Architecture and Building Volume 18 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893 edition. Excerpt: ...these countries were subjected to the Roman Government, and excellent roads ran from Europe to the remotest parts of the Empire; not to speak of herds of slaves being at their command, not only of those born In the Roman Empire, but those taken from the savages and barbarians beyond it, and it is probable that the Roman carts and cattle were as good as their roads. It seems to me as reasonable to compare these structures of the Mistress of the World with those of the poor Mediicvals, to the disadvantage of the latter, as to compare a house built of brick by a man of small means with the marble palace of an American millionaire; but even this comparison would be too favorable, for besides the difference in wealth, the countrits where the Medi vals built were cut up into small feudatory States, so that the materials coming through them were subject to every sort of exaction, and often to confiscation or robbery. The roads were execrable, even if they could be dignified by the name of roads, and I believe the carts and cattle well matched the roads. Probably the spare serfs of the neighborhood were all the people that could be got to do the unskilled labor, though doubtless, in some cases, the skilled workmen were impressed; but in either case the number must have been small. And yet, with all these disadvantages, such was the zeal, energy, ability and skill of the architects, that though their buildings were not perhaps equal in area to the Roman baths, their towns A lecture delivered by Prof. Aitchieon, A.R.A., before the Royal Academy. were carried higher than anything the Romans built, and fell little short of the height of the great Pyramid--in fact, old St. Paul's, of London, exceeded it in height. Now to take up the...