Cha.-. IV. PRINCIPLES or PROPORTION.

10J7
shall afterwards find in St. George's
Chapel,
Windsor. In King's College
the nave comprises half the entire
area of- a severy, and the remaining
half is divided into three, one of
which is given to each of the chapels,
and the other divided between the
points of support : in this beautiful
building,
witli its majestically con-
trived roof of stone, the lightest
construction is adopted. The cate-
narian curve exhibits the direction of
the thrust of the vault, which falls
within the base.
The stone roof we are now ex-
amining
differs somewhat from that
of Henry
VI I. 's chapel at West-
minster ;
the area of the points of
support is
only one-half of those in
the latter
elegant example ;
in no
instance have we so much effect pro-
duced by
the mason's art, with so
small a
quantity of material : it is
evident that the gradual changes
made in the
architecture of the me-
dicBval period led at last to the
greatest perfection, beyond whicli
it seems impossible for us to advance.
In selecting a style of any one
period, it may be
fairly asked whether
the principles found in the latter, or
the economy adopted in the con-
structions of the
15th century, might
not be applied to it, and the same
effect produced, the section of the
cliapter-house at Wells, for instance,
lightened of half its material : un-
doubtedly it might, for the lofty
pointed arch, not having the thrust
which the latter, struck from four
centres, had, would exert less thrust,
and be in favour of such a change.
But at the present day, when copies
are rigidly made of the finest ex-
amples of each style, it would seem a
bold innovation to suggest such an
adoption; still it might be introduced,
and probably would
have been, had
the freemasons continued an operative
fraternity, and been
required to build
in the Lancet or other style, which
superseded it. The same decora-
tions an i form of arch may be used
Fig 1309. VAULTING OF KING'S COLLEGE CIlAPIil.
in the later styles as in the earlier, as far as construction is concerned, and we have evi-
dence of sufficient stiength in the example before us; the principles are the same in eacii,
though they may differ in form
;
there would be no more difficulty in transforming one
style to that of another, than was experienced by William of Wykeham, when he changed
the Saxon nave of Winchester to the Perpendicular.
On the .section shown at
Jig.
1308. a line is drawn exhibiting the catenarian curve, for
the purpose of showing that the abutment piers are set out in correspondence with its
principles ; it is not contended that a knowledge of this curve guided the freemasons ia
proportioning their piers, or that their flying buttresses were always placed within it
;
but it is singular that in those structures where their true position seems to have been
decided, the catenarian passes through them.
Bath Abbey section
{Jig,
1319.) is an example which exhibits this most perfectly; and by
n comparison of its section with that at Wells
{Jiy.
1272.),
it will be perceived that the struts
are difierently placed, and that the earlier example is defective :
Jig.
1 '29S. represents R'>slyB