205. First. The building must be either quite chaste, or excessively
rich in decoration. Every inch of ornament short of a certain quantity
will render the whole effect poor and ridiculous; while the pure
perpendicular lines of this architecture will always look well if left
entirely alone. The architect therefore, when limited as to expense,
should content himself with making his oriels project boldly, channeling
their mullions richly, and, in general, rendering his vertical lines
delicate and beautiful in their workmanship; but, if his estimate be
unlimited, he should lay on his ornament richly, taking care never to
confuse the eye.

Those parts to which, of necessity, observation is especially directed,
must be finished so as to bear a close scrutiny, that the eye may rest
on them with satisfaction: but their finish must not be of a character
which would have attracted the eye by itself, without being placed in a
conspicuous situation; for, if it were, the united attraction of form
and detail would confine the contemplation altogether to the parts so
distinguished, and render it impossible for the mind to receive any
impression of general effect.

Consequently, the parts that project, and are to bear a strong light,
must be chiseled with infinite delicacy; so that the ornament, though it
would have remained unobserved had the eye not been guided to it, when
observed, may be of distinguished beauty and power; but those parts
which are to be flat and in shade should be marked with great sharpness
and boldness, that the impression may be equalized.

When, for instance, we have to do with oriels, to which attention is
immediately attracted by their projection, we may run wreaths of the
finest flower-work up the mullions, charge the terminations with
shields, and quarter them richly; but we must join the window to the
wall, where its shadow falls, by means of more deep and decided
decoration.

206. Secondly. In the choice and design of his ornaments, the architect
should endeavor to be grotesque rather than graceful (though little bits
of soft flower-work here and there will relieve the eye): but he must
not imagine he can be grotesque by carving faces with holes for eyes and
knobs for noses; on the contrary, whenever he mimics grotesque life,
there should be wit and humor in every feature, fun and frolic in every
attitude; every distortion should be anatomical, and every monster a
studied combination. This is a q