ascendancy in works of genius, from that period the Romans must be considered as the encouragers of this noble art.
The orders, as now executed by architects, are five, viz. 1. the Tuscan; 2. the Doric; 3. the Ionic; 4. the Corinthian; and 5. the Composite. The first, from its robust appearance, is used in works where strength and simplicity are the essential requisites; the second is nearly similar to the Tuscan in strength, but is enlivened by its peculiar ornaments; the third is more delicate than either of the former; but the fourth displays more beauty and ornament than the others, and is therefore frequently used for the internal decorations of stately rooms; the fifth order is nearly the same as the Corinthian.
The style of building, as practised throughout Europe in the early ages, was denominated Gothic, Saxon, Norman, and Saracenic. But what we commonly call Saxon, is in reality Roman architecture.
When the Romans invaded the Britons, they found no places corresponding to our ideas of a city, or town, consisting of a great number of contiguous houses, regular streets, lanes, &c. Dwellings, like those of the ancient Germans, were scattered over the country, and generally situated on the brink of a rivulet, for the sake of water, or on the skirt of a wood or forest, for the purpose of hunting, and providing pasturage for their cattle. These inviting circumstances, being more conspicuous in some parts of the country than in others, the princes and chiefs selected the most agreeable spots for their residence. Thus arose an ancient British town, so characteristically described by Cæsar and Strabo, as "a tract of woody country, surrounded by a mound and ditch," for the security of its inhabitants against the incursions of their enemies.
As soon as the Romans began to form settlements and colonies in this island, a sudden and remarkable change took place in the style of architecture. For that wonderful, brave, and industrious people, speedily adorned every country which they conquered. They not only built a considerable number of solid, convenient, and magnificent edifices for their own accommodation, but also exhorted and instructed the Britons to follow their example. In short, this eminently useful art, was one of the principal means employed by Agricola, to civilise the Britons, and reconcile them to the Roman yoke.
Not long after this period, however, architecture, and the arts connected with it, began sensibly to decline in Britain; partly in consequence of the building of Constantinople, which attracted the most famous architects to the East. But the almost total ruin and neglect of architecture in this island, may doubtless be attributed to the final departure of the Romans. For the natives, and the descendants of Roman and British parents, having neither skill nor courage to defend their numerous towns, forts and cities, suffered them to be plundered and destroyed by their ferocious invaders, the Scots, Picts, and Saxons: the last mentioned, in particular, having no taste for the arts, committed the most wanton and extensive devastations.
