The endless forms were all to be cut honestly in stone, not moulded in plaister; and the workman relieved the monotony of his labour by varying it according to his fancy. This brought out the creative faculty of the soul, gave lightness and strength to the arm, and stamped a living character on the result, which no tame copying can ever reach. Notwithstanding the lavish outlay of funds, yet there was a woeful falling short of the ancient models, in our modern attempts. What was the reason of this? It was because copying, not creating, was the order of the day. Careless of the immense difference between stone and painted pine-(even although sanded,) we had copied old buildings in dwarfed proportions, and now, in search of originality, had begun to select different scraps from various old buildings, and so combine them to form a new design. This was but eclecticism, and eclecticism had never produced genius, nor been produced by it. What should we say of a sculptor who borrowed the nose of his Ideal from one antique cast, the brow from a second, the mouth from a third? What better was it to be always taking scraps from Mr. Pugin's quartos? All these must be studied, of course, with much else. But it would be of little use to read, mark and learn, if we did not inwardly digest. Nationality was to be sought-not a mere reproduction of English ideas. The living American Church must have her own American characteristics, to distinguish her architecture; and these peculiarities should be founded on the actual differences existing between the nations and countries. The only scope for such variations would of course be merely in detail; but though small, they would not be trifling, if they embodied the principle. A number of points was then suggested, where there might be an opportunity to introduce the principle advocated, such as foliage, where the oak might be largely replaced by the Maple, Elm, Locust, and other more American trees; the corn and cotton plants, also, as well as others, might be introduced in particular sections of the country. The use of symbols, the Mitre and the Crown, armorial bearings, &c., was also enlarged on. Special occurrences, of importance in the history of a Parish, might be embodied, and the carved heads on corbels and door jambs might be made historical. The whole subject of memorials of the dead admitted of vast change for the better among us, and would furnish rich materials, not only for adorning and enriching churches by monuments, windows, inscriptions, &c., but for developing and strengthening that individuality of churches which would most surely enchain the affections and promote originality of design. The subject of roodscreens was adverted to, with notices of the objections to that arrangement, as carried out on the continent. Representations of the Crucifixion were treated of in the same connexion. The adaptation of ancient seats to modern ideas of convenience was recommended, and the least objectionable construction of galleries, where they were held to be indispensable for the accommodation of the congregation. Sunday school rooms, pulpits, iron works, gas-lights, mosaics and frescoes, altar-hangings, &c., were all passed in review. The paper concluded with an earnest and glowing anticipation of the triumphs yet to be accomplished in the further advance of Christian art--especially in our land.

On motion, the thanks of the Society were returned to Mr. Duykinck for his interesting paper, and a copy was requested for future use.

Mr. Congdon was requested to read a paper before the next Quarterly Meeting, on the subject of orientation.

Mr. Upjohn was requested to favour the Society, at the Annual Meeting in May, with the results of his ecclesiological observations during his recent tour in Europe.

The proposed alterations in the laws were then discussed at considerable length, and with sundry amendments, were passed.

Several letters were read; among which was one from Mr. Butterfield (one of the highest names among living English architects,) to a member of the committee, in which he expressed some very interesting views as to the use of brick for church architecture in cities.

Hackett's Epitaphs, a rare and curious work, in two volumes 12mo. was presented to the Society by Mr. E. M. Peck, of the General Theological Seminary; and the thanks of the Society were returned.

After some interesting conversational remarks on the use of colour, and the relations of the primary colours, as learned from the spectrum, the usual concluding prayers were said by the President, and the Society adjourned.

NEW CHURCHES.

Holy Trinity, Westminster.-This church, the munificent offering of the Archdeacon of Westminster, and situated close to Vauxhall Bridge, is approaching completion from the designs of Mr. Pearson. The style is Middle-Pointed, and the ground plan is cruciform, with central tower and spires. This has unfortunately necessitated lantern piers of such a bulk as seriously to impede sight between the chancel and the nave. The former is divided into two parts at the spring of the arches of the one bayed aisles projecting chapel-wise from the transepts, and at the division a considerable rise is indicated. This has unfortunately brought the east and two side sanctuary windows which are very long far too low. Under that to the south are the sedilia, three in number, simply and well treated, by being recessed in the thickness of the wall with stone elbows, and on the opposite side of the chancel is placed a credence bracketing out. The choral arrangements we had no opportunity of ascertaining. The chancel roof is too thin, and striving too much after ornament. The pillars of the nave are alternately octagonal, and clustered of four larger and four smaller shafts, with a complexity too great for their size. Indeed the whole aspect of the nave was that of an attempt after an effect not to be attained with the given dimensions. The aisle windows of three lights are rather too short. The clerestory of three lights likewise is externally injured by the roof overhanging, as no ancient roof of any church of so large and ornate a character ever did. The stone carving inside is far

too finely and thinly done, and we could detect many traces of Perpendicular feeling in the mouldings. Mr. Pearson will excuse these remarks upon a church which we could not but regard with pleasure, indicative as it is of the great revival which has taken place in our church architecture, and which he has so laudably seconded in the present instance. His treatment of the vestry of two stories, as a semi-circular pile attached to the south side of the chancel, is very felicitous, and he has given it a very pretty and well-placed chimney. The porches in the second bay from the west face each other. The east window is of seven, the west of six, and the two transept ones of five lights. There is a good deal of carved stone work in pinnacles, buttresses, and niches about the exterior of the chancel. The priest's door is not wanting, but how will it be used? for on the opposite side is the vestry with an external entrance.

S. Mark, Albert Road, Regent's Park, London.-We cannot much congratulate Mr. T. Little, on the published drawing (from the S.W.) of this Church. It is a First-Pointed, with nave, and isles, chancel, engaged S.W. tower and spire, and S.W. porch. The west window is a pretentious quintuplet of trefoiled lancets; and the façade of the south aisle displays, above a monotonous range of lights, an equally monotonous range of spherical triangles-(meant to be a clerestory)-in an upper row. The effect is very bad, and very clumsy. The tower wants breadth and mass; its buttresses are conceived after a later type. The belfry is ostentatiously arcaded, and there is a broach spire, very hungry in its look, with a spirelet (which has no visible purpose) at its south-west angle.

S. James, Stoke Damerel, Devon.—A south-west view of this design has been published. The style is Middle-Pointed, and the architect (we believe) Mr. St. Aubyn. The plan consists of a clerestoried nave with aisles, chancel with aisles to its western part, and a south-western porch with a tower and spire over it. Judging from the engraving the design is rather commonplace, the detail being very uniform. The clerestory appears to be of the East Anglian type, couplets of lights placed very close together. A small rose window shows itself above the west window. The tower is not well treated as to its stages and their respective lights, and this is more unsatisfactory in a tower, standing, as this does, almost detached over a porch, than if it were engaged at the west end of the nave. The spire is an octagonal broach, with spire-lights on alternate faces and spire-bands. This is not unpleasing, from its fair outline and great simplicity.

Philanthropic Farm Chapel, Reigate.-Many of our readers who may have travelled on the Dover line must have noticed the chapel attached to the Philanthropic establishment on the left hand side, just after passing Reigate. It consists of chancel and nave, with a small kind of campanile, forming also a south porch at their junction. The style is Middle-Pointed, but the details are terribly starved: in particular, the external string is perfectly disgraceful. The east window is of three lights, a trefoil over the side ones, a circle with three trefoils crowning the centre light. The stained glass here, executed by one Cartissier, of Paris, is almost the very worst we ever saw. The

central figure is the Ecce Homo, a most ill chosen representation when (as here) the only one of our Blessed LORD. How much more so when accompanied with effigies of saints (SS. John and Paul) quite at their ease? The expression of face with which the thing meant for S. John regards our LORD would, if not intensely profane, be unspeakably ludicrous. The tracery of the niches, the ash-coloured pavement, and red diapers, form a perspective perhaps unique. On the south of the chancel are two trefoiled lights with trefoils in the head. The nave has three windows in the south: 1, a trefoiled light; 2, 3, 4, of two trefoiled lights, with quatrefoils in the heads. The west window has four trefoiled lights, with two quatrefoils and a cinqfoil above. north side, communicating with the buildings, is blank. The chancel has benches stall wise, a vile sham, since prayers are said in the nave. (The arrangement of S. Paul's, Brighton, has fearfully much to answer for.) The altar and altar chairs are on approved Protestant principles, and must doubtless be very satisfactory to the public. The chancel arch has starved octagonal caps and shafts. The nave has moveable benches, and it shows how bad the chapel must be that, notwithstanding the large vacant area, there is no effect of space. The pavement

The

is of black and red tiles. The interior dressing of the window cills we despair of describing its principle is, we should think, unique. The roof of the chancel has cross springers from the purlins at every rafter; that of the nave from the principal only. We cannot say much for either. The turret is square, bevilled off into octagonal, and that ending in an octagonal campanile, alternately pierced and blank in shafted trefoil lights. There is a sacristy in the right place. Service is said in the chapel twice on Sunday, but on other days there are “prayers" in the hall.

S., Otago, New Zealand.-We have been rather disappointed with the drawings for a proposed wooden church for this settlement by Mr. Hugall, of Cheltenham. It is designed for a very small building, with nave 41 ft. long, and chancel 20 ft. long, a western tower, southwest porch, and sacristy in the middle of the north side of the chancel. It is shown as overcrowded with seats, even to the area of the tower, but we were much pleased to observe a very correct arrangement of the chancel. Mr. Hugall has produced the type of a stone church instead of a wooden one. His idea of construction is to place the trunks of trees vertically in rows, but this is unnecessarily primitive. He has evidently intended to give scope for the wild but elaborate carving of the native New Zealanders in huge corbel faces at the ends of some of his horizontal beams. The idea is valuable, but it should have been developed so as to Christianize and improve the native taste and skill, not merely to admit its savage grotesque power, just as it is. The First-Pointed details of a three lancet east window are also wholly unsuited to wood, and still more flagrantly so are the buttresses, the tower and spire altogether, and particularly the attached staircase turret. Besides which, any one, before looking at the dimensions of the plan, might pardonably take the design, from its outline and character, for a building of a very much larger scale and degree of pretension.

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NEW SCHOOL.

Mevagissey, Cornwall, We have seen a pleasing design for this school, by Mr. White, of Truro. The windows are trefoliated lancets, arranged in a triplet in the gulle, and in a transomed triplet in the face of a gabled projection at one end. It is well treated with reference to the levels of the ground.

CHURCH RESTORATIONS.

S. Columb Parsonage, Cornwall.-We mentioned some time ago that Mr. White had made a very good restoration of this ancient building, originally, we believe, a college of priests. We now present our readers with an external perspective and several internal views of this interesting pile. We must say it looks too large for the residence of any one priest, and we could wish to see it again tenanted by a collegiate body.

S. Symphorian, Tintagel, Cornwall.-Considerable restorations have been effected in this church during the past year. It is a very ancient fabric, and contains supposed Saxon remains, and also much of Norman date. In common with all other churches, it had been filled with huge pews; these have all been cut down to the level of the old oak benches, many of which still remain. There is a very singular and massive Norman-Romanesque font, remarkable for its symbolism; for it displays numerous crosses surmounting serpents, supposed to signify the triumph of the cross-or Catholic worship, over the serpent,—or heathenism. The pulpit has been removed to its proper place. The ancient oak rood-loft has been repaired, and adorned with polychrome. The whitewash has been scraped off from the NormanRomanesque arcades in the chancel, on either side; and from a FirstPointed Easter sepulchre, (or perhaps founder's tomb,) on the slab of which is an incised cross. The arch is well moulded. The altar-rails have been removed, and the chancel re-paved. The wooden windowframes have been taken out, and three stone ones, of good design, inserted, (in the chancel,) which are to be shortly filled with painted glass. A new velvet altar-cloth, and velvet hangings for the pulpit, have been provided. In scraping the walls of whitewash, many coats of wall paintings were discovered, one upon the other; but they were so mixed up together, and mutilated, that it was found impossible to retain them. Over them had been painted numerous texts of Scripture, apparently within the last hundred years. The ground-coat in the nave and north transept was yellow ochre, on which were arcades of Norman-Romanesque arches, ornamented with the zigzag. They were evidently of very good design, but, except in parts, the mixture of the various coats formed a confused mass. This ancient church must once have glowed with colour; the remains were interesting, as being specimens of Norman