to.

for the production of the great works of med-one hundred florins in gold, and he was iæval art has not been suficiently attended not to leave Florence. His order and his The fables of the freemasons have pro- business aim were, not to make a work duced a natural reaction, and the degree of of art, but studiously to satisfy a vain truth which there is in their traditions has ambition. But the Athenians, when consequently been overlooked. We know that each of our great cathedrals had a gang that any good could be attained by rivalthey built the Parthenon, never dreamed of workmen attached to it in regular pay, almost as a part of the foundation, for the ling the Rameseum and the Pyramids in fabric fund could not be lawfully devoted to magnificence and height. They sought any other purpose; and these workmen be- to exceed, not others, but themselves: came by long practice very skilful, more espe-"and, as the works arose inimitable in cially the masons or workers in, and the carvers | form and grace, the makers vied to excel of, freestone, as distinct from the labourers, the handiwork itself by the beauty of who merely laid the rubble-work for the foun- their art." dations and rough part of the fabric. From various indications it would seem that there

Giotto then made a superficial false was a royal gang of workmen in the king's pay design after the manner of a wall-decoby whom the great works ordered, and perhaps rator, and not of a chief builder or a masdesigned by the king himself (such being the ter-mason; preparing carefully a model complete diffusion of architectural taste and of the tower and marking in the joints knowledge), were constructed. The wills of and colour of the marble-work. The panHenry VI. and Henry VII. seem to show that elling and mosaic-work are an elaborate these monarchs were at least, to some extent, and costly copy of the cheap facile architects themselves; they give the most painter's work, itself an imitation, that minute directions for the works to be done Giotto used to cover his inferior wall just as any architect might have done. St. George's, King's College, and Henry the Sev-surfaces and enframe his fresco pictures. enth's Chapel, were all probably built by the royal gang of masons.

disgrace, that the tower was built as it was ordered for the sake of the decoration, instead of decoration being used with modest reticence to glorify the tower. The masonry is but a scaffold

It is "exquisite," but it is not architecture. It is, in fact, an early exhibition of the "imitative style." The enrichWith this we close our English evi- ment which should be a developed grace dence from medieval work and records. and an occasional efflorescence on a huge We have continuous proof that in the building like this tower, is, in fact, a west of Europe and throughout the mid-complete casing, and reveals, sufficiently dle ages the master-workman was the de-for Giotto's credit, though to Florentine signer of the buildings. Even so late as the seventeenth century, when the Renaissance was developed nearly to the full, we find that Wadham College Chapel was designed and built by a small gang of working masons brought from Somerset-ing or core. The panelling is made like shire. But in Italy, three hundred years joiner's work, and, as is right in panelbefore, a draughtsman was employed to ling, but very wrong in towers, suggests make a fine design for foolish work, and extension and tenuity and lightness of then the decadence of architecture had material with corresponding sacrifice of begun. Giotto, the most inspired as solid power and stability. This, with the well as most extensive painter of his age, tall proportions of the panels, gives a was a wall-decorator, a master-workman, frail and insecure effect to the whole surfull of fancy, and with visions of human face. The marble-work appears to have sentiment and duty constantly before him. no adequate support, but to be in danThese he soaked into the wet plaster, and ger, from the slightest settlement, of as fresco pictures they remain his nobler flaking off. The small mosaic-work upon kind of workmanship. But in a con- the window-jambs and other parts is but ventional and decorative painter's way a record of much futile drudgery. The he also imitated wooden panelling and tracery in the topmost windows and the marbles and mosaic-work, and when the tall twisted columns are both bad and Florentines, smitten with vanity and frivolous, and the large high projecting pride of purse, resolved to make a tower, parapet and cornice are entirely dispronot simply as a thing of beauty, but "to portioned to the light feeble-looking exceed in magnificence, height, and ex-work on which they are constructed. cellence of workmanship, whatever of the kind had been achieved by Greeks and Romans," Giotto was engaged as the "capo maestro," at a yearly salary of

The general effect is "elegant" and delicate, but for the dignity and power that a building of this height and size should manifest, Giotto's tower is far below the

work of our old masons, or of the Lom- disguise. In using marble decoration bard architects. The tower was a genu-singleness of purpose is the universal inc conception of the committee mind, absolute necessity, and the single purand Giotto was engaged to decorate the pose that takes precedence of all in folly. Like Phidias, as the greatest of works of art is the social and refined enthe workmen, he "directed all, and was joyment of the workman. The Greek overseer of all; and yet the building had carver and the master-builder never great artists of the works;" for the thought about the costliness of the carving of the lower story was the work Pentelic stone, but only of its absolute of Andrea Pisano, Luca della Robbia, susceptibility of all gradations of expresand Donatello; "and almost all things sion and of form. The Byzantine workwere in his hands, and he superintended man gloried in coloured marbles, and all the artists." These carvers, like rejoiced that he could make his building their predecessors at the Parthenon, seem to harmonize with and reflect the worked each to please and to express splendours of his Eastern sea and sky himself, and so the tower has been saved While he recognized the dignity of the from absolute debasement. But when material, there was in him no thought of Giotto died, the work went on "profes-costliness for its own sake, or of the sionally," as a copy and without artistic" imposing character" of rare and polgrowth, a thorough "modern" work; ished stone. He had no idea of making and the result is an extravagant and use-all his work subordinate to any ecclesiless feat of uninspired labour, hard and astical pretension, and at St. Mark's he mechanical, without life or art relation-used his monolithic marble shafts, bis ship, or any influence in architectural brightest colours, and his choicest picdevelopment and history. Mute, inex-tures of mosaic-work and gold, not only pressive, isolated, it is but a tall toy, for the glory of the hierarchy and their most beautiful among its peers, but in upper seats, but also in the front, the true architectural worth as much inferior portals, and most public portions of the to the rough manliness of the old palace church, to dignify and please the world. of the Signoria, or to the delicate variety And thus his workman's inspiration has of the small Spina Chapel, as it is beyond become a permanent ennobling charm these buildings in mere altitude and in for all men.

proportionate expense.

Most people suffer somewhat from But Giotto was a real "master-work-magnificence upon the brain, and hence man," and himself assisted in the "sculp-the safety of society is greatly due to the tured" decoration of the tower. His incompetence of men to carry out their panelled work is very much superior to vast designs. The Florentines were sadthat on the cathedral, which is as badly subject to this overleaping impulse; and mean as the interior of the church is and in consequence their buildings selugly. The interiors of the churches and dom reached completion. But for the cathedrals after the Lombard period are Duomo they resolved "to raise the loffor the most part miserably poor, both in tiest, most sumptuous, and most magnificonception and detail. The Duomo and cent pile that human invention could dethe church of Santa Croce show the deg-vise or human labour execute." radation of the master-mason, and the carved capitals of the nave-piers in the "Gothic" churches are so bad as to suggest some recondite and undiscovered meaning for their special ugliness.

The result of all this "sumptuous" determination is Arnolfo's miserable nave, in which it seems Giotto had some hand, and as a suitable climacteric the dismal cupola that, four generations later, BruThe Greeks used marble as a means nelleschi raised. And so throughout the for their refined and delicate display of Renaissance we find that in architecture form and outline. The masons at St. sumptuousness and engineering, domes Mark's employed it in a sound work-and marbles, entirely superseded noble man's way, subordinate to the architec-work. Italian medieval architecture was tural character of the basilica; and there in fact ruined by costly marble-work. the work commands respect and admira- Stone and the inspired mason were tion by reason of its genuine simplicity neglected, and costliness and polished of method and of aim. But at Florence, smoothness were esteemed the elements surface marble-work, from the mean of art. In carving, however, and in tombs parti-coloured panelling of the Duomo, and monuments, the workman still for to the lavish expenditure on the Chapel centuries maintained his masterful condiof the Medici, is a pure luxury without tion.

We know that Michael Angelo de-artist method, and so his pictures on the clared and signed himself a "carver," ceiling are surrounded by a barbarous but at clerical suggestion he sometimes, medley of Renaissance forms, a half-prelike Giotto, left his special work and ap-tence of solid architecture, absurd in titude to make designs for buildings. principle, and clumsy in effect. The Farnese Palace has no doubt a How the medieval and the ancient dechandsome "elevation," that is to say, it orative painters could conventionalize the is agreeable to look at for a moment, and forms of building-work, and subordinate then to be well rid of. Who can help them to the requirements of art, is shown pitying the owner of that dismal cube of in Giotto's pictures and the Pompeian fresstone-work when he daily came in sight coes, but the architectural" painting on of it and saw it was his home? The gen-the loggie ceilings in the Vatican shows eral design is worth some admiration how little Raphael had discovered of the upon paper. The architect who com-sense and scope of decorative art. pleted the exterior had consummate Both Michael Angelo and Raphael knowledge of the influence of proportion, were in some things servants to the fashboundless wealth to work with, and the ion of the day. Their buildings were Colosseum for a quarry. Moreover he designed, as of necessity when power of was present at the work, and so careful wealth and power of mind were ample, of the details that he had them formed in with much dignity and grace; but in the wood full size, and tested on the build- details their unworkmanlike contrivances ing. Michael Angelo was not an "archi-proclaim the whole to be a fiction, a tect only." Still the palace is but a mere "imitative art." To Michael Anmajestic misery, cheerless as a prison, and incapable of human sympathy or popular delight; the stones are evidently dead, they had no inspiration from the workmen.

gelo the "Renaissance" Italian style was a dead language, and to his workmen it was but an unknown tongue. The master and his men were equally unable to express themselves artistically in such a Michael Angelo, much against his will, fabricated dialect; and from St. Peter's was compelled to decorate the Sistine to the latest building of "New Rome," Chapel ceiling. The idea of such decora- Italian architecture is but a dreary evition is of course absurd. Giotto, the dence of luxury, a record of expenditure working plaster-painter, knew much bet- and folly. True, there is art in Italy, and ter than to perpetrate such waste, and of the best; but Italy is still the great at the Arena Chapel he made the ceiling a "world's show" of architectural rubbish, plain azure blue, that served by contrast to and this rubbish is exactly what our increase the effect of colour in his paint-travelled people most extol and feebly ings on the walls. Michael Angelo's com- seek to imitate. mission was not given from any love of In Germany some sixty years ago an art, but as a means of personal distinc- ancient vellum drawing of Cologne Cathetion and of hierarchical display. Julius dral was discovered. This was, perhaps, had no wish to "patronize the arts," but the original design, or a contemporary only to make use of them to glorify him-copy, and its elaboration and completeself, and he impressed poor Michael An-ness well account for the demerits of the gelo just as he might enlist a leader of building. It is a student's effort, the retrained bands. This was the true spiritsult of knowlege and selection; and its of the Revival. Art was to be no longer evident intention was to make a church an unobtrusive quiet ordinary work, but supreme in size, and height, and symmust be treated as a slavish luxury, and metry of form. All this has been attained, be compelled to illustrate the wayward but in human sympathy and true poetic whimsies of the papal churchmen. But art the building is a failure. It is, perMichael Angelo actually worked at the haps, the largest church of Gothic comSistine Chapel ceiling not merely furnish-monplace that ever was constructed, and ing the plan and drawings, but himself for artistic worth is not for a moment fresh-painting" all the plaster. He comparable with the Abbey Church at was the inspired workman; but as he was Westminster, St. Stephen's at Vienna, or a carver and not a practised decorator, a hundred still existing abbeys and cahe designed the ceiling in a technically thedrals. The design was made when unskilful way. He could draw and mould Amiens, Rouen, Rheims, and Notre the human form with masterly precision, Dame Cathedrals were still new. These but when he ventured into architectural were all built by masons who made drawdetails, he, pardonably, missed the true ings quite subservient to their work of

art;

On the resumption of the minster works there was a festal gathering, and there, most prominently placed, was every workman then employed upon the church, from the chief master to the quarryman's apprentice. "And, turning to the artisans, the Dom-Baumeister bade them prove their skill, concluding a manly, honest address with the sentiment of Schiller's Song of the Bell: '—

but at Cologne the draughtsman | by masons, its noble tombs were made spirit ruled, and so the masons used their and were designed by working-men, and common knack without a thought of po- the most lavish work was capably reetry or touch of life. Cologne Minster is, stored by a discreet industrious mason. in fact, a previous example of what Mr. The habitual notion of the middle and Fergusson has called the "imitative superior classes that the workmen are styles." On the projected spires the de-inferior in natural ability, or in the higher tails are extravagant in size, the crown- qualities of lively genius and imaginative ing finials are much larger than the open mind, is very English. In fact, these archway of the minster doors. This is men are frequently above "their betters " not mason's work or architecture, but a in power of mental application and enclear evidence of draughtsmanship and durance. The man that makes a table or of imaginative incapacity. a chair requires more nervous energy than the glib shopman offering it for sale. A banquer-mason or a leading joiner is, “by profession,” greatly more accomplished than a small tradesman or a banker's clerk. The workman's only want is to regain his old and natural position, and secure the opportunity to make his capabilities and requirements felt and known. Where this is given, even to a mill-hand, or machinist, or a manufacturing engineer, his mental power becomes magnificent. Of the seven hundred patents for our hosiery and lace machines, every inventor except two has been recorded as a working handicraftsman. Or if we rise above mechanics, The public hear Cologne Cathedral and proceed from manufacturing England called the culminating effort and display to the land of poetry and song, these arts of medieval art; and, knowing and mis- are the acknowledged birthright of the trusting their own ignorance, they accept people; not only of a Dante, a Manzoni, the dicta of the connoisseurs, and strenu-a Palestrina, or a Mario, but of the vineously endeavour to be pleased. Of course they fail, and, finding nothing lovely or of interest, they leave the church in blank amazement at its height and bigness, and perplexed at what they modestly assume to be their own deficiency in architectural discernment. The work is a gigantic folly, and a total waste unless it proves a warning.

Let praise be to the workman given, But the blessing comes from Heaven." With us the drawing-master, not "the workman," gets "the praise; " and so, it seems, the blessing" does not come.

Let us contrast our own old English building-method which but sixty years ago was not extinct. About that time the exterior of Henry VII.'s Chapel was restored, and there we find the mastermason stil a power:

There was but very little occasion for the interference of the architect; all the labour of arranging the work, tracing out the details and ornaments, and supplying the defects from corresponding parts, being left to the discretion and industry of the mason. The task was an important one; and required professional skill, a practised eye, and sound judgment. It is no eulogium to say that the execution of this work could not have been entrusted to a more careful artisan than Mr. Gayfere.

This was Thomas Gayfere, mason of the Abbey. The Abbey, then, was built

dressers of Bronte, and the peasantry of Veggiano; of the plaintive cantatore of the Bay of Naples, and of the wandering herdsman on the Tuscan Apennines.

Remaining still in Italy, and studying Baron Hübner's general view of Rome three hundred years ago, we find that when Pope Sixtus, the last man of great commanding power on the papal throne, proposed to build, he did not choose an

architect" or draughtsman, but engaged a young Comascho mason as his master-builder. "He and the young Fontana together formed plans, discussed and settled them." When it had been proposed to raise the obelisk of Nero in the centre of the Piazza of St. Peter, "Michael Angelo and San Gallo, who were the first architects of the day, were unanimous in declaring the undertaking to be impracticable. Their opinion being law," the idea was given up. Fontana afterwards designed a plan which was accepted; but, as the mason was still "architects of eminence " young, two were ordered by the eommission to carry out the work. Fontana then, appealing to the pope, declared "that no man can

better carry out a plan than the man who who was brought up in his father's office, had has conceived it, for no one can perfectly learnt all that he could of architecture, acmaster the thoughts of another." Struck cording to the usual formulas, he still found by the justice of this remark, Sixtus in- that he had learnt but little, and that he must trusted the whole business to his former begin at the beginning and pass through the Not only Rome, but the whole of discipline of labour. He hired himself out as a common carpenter at Covent Garden Theatre, Europe, watched the works with anxious and thus acquired a familiarity with work. curiosity, and on September 10, 1586, the Smiles, Self-Help. obelisk was erected on its pedestal with perfect success.