Interior Compartment.
The Piers consist most commonly of a cluster ofshafts, disposed in a circular form. These shafts some-times stand entirely free, and surround a large circularor octagonal column, and are handed in the middle.
The Capitals have sometimes one or two rows ofstiff projecting leaves, of a bulbous form, which appearto grow out of the neck of the capital, and sometimes asingle or double series of minute deeply cut mouldings;the square form of capital, both in the plan, and in theupper edge of the abacus entirely disappears.
The Bases consist almost invariably of a deep smallhollow, set between two rounds, standing on a square-edged plinth ; and greatly resemble the ordinary Atticbase.
The Pier-arciies usually show three orders, of smalldeeply cut mouldings of alternate rounds and hollows,the number and depth of which give an exceedingly richand characteristic appearance to all the arches of thisPeriod. The peculiar ornament called the dog-tooth,which is formed by hollowing out the sides of a series ofcontiguous pyramids notched out of an angular projec-tion, occurs constantly in the arch-mouldings, as wellas in almost every other part of buildings where anopportunity of carving it presents itself.
The Hood-moulding, resting on small and elegantheads or bosses, is an almost invariable accompaniment ofarches of every description.
The Vaulting-shaft sometimes rises from the floorin front of the principal Pier,—but more usually froma corbel-shaft, resting on a large ornamental corbel,placed immediately over the pier ; it consists generallyof a triple cluster of small elegant shafts, with hollowsbetween them.
The Triforium-arch generally covers two smaller
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