[ 550 ] | 
LITERARY: AND MISCELLANEOUS} 
VARIETIES, 
(anJ, 
Tneluding ‘Notibes of Works in hand, Domestic and Foreign. 
Inprovements At Bricuton. [With 
an Engraving on Steel, of the new and 
splendid Buildings erecting there, called 
Kemp-Towy,] 
Pau, , though at the distance 
of fifty. miles from the centre of 
the; metropolis, has’ now become a 
metropolitan suburb ; and, as a branch 
of the. vast whole, is maintaining its 
due proportion: with the main body. 
From a fishing hamlet of two hun- 
dred and fifty houses, standing on a 
beach a furlong in length, it has, 
within a century, or eyen within the 
memory of man, expanded into a spa- 
cious and magnificent town, with a 
frontage.to the sea full three miles in 
extent. In A.D. 1700 its population did 
not exceed 1,500 souls; and now, in the 
season, ‘and ‘its’ season’ continues ten 
months out ofthe twelve, it accommo- 
dates “at’ least “40,000 residents and 
strangers. 
The demand for houses has led to 
extensions. of the town inland; but as 
those are first sought which enjoy a sea 
view, plans have lately been adopted 
for-extending the town opposite the sea 
both to the east and west. This front- 
age is now full two miles; but when the 
new erections are completed, the marine 
promenade, lying directly south, and 
protected by the houses from the N. 
and N.E. winds, will extend three miles. 
Hitherto the line has been interrupted by 
some ill-contrived buildings in one part ; 
but notice is given of an Act of Parlia- 
ment, which, within -a year or two, will 
enable the public spirited commissioners 
to unite the whole in one unbroken and 
matchless esplanade. ‘The immense ex- 
tent of buildimgs, at this time, in rapid 
progress to the eastward, is on the estate 
of Thomas Read Kemp, Esq. M.P. ata 
place called Black Rock, and comprises 
the most magnificent arrangement of pri- 
vate dwellings in the United Kingdom ; 
forming, in ‘fact, a new town, to “whieh 
the public voice has appropriated the 
founder’s name. The whole have a 
southern aspect, and include a square, 
larger than Grosvenor-square, London, 
opening from the centre of a crescent, 
whose span (800 feet) is at least 200 feet 
greater than that.of the celebrated 
Royal Crescent at Bath, and terminated 
at both extremities by a wing of 340 feet. 
The fronts of the houses,are adorned 
with columns, pilasters, and entablatures 
of the Corinthian order, surmounted by 
corresponding. ballustrades ; and. J 
crescent and squares contain inclosur es 
and pleasure-grounds, of, many ;.aeres, 
which are now railing in,{ with cast-iron, 
to a new and elegant) design, and:are to 
be laid down with walks; ~lawns;'‘and 
plantations. The whole extent of-the 
building fagade exceeds three thousand: 
feet, in front of which a stone foot-paye- 
ment, wider than that in Portland-place, 
London, is now forming. The ground, 
in the rear of this great work, is ‘distri, 
buted into squares of a minor order, 
and into shop-streets,  stabling, &e, 
On the south side of the road, which 
extends along the sea, m: front of: the 
crescent and its wings, the cliff is‘now 
cutting away, and a glacis; descending 
15 feet, will be terminated by an €spla- 
nade, commanding the most beautiful, 
and sheltered prospect of the. ocean 
which can well be conceived ; in ‘addi- 
tion to which, a lower esplauade, on, the 
principle: of that attached to the chain- 
pier, will stretch itself along the base of 
the cliff, which, at this place, is.at: least. 
60 feet high. The access to this: lower 
esplanade i is to be by a gradual descent 
from the marine parade, at the western 
end, and by a spacious’ tunnel ent 
through the rock, from thé centre of the 
crescent lawn, appropriated to the ex- 
clusive use of the surrounding habita- 
tions. The site, on which these works 
are proceeding, seems to haye,been 
formed by nature for some great under- 
taking; the towering cliffs rise abruptly 
from an almost level beach, and .the 
gradual shelving of the land on the sum- 
mit lends its powerful influence in pro- 
moting the general architectiiral effect. 
The influence, which the rapid | progress 
of Kemp-Town has had, in raising the 
value of the intervening landed roperty, 
is beyond example, and the whole will, 
in all probability, be. built. upon in the 
course of next year. A new. and spa-+ 
cious chapel-of-ease is. erecting, :pur- 
suant to a recent Act of Parliament; and 
Major Russell, and other gentlemen of 
fortune, are building on’ the nost ex- 
tensive ‘scale, the whole involviny “an 
expenditure of at least half.a million. 
The above. works, and the. others, 
of equal magnitude, at the west end of 
Brighton, on the estate. of the Rey. Tho- 
mas Secure, .are- carried; on under, the 
direction of Messrs. Mile and Ressler 
architects. ' 
Dr. Gil- 
