All this makes it incumbent on you to note and carefully to draw every fragment of stained glass which you meet with where it is exposed to be lost or neglected; and I would further urge on you the systematic and minute study of the better known examples, so that your knowledge of glass painting, as of architecture, may be based upon _English_ examples. Our glass painters are open to the double charge of adhering to old precedent too religiously in its _weakest_ point, and too lightly in its _strongest_; for though their works are far from being generally very close followings of the actual decorative designs of old glass, and particularly of _English_ glass, they affect to follow the grotesque drawing of the old glass painters, and often greatly exaggerate it. I would rather reverse this, for the decorative portions of old glass are so perfect that it is impossible to surpass their beauty, while the figure drawing, though often full of deep and noble sentiment, is usually quaint and even grotesque.[93] In respect, however, of the figure drawing, I am very far indeed from advising the repudiation _in toto_ of the ancient manner. It is only the _correction_ of the drawing that I advocate. I would adhere rigidly to the principle of representing the figures mainly (though not wholly) by means of _sharp hard outline_. We know from the Greek Vases (if, indeed, any proof were wanting where the fact is so obvious) that an outline may be as absolutely artistic as a finished painting. I would further adhere to the _general sentiment_ and _artistic style_ of the old glass, but I would urge that the sentiment and style should be followed out with _as perfect drawing_ (were it possible) as an old Greek artist would have brought to bear upon it. As an imaginary illustration of what I mean, I would endeavour to realise what the result would be if pencil outline copies of the best thirteenth century figure subjects were placed in the hands of such a man as Flaxman, or any really high-class artist, capable of appreciating their sentiment and well versed in Greek art of the noblest period, for the purpose of _simply correcting_ their drawing without changing their sentiment and motive. It is just such drawing as one may suppose to result from such a process that I would wish to see in our modern church windows. In _secular_ works I would not oppose some departure from the rigidity of such a style, nor a little further addition of shading and high finish, though never to the concealment of the outline; and in both I would avoid all that is _grotesque_ or over-_quaint_ (excepting in subjects or figures which demand it, and where it is of the essence of the motive), as these qualities introduced into serious subjects are, to say the least, contrary to the general spirit of the age, and are, therefore, false and unreal.