I. ARCHITECTURE 51

pointed only, and make the top of the window square, filling the interval with a stone shield, and you may have a perfect school of architecture, not only consistent with, but eminently conducive to, every comfort of your daily life. The window in Oakham Castle (fig. 2) is an example of such a form as actually employed in the thirteenth century; and I shall have to notice another in the course of next lecture.¹

28. Meanwhile, I have but one word to say, in conclusion. Whatever has been advanced in the course of this evening, has rested on the assumption that all architecture was to be of brick and stone; and may meet with some hesitation in its acceptance, on account of the probable use of iron, glass, and such other materials in our future edifices. I cannot now enter into any statement of the possible uses of iron or glass, but I will give you one reason, which I think will weigh strongly with most here, why it is not likely that they will ever become important elements in architectural effect.² I know that I am speaking to a company of philosophers,³ but you are not philosophers of the kind who suppose that the Bible is a superannuated book; neither are you of those who think the Bible is dishonoured by being referred to for judgment in small matters. The very divinity of the Book seems to me, on the contrary, to justify us in referring every thing to it, with respect to which any conclusion can be gathered from its pages.⁴ Assuming then that the Bible is neither superannuated now, nor ever likely to be so, it will follow that the illustrations which the Bible employs are likely to be clear and intelligible illustrations to the end of time. I do not mean that everything spoken of in the Bible histories must continue to endure for

¹ [See below, p. 74.]

² [See on this subject, Seven Lamps, Vol. VIII. p. 66; and Stones of Venice, Vol. IX. pp. 455-456.]

³ [The lectures were delivered under the auspices of the Philosophical Institution: see above, Introduction, p. xxvi.]

⁴ [In Modern Painters, vol. iv. ch. xx. § 44, Ruskin refers to the “great offence” which he gave in these Edinburgh lectures “by supposing, or implying, that scriptural expressions could have any force as bearing upon modern practical questions.”]

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