It is impossible, as impossible as to raise the dead, to restore anything that has ever been great or beautiful in architecture. That which I have insisted upon as the life of the whole, that spirit which is given only by the hand and eye of the workman, can never be recalled.

Summary

This quote suggests that once greatness and beauty are lost in architecture, they cannot be fully restored. The author argues that the spirit and essence of a building, which can only be captured by the craftsmanship of the worker, cannot be recreated once it is gone. The comparison to raising the dead emphasizes the idea that restoring the glory of architecture is an impossible task. Thus, the quote emphasizes the irreplaceable nature of the artistic and human touch in the creation of remarkable architecture.

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