture in Central P^'rance it is necessary to say a few words regarding a class of buildings which have not hitherto been mentioned, but which must not be passed over. These cannot be included in any other style, and are so nearly devoid of architectural features, properly so called, that they might have been omitted but for one consideration. They bear so remarkable a resemblance to the earliest Christian churches of Kome on the one hand, and to the true Gothic on the other, th:it Ave cannot doubt their being the channel '3. Plan and Section of Basse CEuvre, Beau- vais. (From AVoillez, "' Mouuments Re- ligieux de Beauvais.") ' "Style Latin" is the name generally adopted for this style by the French Architects.