nion. But, indeed, as
has already been more than once observed in this work, no inferences
drawn from style must be admitted without the utmost hesitation. A very
sensible discussion upon this point, as illustrated by the church of St.
Nicholas itself, and the two adjoining churches of the Trinity and of
St. Stephen, has lately appeared in one of the most popular English
periodical publications, from the pen of a writer possessed of the
deepest knowledge of the subject, and gifted with the most comprehensive
and clearest views[115]. It were an injustice to the readers of this
work, not to extract it upon the present occasion. It will supersede the
necessity of any labored description of the interior of the building.--

"When a distinct gradation of style is observable, it is natural to
conclude, that these architectural varieties, emanating from one
prototype, each clearly to be discriminated, yet dying into another by
imperceptible shades, were successively developed at certain intervals
of time. This reasoning, though it advances upon legitimate premises,
may be fallacious, as is proved at Caen, where three coeval churches,
probably erected by the same architect, are distinguished by such
remarkable modifications of the Norman Romanesque style, that were we
not acquainted with the facts, we might well suppose that they marked
the progress of architecture during three half centuries.--St. Nicholas,
the first of these edifices, was built by the monks of St. Stephen's
Abbey some time between the years 1066 and 1083. The original lines are
characterized by simplicity and regularity. All the capitals of the
columns, embedded in the side walls, are of one order; and the capitals
of the pier-columns, which nearly resemble the others, are equally
uniform. The east end terminates by an apsis, of which the elevation
resembles the exterior of the cathedral of Pisa. Three circular arches,
supported by Corinthianizing pilasters, form the western portal. The
original cross-vaulting of the side-aisles still remains: it is without
groins, and of Roman construction, and the whole interior shews that the
architect was endeavoring to recollect the models of the great city.--If
we pass from hence to the adjacent abbey church of St. Stephen, erected
at the same period, we shall observe that the conception of the
architect is more Norman than in the church which we have quitted. The
nave is divided into bays by piers, alternating with circu