distance; and yew, the best material of which they can be made. The feathers of a goose are generally preferred; two out of three are commonly white, being taken from the gander; the third is brown or grey; and this difference of colour informs the archer when the arrow is properly placed. The long-bow is of the same height as the archer himself: and in England a peculiar mediod is practised, by drawing the arrow to the ear, and not towards the breast; which is doubtless more advantageous than that adopted among other nations.
The force with which an arrow strikes an object, at a moderate distance, may be conceived, from the account given by King Edward VI. in his Journal, where he says, that one hundred archers of his guard, discharged in his presence two arrows each; that they shot at an inch-board, and many of them pierced it quite through, though the timber was well seasoned.
It may perhaps be a subject Worthy the consideration of government, whether the revival of archery, by uniting military discipline with manly exercise, might not become an additional means, both of preserving health, and protecting us against foreign enemies. According to Neade, an archer might shoot six arrows in the time of charging and discharging a musket; and an ounce of fire-work may also be discharged, upon an arrow, to the distance of 240 yards.
The earliest histories of archery, in England, are those by Ascham, who wrote his Toxophilus in the reign of Henry VIII.; Markham's Art of Archery, which appeared in 1634; and Wood's Bowman's Glory, in 1682: but the latest, and most complete work on the subject, is "An Essay on Archery," describing the practice of that art, in all ages and nations; by W. M. Moseley, Esq. 8vo. pp. 348. 7s. boards. Robson, 1792. In this classical treatise, the author considers bows, arrows, quivers, butts, targets, and cross-bows, under different heads; and his account is illustrated by plates. Ease and perspicuity; richness without verbosity; and elegance untainted with affectation, are the characters of this entertaining work.
Archery continues to be practised by the inhabitants of Geneva, and in many parts of Flanders. In Britain we have several societies of archers, the principal of which are the Woodmen of Arden, the Toxopholite, and the Royal Company of Archers of Scotland.—See also, Arrow.
ARCHITECTURE, a term which denotes the art of building in general, though chiefly applied to the construction of edifices appropriated to the purposes of civil life, such as houses, churches, halls, bridges, &c. &c.
The origin of this art is involved in obscurity. It is generally supposed, that the earliest materials employed in building, were branches and twigs of trees, with which the primitive inhabitants of the earth constructed their huts, similar to the present wigwams of the Indians. This conjecture, however, appears doubtful, for the natural shelter afforded by caverns in the sides of mountains, or rocks, would more readily suggest the idea of using stones and earth, as materials for building houses. That the preference was given to stone-buildings, over any kind of temporary huts, or tents, is obvious
