Stone after stone the hallowed temple falls, Fierce lightnings scathe, and torrents sap the walls; No mantling ivy round the ruin weaves Its verdant panoply of glittering leaves; No pious hand, with patriotic care, Props in its fall the ancient house of <g>Prayer</g>; But still yon Arch, that braves the winter blast, Stands the proud chronicler of ages past. <g>On the</g> architecture of this period, we may here introduce a few desultory remarks, without entering into any disquisition on the subject. The most remarkable works of architecture,[339] as opposed to that of the feudal strongholds, are the religious edifices erected about this period, and improved during the three following centuries. These structures uniting, as in the present instance, sublimity in general composition with the beauties of variety and form--intricacy of parts--skilful, or at least fortunate, effects of light and shade--and, in some instances, with extraordinary mechanical science, are naturally apt to lead those antiquaries, who are most conversant with them, into too partial estimates of the times wherein they were founded. They certainly are accustomed to behold the fairest side of the picture. It was the favourite and most honourable employment of ecclesiastical wealth, to erect, to enlarge, to repair cathedral and conventual churches; and upon these buildings in England, between the Norman Conquest and the Reformation, an immense capital must have been expended. And it is pleasing to observe how the seeds of genius, hidden, as it were, under the frost of that dreary winter, began to bud to the first sunshine of encouragement. In the darkest period of the middle ages, especially after the Scandinavian incursions into France and England, ecclesiastical architecture, though always far more advanced than any other art, bespoke the rudeness and poverty of the times. It began towards the latter end of the eleventh century, when tranquillity, at least as to former enemies, was restored, and some degree of learning reappeared to assume a more noble appearance.