Gradual refinement of Romanesque--French architects the earliest to systematise the pointed arch--The English before the Germans--The Italians from the Germans--Fully acknowledged in France 1140--Suger’s work at St. Denis--Carving in French churches--Corinthianesque outline of capitals--Distinctly Byzantine capitals--A route by which Byzantine foliage may have reached France--The importation indisputable--Its effects seen in Early English capitals--West front of Chartres--Fluting on basement of doorways--Cathedral of Noyon--St. Germain des Pres, Paris--Cathedral of Sens, prototype of the Choir and Trinity Chapel at Canterbury--Nôtre Dame, Paris--A new kind of foliage--The capital “à crochet”--English transition--Incipient specimens--Refined Norman--Pointed style, with reminiscences of Romanesque--William of Sens--William the Englishman--Influence of French work--Oakham Castle--Glastonbury Abbey--Cathedral of St. David’s--Temple Church, London--Chichester Cathedral--Tynemouth Abbey--Hexham Abbey--Unfoliated capitals--Round moulded capitals--Characteristics of English and French transition--The German transition--Practical lessons from studying these changes--Principles to which the transition was pioneer Page 69 LECTURE IV. The Thirteenth Century. Mediæval architecture usually classified under heads of centuries--Actual points of change do not coincide with these divisions--Auspices for the development of the Early Pointed style--Great works in England and France--Artistic disturbance in Germany--Progress in Italy--Energy pervades every branch of art--Perfected Early Pointed a natural growth from Romanesque--Leading characteristics--Columns--Bases of Columns--Capitals--Plan of the abacus--Circular plan--Whence this arose--Moulded capitals--Windows--Bases of buildings--Cornices and foliated bands--Doorways--French and English compared Page 137 LECTURE V. The Thirteenth Century--_continued_.