IX.

have produced great perfection in the art, if the CHAP. state of the other arts and sciences had permitted a due cultivation of genius in this; but no single art can attain perfection if every other be neglected, or if general ignorance enfeeble and darken the mind. Patronage, therefore, though it called forth whatever mechanical labour and unlettered mind could fabricate, could not miraculously create taste and regular science. The love of sublimity is more congenial to the rude heroism of infant civil. isation, and therefore our ancient architecture often reached to the sublime; but while we admire its vastness, its solidity, and its magnificence, we smile at its irregularities, its discordancies, and its caprice.

The chief peculiarities of the Anglo-Saxon architecture, of which several specimens, though in fragments, exist, are declared to be a want of uniformity of parts; massy columns, semi-circular arches, and diagonal mouldings. Of these the two first are common to all the barbaric architecture of Europe. But the semi-circular arches and diagonal mouldings seem to have been more peculiar additions to the Saxon building.

That the round arches were borrowed from Roman buildings, is the prevailing sentiment. It is at least a fact, that the Saxons must have seen them among the numerous specimens of the imperial architecture which they found in England.

The universal diagonal ornament, or zig-zag moulding, which is a very distinguishing trait of the Saxon architecture, is found disposed in two ways; one with its point projecting outwards, and

41

IX.

BOOK the other with its point lying so as to follow the

lines which circumscribe it, either horizontal, perpendicular, or circular.42

On this singular ornament an etymological remark may be hazarded, as it may tend to elucidate its origin. The Saxon word used to denote the adorning of a building is gefrætwian, or frætwan ; and an ornament is frætew; but frætan signifies to gnaw or to eat; and upon our recollecting that the diagonal ornament of Saxon building is an exact imitation of teeth, we can hardly refrain from supposing that the ornament was an intended imitation of teeth. Frætew and frætwung, which they used to signify ornament, may be construed fretwork, or teeth-work. The teeth which the Saxon diagonals represent, are, I believe, marine teeth. If so, perhaps they arose from the stringing of teeth of the large sea animals.

We will mention a few of the ancient Saxon buildings we meet with, and show how they are described.

In 627, Paulinus built the first Christian church, in Northumbria, of wood; it was afterwards rebuilt on a larger scale, and with stone: he also built a stone church at Lincoln. His church at York was not very skilfully erected: for in less than a century afterwards, Wilfrid found its stony offices half destroyed; its roof was permeable to moisture. It had windows of fine linen cloth, or latticed wood-work; but no glazed casements, and therefore the birds flew in and out, and made nests in it.43 So Bede says of his church at Lincoln, that though the walls were standing, the roof had fallen down. 44

In 676, Benedict sought cementarios, or masons, to make a church in the Roman manner, which he loved. But the Ro. man manner seems not to express the Roman science and taste, but rather a work of stone, and of the large size which

СНАР.

IX.

the Romans used. It was finished in a year after its foundation. 45

At this period, glass-makers were not known among the Saxons. But Benedict had heard of them, and he sent to Gaul for some, to make latticed windows to the porticoes and cænaculum of the church. From those whom he employed, the Saxons learned the art. 46

In the 7th century, Cuthbert built a monastery, which is described. From wall to wall it was of four or five perches. The outside was higher than a standing man.

The wall was not made of cut stone, or bricks and cement, but of unpolished stones and turf, which they had dug from the spot. Some of the stones four men could hardly lift. The roofs were made of wood and clay.

As their architectural practice improved, they chose better materials. Thus Firman took from the church at Durham its thatched roof, and covered it with plates of lead. 48

About 709, Wilfrid Aourished. He, like many others, had travelled to Rome, and of course beheld the most valuable specimens of ancient art. He brought thence some masons and artificers. 49 Though he could not imitate these, he sought to improve the efforts of his countrymen. The church of Paulinus, at York, he completely repaired. He covered the roof with pure lead, he washed its walls from their dirt, and by glass windows (to use the words of my author) he kept out the birds and rain, and yet admitted light.

At Ripon, he also erected a church with polished stone, adorned with various columns and porticoes. At Hexham, he made a similar building. It was founded deep, and made of polished stones, with many columns and porticoes, adorned with great length and height of walls. It had many windings, both above and below, carried spirally round. It was superior to any edifice on this side of the Alps. In the inside was a stony pavement, on which a workman fell from a scaffold of enormous height. 50

In 716, we read of Croyland monastery. The marshy ground would not sustain a stony mass. The king, therefore, had a vast number of piles of oak and alders fixed in the ground, arii earth was brought in boats, nine miles off, to be mingled with the timber and the marsh to complete the foundation.51 45 Bede, p. 295. 46 Ibid. p. 295.

BOOK
IX.

In 969, a church was built. The preceding winter was employed in preparing the iron and wooden instruments, and all other necessaries. The most skilful artificers were then brought. . The length and breadth of the church were measured out, deep foundations were laid on account of the neighbouring moisture, and they were strengthened by frequent percussions of the rams. While some workmen carried stones, others made cement, and others raised both aloft by a machine, with a wheel. Two towers, with their tops, soon rose, of which the smaller was visible on the west, in the front of the church. The larger in the middle, with four spires, pressed on four columns, connected together by arches passing from one to the other, that they might not separate.52

It is supposed that many specimens of ancient Saxon architecture yet remain; as part of St. Peter's at Oxford, part of St. Alban’s abbey church, Tickencote church, near Stamford, in Lincolnshire, the porch on the south side of Shireburn minster, Barfreston church, in Kent, Iffley church, and some others. But the works and delineations of professional men must be consulted on this subject.

52 3 Gale, 399.

BOOK X.

Their Religion.

CHAP. I.

Utility and Decline of Saxon Paganism, and the Introduction

of Christianity among the ANGLO-SAXONS. — Its general Effect. — Religious Passages in the Welsh Bards.

I.

The religion of the Saxons, while on the Conti- CHAP. nent, has been delineated in the Appendix to the first volume of this history. With that martial superstition they came into Britain. They found

. the island in a peculiar state on this impressive subject. In many towns and stations, they met with tomb-stones, altars, and other lapidary inscriptions; images, temples, and public works dedi. cated to several of the imaginary deities, which Rome, in her paganism, and her allies, had worshipped. The majority of the Britons were professing Christianity, and had sent bishops to the councils on the Continent. But the Druidism which yet had its regular temples in Bretagne, was lingering in some corners of the island, and was still, by its traditions and mysticisms, materially affecting the minds of the British bards of that period. Many of the remaining poems of Taliesin, and some passages in those of Llywarch Hen, show that mixture of the ancient Druidical feeling with their Christian faith, which evinces that their minds were a confused medley of opinions and sentiments from both sources, and therefore too fantastic to benefit or interest their Saxon conquerors,