218 REMARKS ON THE COMPLETE GOTHIC theory as remarkably confirmed by the results which he had obtained by an historical and artistical line of investigation ; and ]I. VioUet-Leduc, of Paris, in an admirable series of articles in M. Didron's Aiinales Archeologiques, has main- tained the same doctrine, (the derivation of the leading features of Gothic architecture from the necessities of vault- ing), and has supported it with an intimate knowledge of the actual architectural construction of Gothic buildings. (See Ann. Arch., vol. ii., p. 81, 1845.) The countenance thus given to the theoretical or ideal view of architecture justifies us, I think, in attempting to apply it in other cases also, at least in the way of trial. Such modes of treating the subject may serve to give to the features of architectural styles a connexion which otherwise is not seen, and which is never- theless interesting and instructive, and even real ; it being- understood that we conceive the necessities of structure to have operated rather in producing the general features of a style, than in determining the form of a special building ; and that we suppose the ideas which run through any mode of construction or decoration not to have been so much con- sciously contemplated, as unconsciously directive. Premising this understanding, I will offer a few remarks tending to carry the ideal view of German Gothic architec- ture a little onwards in point of time, from the point to which the theory of its formation conducts us. Having before pro- posed a theory of the formation of the Gothic style, I wish now to suggest the theory of its dissolution. From the Romanesque was produced, by certain influences, the Gothic style ; from the Gothic again was produced, by these influences, exaggerated or perverted, or by others suc- ceeding them, a style which we may, Avith Mr. Willis, call the After-Gothic, and which, in its turn, gave place to the revived Italian. It is the later tendencies which converted the Complete Gothic into the After-Gothic, of which I now wish to speak. 1 would very willingly have availed myself of any classi- fication or analysis of the later German styles by German writers. But though I have not been able to find any such work, there have been publislicd collections of engravings and descriptions of builchngs belonging to those styles, of course illustrating the principles which prevail in the styles ; these principles have been discerned, and, to a certain
