Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/576

 544 FRENCH AECHITECTURE. Part II. In the Middle Ages, the sculpture, the painting, the music of- the people were all found in the cathedrals, and there only. Add to this their ceremonies, their sanctity, especially that conferred by the relics of saints and martyrs which they contained — all these things made these buildings all in all to those who erected and to those who woi'- shij^ped in them. The cathedral of Beauvais is gene- rally mentioned in conjunction with that of Amiens, and justly so, not only in consequence of its local proximity, and from its being so near it in date, but also from a general similarity in style. Beauvais is in fact an exaggera- tion of Amiens, and shovs defects of design more to be expected in Germany tlian in France. It was commenced fie years later than Amiens, or in 1225, and the works were vigorously pursued between the years 1249 and 12(37, though the dedication did not take ])lace till 1272. The architects, in their rivalry of their great neighbor, seem to have attemijted more than they had skill to perform, for the roof fell in in 1284, and when re- built, additional strength Mas given by the insertion of another pier be- tween every two of those in the old design, which served to exaggerate the apparent height of the pier-arches. Emljoldened by this, they seem to - -^ have determined to carry the clerestory to the unprecedented height of 150 ft., or about three times the width, 396. Bay of Nave of Bejiuvais Cathe- J^^pr^g^J.iJ^o• from the centre of One dral. No scale. ^ pier to that of the next. This, with a very long nave, a very acute vault, wide pier-spaces, and bold massive supports, might have been not only tolerable, but sublime ; but as this cathedral wants all these qualities, the effect now is only that of a most extraordinary masonic tour de force, which, though productive of considerable astonishment among the gap- ing vulgar, is defective in taste, and by no means pleasing in design. sv~