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entirely "ab ovo" and "toto cœlo." Having far too rapidly surveyed the Eastern or Mahometan, let us return briefly to the Western, or Christian, line in direct succession from Rome through Byzantium.

As churches were raised by the exigencies of early churchmen, on soils remote from the classic land of Italy, the dominant forms of Roman architecture by degrees lost their purity, alike of contour and proportion.

Over the face of Europe during the centuries which elapsed between the age of Justinian and that of our Conquest, three influences may be said to have been exercised over Ecclesiastical Architecture; the only form of architecture which found any substantial encouragement at the hands of either peoples or sovereigns during that period.

The first of these, both in date and probable importance, was that derived from the traditions of Roman structure. The extension of Roman dominion over almost the whole face of Europe had brought the inhabitants of the countries colonized into more or less intimate acquaintance with the practice of Rome in such respects. Hence came an influence which lasted long, and which may be traced into even fairly recent mediæval art under the denomination of Latin.

The second was that which came from the energy of the composite Byzantine race, who long held sway over the world of Art, as it then existed, partly through their proficiency in technical arts peculiar to themselves as a people; and partly through their preservation, at a time when other nations were steeped in barbarism and torn by war and faction, of certain of the traditions of ancient processes of art-workmanship, and of the leading types of iconography, or sacred portraiture esteemed by the Greek Church, which long remained the all but sole authority in all matters connected with the special decoration of ecclesiastical structures.

The third, and ultimately dominant influence, which drove the others from the field, was that spirit of originality which