sessed so good store. Relics of English saints were bestowed by him upon his foundation; and a most curious and important collection of Anglo-Saxon poetry, now in the Cathedral library of Vercelliand of which the chief piece, the metrical legend of St. Andrew, is about to be published by Mr. Kemble results, without doubt, from the collection which Guala had formed.

Vercelli.

Upon the history of Gothic architecture in Italy we have touched slightly in a former article (Quart. Rev., vol. lxi. p. 332). Perhaps we may resume the subject upon some subsequent opportunity. At present we can only indulge ourselves in the reminiscences which Mr. Knight affords. He gives a splendid group of Gothic churches: -Chiaravalle near Milan, hitherto inedited (vol. ii., plate iv.); Assisi (plates xix. and xx.); Sant' Antonio of Padua (plate xxi.); Sienna (plate xxiv.); the splendid front of Orvieto (plate XXV.); our favourite Duomo of Florence (plate xxvii.), San' Lorenzo at Genoa (plate xxxii.); the beautiful shrine-for such it is of Santa Maria della Spina at Pisa (plate xxxiii.); and lastly, the Duomo of Milan (plates xxxvii. and xxxviii.); -a well chosen selection, and exhibiting, within a manageable compass, most of the peculiarities of the Italian Gothic style.

From the influence of classical associations,' says Mr. Knight, 'the Gothic style in Italy became and remained widely different from that of the North.' True: but it acquired a beauty of its own. Many peculiarities were evidently occasioned by the skilful adaptation of the models furnished by England and France, and, above all, by Germany, to the products of Italian quarries and the brightness of Italian skies. Thus, the profusion of rich marbles encouraged the architects to adopt the external inlayings of various colours, which produce the same effect in the mass as the light and shade of deeply-cut mouldings. The windows became narrower, the roof more depressed-the elevation which cast off the heavy snows of the North being needless in a more genial clime. The imitation of Roman remains had, as Mr. Knight observes, much effect; but this was principally through the secondary medium of the models from which they had been copied in the earlier ages of Christianity. "

Another cause was the influence of local prepossessions. Individuality, home-love, the pride of nationality on so small a scale as to be a domestic and household sentiment-all those feelings which we now term narrow-minded prejudices-these were the real life-springs of Italy, whence her mental vigour arose. In the

same

same manner as each region possessed its own dialect, to which the people adhered with pride, as the token of their personality and ideality, so did each city, or patria, produce its own school of art. Yet there was a still deeper source of diversity. There were schools within schools, severed from each other in the doc trine of art, by different, if not antagonist, principles. Mr. Willis observes- Contrary to the practice of our own age, which is to imitate every style of architecture that can be found in all the countries of the earth, it appears that, in any given period and place, our forefathers admitted but of one style, which was used to the complete exclusion of every other during its prevalence. After enduring for about a century, this style gradually gives way and another makes its appearance, which in turn assumes the same exclusive privilege.'-We never quote Mr. Willis but with the greatest respect; but this observation, admissible with some qualifications in England, but hardly correct with respect to France or Scotland, is quite inapplicable to Germany and Italy, where you constantly observe several concurrent schools. In Lombardy, the architects adhered to the Romanesque style with a species of religious sentiment. Of this feeling, Vercelli affords a singular exemplification. After the death of Guala, the architects of Vercelli fell back upon the Romanesque; they completed the façade in this style, and added Teutonic towers and an atrium (marked A on the plan), copied from Sant' Ambrogio. So at Pavia. The Romanesque forces its way amidst the Gothic and renaissance of the Certosa, giving singular variety, without in the least detracting from the charm of that building, in which the beauty of holiness is so eminently displayed. It is still more remarkable to find, in Santa Maria presso San' Celso, at Milan, built by Bramante, an atrium which, though classical Italian in its details, is completely Romanesque in arrangement. The Duomo at Milan is a transplantation from Germany. Raised by the freemasons of the lodges of Strasburg, this grand conception bears the same relation to the prototype of Cologne or Strasburg, as the double rose bears to the single rose. It is the same plant, but rendered more beautiful by transplantation to a richer soil, and beneath a brighter ray. The effect of the transplantation has been to expand the flower and to increase its luxu riance, but the original generic character remains unchanged. It will be seen that the plan bears the strongest resemblance to Cologne, except in the apse, from which the coronal of chapels has disappeared. The Ambrosian rite, not altered in that respect till the days of San'

Milan.

Carlo

Carlo Borromeo, admitted but of one altar; hence, in devising the plan, the simplicity of the apse of the ancient Basilica was restored, though in a polygonal form.

The appearance of the Duomo of Milan, the most splendid specimen of the Gotico-Tedesco' in Italy, was concurrent with that great revival of the classical style of which Brunelleschi was the instrument. We have stated on a former occasion (vol.. lxvi., p. 340), that the problem which Brunelleschi had to solve, was to retain the character which the rites and traditions of the Spiritual Church required in the material Church, and yet to unite the strict ecclesiastical character with all the graces and ornaments which could be borrowed from Roman art. This revival, however, was beyond the purview of Mr. Knight's work, and he confines himself to one example, possessing, however, such singular beauty, even in its incomplete state, as fully to justify the distinction he has assigned to it. It is the church of San Francesco at Rimini (vol. ii, plate xli.), one of the earliest and most satisfactory examples of the restoration of the classical style. It was erected by Sigismund, the most distinguished of the Malatestas, who had ruled over Rimini for a long series of years.

In his declining age Sigismund formed the plan of erecting a church, which should be the mausoleum not only of his own family, but of those who had been his companions—the poets, the philosophers, and the artists who had enjoyed his patronagethat those who had been his companions during life might be united to him in their sepulture. For this purpose Sigismund commenced the church; and the architect whom he employed adopted the Gothic style. When the building, however, was far advanced, it should seem that some of the artists, or literati, patronised by Sigismund, recommended the adoption of the classical style, then arising in Florence under the great master Brunelleschi. With this intent Sigismund sent for Leon Battista Alberti, the Raphael of Italian architecture, who, when he surveyed the building, found that he had a task of no ordinary difficulty to accomplish. He recommended that the interior of the building should continue unaltered, but that the exterior should be completed in what may be termed a classical style. This he accomplished with extraordinary power, exhibiting, perhaps, a more complete appreciation of classical antiquity than even Brunelleschi himself.

"From the construction of San' Francesco di Rimini,' says Mr. Knight, we may date the revival of the classical style. Here, then, this work comes to a natural end, its scope being limited to the interval between ancient Rome and modern Italy. The treasures of both had been already given to the world, but in Italy-enriched more than any

other

other country, as with the choicest gifts of nature, so with the most numerous and splendid productions of art-there appeared to be a third harvest, well worth the reaping, to be found in the field of early Christianity and in that of the middle ages: monuments of the past which, if not the fittest objects of imitation, nevertheless deserve to be recorded, and could not fail to be viewed with interest. It was on the spot that the idea of this attempt was first conceived. It was on the spot that the undertaking was commenced. The prosecution of it has extended itself over several years; but should it be thought that the task has been satisfactorily executed, that a gap in the history of architecture has been filled up, the labours of the author will have been abundantly rewarded.'

There are few branches of inquiry, whether material or intellectual and architecture connects itself with either-which can be soundly investigated except according to the course which Michael Angelo employed. He began his sketches by drawing the skeleton, considering the position and bearing of every bone-the skeleton he then covered with the layer of muscles, in which the force of the body resides;- lastly, by tint and colour, he delineated the frame in full vitality. We have, therefore, on the present occasion displayed, as far as we could, the skeletons of ecclesiastical architecture. We have dealt with the dry bones. Form and colour may perhaps be discussed hereafter. The further development of Christian architecturewhich proceeded until it produced some of the greatest exertions of the talents lent to mankind-was most intimately connected with the progress of opinion and the institutions of society. These influences always have been, and always will be, controlled by circumstances which human intelligence can neither foresee nor direct: the infinite complexity of affairs being as much beyond the direction of man's policy, as the production of genius is beyond his power. All human talent is the free gift of God, entrusted by His particular Providence. No teaching, no schooling, no patronage, no academy, no university, can produce the inspiration. No human instruction could have organized the seeing eye' of Raphael-it was an individual and particular gift; no human instruction could have organized the hearing ear' of Pergolesi-it was an individual and particular gift. All the individuals who change and rule the fortunes or opinions of the world-the heroes of mankind, according to an expression which we employ and condemn-are particular departures from the general law by which Divine Provi dence regulates the human mind; for, unless suspended by His

behest,

behest, the law of the moral as well as of the physical world is average uniformity. Such an intellect as that of Newton, was as much a deviation from the ordinary course of nature, as the birth would now be of an infant who should grow to the size of a giant, or whose existence should be prolonged to antediluvian longevity. According to the accustomed order of things, the fields cultivated by human intellect are fertilized by the rills flowing in the channels worn by usage and habit, until a new stream of invention and instruction results from the appointed teachers. Man's hand may be permitted to rive the rock; but the fountain which gushes forth proceeds from the waters above the heavens.

ART. IV.-Diaries and Correspondence of James Harris, First Earl of Malmesbury, containing an Account of his Missions to the Courts of Madrid, Frederick the Great, Catherine II., and the Hague; and of his special Missions to Berlin, Brunswick, and the French Republic. Edited by his Grandson, the Third Earl. Vols. III. and IV. London. 1844.

TOWA

NOWARDS the conclusion of our recent notice of the two first volumes of this series, we said- we suppose that a further publication is intended, which perhaps has been postponed from considerations of delicacy towards persons still living.' We find, however, that we were mistaken in supposing that there was any delicacy in the case-the postponement seems to have been but another instance of the practice which has of late grown up of bringing out in livraisons works which might as well, for aught we see, have been brought out at once. We may hereafter have occasion to make some observations on the effect of this system, but we notice it on this occasion only because it led us into expectations which have been disappointed, and has obliged us to divide into two articles a subject which we should rather, on account of some principles which it involves, have discussed in

one.

If these latter volumes of Lord Malmesbury's diaries and correspondence were to be published in our day, they must naturally have excited considerable surprise in the public mind, and have raised-in addition to the suggestion which we made as to the respect due to private feelings-the more important question as to the right of a public minister or his representative to publish, at his private pleasure and for his private objects, documents or information obtained in his public character and in the execution

of