STORIES IN ARCHITECTURE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1929, Page 3

STORIES IN ARCHITECTURE

With architecture—at all events at the present day—it is necessary to teach oneself the elements of its speech, for it is no longer common knowledge, it is not in use among us all, as it was in 'former ages. And there is a rei •■mi for this, why the mother of sii* the arts waits so often for someone to act as interpreter before she can make herself understood. We may be told that the Bomans used a Corinthian column to support- their stone beams or architraves, and that the Normans used columns or sha'lts with cushion capitals to support their round arches, but when we have learned to differentiate these forms, we shall be able, aide" only by our own observation, to teach ourselves wlmt manner of men these Homans and Normans were from thenwork. Given a little knowledge, art will tell us its own history, and tin art of architecture will unfold the history of the world, and it will neve: cease telling us about all the people who have lived before our time. But it must first engage our interest, we must question it .and examine it, and then we shall be surprised at all tb delight it has in store for us.”—M,r W Id. Godfrey, in his “ Story of Architecture in England.”