Bk. VII. Ch. I. PERIODS. 245 cliaracteristic tlian any other phase of the art, and, like it, seems to have been more clierished and for a longer time. In the beginning of the 13th century a new set of French patterns were introduced ; but while French cathedrals with geometric tracery were being 3rected at Toledo, Burgos, and Leon, in the provinces they continued to adhere to the simpler and more solid forms of the earlier style. During the 14th century the French style reigned supreme, with only a slight touch of local feeling and a slight infusion of Moorish details in parts, till in the 15th it broke away from its prototype into a style half German, half Spanish, with all the masonic cleverness so fatal to the style in Southern Germany, and more than German exuberance of detail, and complexity of vaulting expedients. With these the style continued to be used for churches as late as in England, and long after the classical styles had become universal in Italy and fashionable in France. The Gothic style was not entirely disused in Spain till after the middle of the 16th century, but there its history ends, no attempt at a Gothic revival having yet been perpetrated among that inartisti§4 race. It may come, however ; but they would adopt Mexican or Chinese with equal readiness, if either of these styles would provide them with places of worship as gorgeous and as suited to their purposes as those they now possess. ^ / ' So much of the information regard- ing Spanisli arcliitecture which is con- tained in the following pages, is derived from Mr. Street's beautiful work, en- titled "■ Gothic Architecture in Spain," published in 186-o, that it has not been thought necessary to refer specially to that work in the text. ^Vitll one or two exceptions, all the plans are reduced from those in Mr. Street's book, and many of the woodcuts are also his. If any one will take the trouble of com- paring the very meagre account of Span- ish architecture contained in the " Hand- book,"' with what is said in this work, they will at once perceive my obligations to Mr. Street. His work is a model of its class, and has quite revolutionized our knowledge of the subject.
