Architecture, Gothic and Renaissance. By T. R. Smith. ("Illus- trated
Text-books of Art Education.") (Sampson Low and Co.)— The plan of this series has been made with a clear perception of what text-books of art should attempt. Their work is general and ele- mentary, and if they give the student or general reader a thorough and trustworthy basis for later development, they have attained their purpose. Mr. Roger Smith's text-book on architecture leaves no- thing to be desired. Most sensibly he begins with a glossary of tech- nical terms, and gives illustrations of the different kinds of arch, capital, and mouldings. He then traces the progress, variation, and development of Gothia architecture in England, Western Europe, Central and Northern Europe, and lastly, in Southern Europe. A chapter on the principles of construction and design in Gothic archi- tecture closes this division. He adopts the same plan with the Re- naissance style, and of course begins with Italy. The book is well and profusely illustrated, and the information is not more detailed than it should be in a work of this character. Mr. Roger Smith's competency for the undertaking is apparent throughout, his style is clear, unpretentious, and equable, and he deserves our thanks, in that he has exhibited a complete freedom from favouritism. Whatever pet theories of architectural style he may possess, he has certainly not obtruded them, an example worthy of more general imitation than it has yet obtained. We can safely recommend this book, either as a work of reference for the general reader, or as an introduction to the study of architecture.
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