He enumerates the various 'decays' of the building from the date of the fire in Queen Elizabeth's reign which burnt the whole roof and caused 'the spreading out of the walls above ten inches from their true perpendicular'--up to the last fire, of which he says-- 'The second ruins are they that have put the restoration past remedy, the effects of which I shall briefly enumerate. 'First, the portico is nearly deprived of that excellent beauty and strength which time alone and weather could have no more overthrown than the natural rocks; so great and good were the materials, and so skilfully were they laid after a true Roman manner. But so impatient is Portland stone of fire that many tons are scaled off and the columns flawed quite through.' Then follows an account of the injuries to the rest of the building, but as they have been already touched on in the extracts from Evelyn's Diary and Sancroft's letters, they shall not be repeated here. 'Having shown in part,' he continues, 'the deplorable condition of our patient, we are to consult of the cure, if possible art may effect it. And herein we must imitate the physician, who, when he finds a total decay of nature, bends his skill to a palliative to give respite for the better settlement of the estate of the patient. The question is then, where best to begin this sort of practice; that is to make a new quire for present use.' The only part of the cathedral where this could be safely and easily done was at the eastern end of the nave:-- 'Since,' he said, 'we cannot mend this great ruin, we will not disfigure it, but that it shall still have its full motives to work, if possible upon this or the next ages: and yet prove so cheap, that between three and four thousand pounds shall effect it all in one summer. 'And, having with this ease obtained a present cathedral, there will be time to consider of a more durable and noble fabric, to be made in the place of the lower and eastern parts of the Church, when the minds of men, now contracted to many objects of necessary charge, shall by God's blessing be more widened, after a happy restoration, both of the buildings, and the wealth of the city and nation. In the meantime to derive, if not a stream, yet some little drills of charity this way; or, at least, to preserve that already obtained from being diverted, it may not prove ill-advised to seem to begin something of the new fabric. But I confess this cannot well be put in execution without taking down all that part of the ruin; which whether it be yet seasonable to do we must leave to our superiors.' [_SALISBURY CATHEDRAL._]