Bk. II. Ch. V, BURGUNDY. 499 satisfactory study of it. The abbey church of Tournus (Woodcut No. 366) is perhaps nearly as old, its antiquity being manifested by the rudeness both of its design and execution. The nave is separated from the aisles by plain cylindrical columns without bases, the capitals of Avhicli are united by circular arches at the height of the vaults of the aisle. From the capitals rise dwarf columns supporting arches thrown across the nave. From one of these arches to the other is thrown a transverse tunnel-vault, which thus runs the cross way of the build- inof ; beinof, in fact, a series of arches like those of a bridoe extending the whole length of the nave. Tliis is, I believe, the only knowai in- stance of this arrangement, and is interesting as contrasting with the longitudinal tunnel-vaults so common both in this province and in the South. It is a curious instance of an experiment, the object of which was the getting over those difficulties afterwards removed by the invention of the inter- secting vault. In the mean time this Tour- nus roof offered some advantages well worthy of consideration. The first of these was that the tlinist of the vault Avas whollv lono;itudi- ual, so that only the su]»])Orting arches of the transverse A'aults )"e(|uired to be abutted. These being low and in a well-defined direction were easily provided for. Another advantage was, that it allowed of a large and well-defined clerestory, which, as we have seen, Avas impos- sible with the longitu- dinal vaults. On the other hand, the artistic awkwardness of the plan was a fatal objec- tion, for, instead of con- ducting the eye pleas- ingly along the vault, it offered nothing but a succession of interrup- tions to the perspective. 366. View of Interior of Abbey at Tournus. ^From Taylor and Nodier.)
