THIS little work is intended to serve as a stepping-stone to larger and more expensive works on the same subject, such as my “Introduction to the Study of Gothic Architecture,” my edition of Rickman’s “Gothic Architecture,” and the “Glossary of Architecture.” The same examples are not used, except a few well-known historical instances. My object has been to make it as simple and as easy as possible, so that a child may understand it. Experience shews that a child who has seen many examples, and has had the peculiar features of each style explained, does understand and remember them in a manner that appears astonishing to older people, and accurate representations of buildings of each period may be equally well understood and remembered. The knowledge thus acquired, simple and easy as it seems, and as it really is, if proper attention is given to it, will be found useful in after life, not in all parts of England only, but in all parts of Europe also. The general characteristic features of each period are the same, although the provincial character sometimes seems to preponderate; the character of each century, at all events, is the same all over Europe, and may also be easily remembered, and as a matter of fact is never forgotten.

JOHN HENRY PARKER, C.B.

Oxford,
July, 1881.