My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

lOOMY LIFEand pinnacles for ornament alone, when the roof iswholly of wood and there is no outward thrust to beguarded against ; while in some cases we see uselessgargoyles, which in the old buildings stretched out tocarry the water clear of the walls, but which are stillsometimes imitated when the water is carried intodrains by iron gutters and water-pipes. I also learntto appreciate the beautiful tracery of the large circularor pointed windows, whose harmonies and wellbalancedcurves and infinitely varied designs are adelight to the eye ;while in most modern structuresthe attempts at imitating them are deplorable failures,being usually clumsy, unbalanced, and monotonous.One of the very few modern Gothic buildings inwhich the architect has caught the spirit of the oldwork is Barry's Houses of Parliament, which, whetherin general effect or in its beautifully designed details,is a delight to the true lover of Gothic architecture.