Page:Suggestions on the Arrangement and Characteristics of Parish Churches.djvu/39

39 more groundless. Without urging the harmony and expressiveness that exist between nature and the works of art executed in accordance with nature's laws, which would demonstrate that the flat roofs of Italy, which are useful and beautiful in that country, are inconvenient and unbeautiful in our northern latitudes, nearly all inquirers into aestetic subjects agree in the opinion, that lines embracing pyramidal forms are more beautiful than those with a horizontal tendency. No architectural works ever displayed the pyramidal outline in such perfection as the great Gothic Churches of the middle ages; and it was to the high pitch of their roofs they were mainly indepted for their verticality of character. The illustrations accompanying this paper will, I hope, show the comparative effect of high and low roofs. Then the arched and groined ceilings in “stucco,” of our modern Churches, besides being unreal imitations of stone construction, are, as all Church-builders know, enormously expensive. An open wooden roof, of dressed timbers, is fully fifty per cent. cheaper than the plainest stucco groining. It has, moreover, the advantage of always looking finished, and can at any time be embellished with paintings.

Where there is a bell-tower, the most beautiful covering for it is a spire. The spire, if possible, should be built of stone. If that cannot be afforded, it may be constructed of wood, and covered with lead, slates, or tiles. If a spire of any sort cannot be built, the next best covering is the “broach,” or pent-house roof, of which the spire is a development.

Before passing to the consideration of the characteristics of city and town Churches, permit me to say a few words about what is called “painting or graining.” This is entirely objectionable in Church work. Firstly, because it is bad to imitate any superior material in an inferior; secondly,