Page:Ruskin - The Seven Lamps of Architecture.djvu/25

Rh stone, and sculpture by sculpture; seizing every opportunity afforded by scaffolding to approach it closely, and putting the camera in any position that will command the sculpture, wholly without regard to the resultant distortions of the vertical lines; such distortion can always be allowed for, if once the details are completely obtained.

It would be still more patriotic in lovers of architecture to obtain casts of the sculptures of the thirteenth century, wherever an opportunity occurs, and to place them where they would be easily accessible to the ordinary workman. The Architectural Museum at Westminster is one of the institutions which it appears to me most desirable to enrich in this manner.

I have only to add that the Plates of the present Volume have been carefully re-etched by Mr Cuff, retaining, as far as possible, the appearance of the original sketches, but remedying the defects which resulted in the first edition from my careless etching. Of the subject of the 9th Plate I prepared a new drawing, which has been admirably engraved by Mr Armytage. The lettering, and other references, will, I hope, be found more intelligible throughout.