220 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[June, 



and that the bed of the Clyde was better adapted for such iin operation, 

 it docs not appear to us to strcngtlien tlie arguments in favour of dredg- 

 ing the Bee, in comparison with the more certain and less expensive 

 plan of the canal. 



The subject of dredging the old channel of a river, or substituting a 

 canal, is replete with interest, and demands the gnatcst sKill and dis- 

 crimination of the enyineers ; we shall take an early opjiortunity of 

 again referring to the report and papers connected with the contio- 

 versy between the parties. 



POLYCHROMV OF THK ANCIRNT GREEKS. 



Traces may hv found on tlic mavliles of Canipide and of the Brhisli 

 Museum. Tlic I'avllicnun, tlie Projiyliia, (he Tliesoium, (he Erechlhcium, 

 and Pinacotheca, have all rrin.iins of paint 2,I1U0 years old. Many writers 

 in tlie German periodicals haie treated on this subject, but somewhat in a 

 vague and cursory manner. The Insliinte of llritish Archilccfs has f^iveu 

 some detailed colk'clions of notes and illustrations. A French arcliitccl of 

 eminence has published some elaborate restorations of pnlvcliromy. Col. 

 Leake has these words (in his "Athens," p. :MI9), to the exaet truth of 

 which every accurate observer can bear witness: "All the seidpturcs of 

 tlie Thescium, willi those of the metopes and those of the friezes of the 

 vestibules, preserve the remains of colours witli which they were painted. 

 Vestiges of bronze .and .gold-coloured arms, of a blue sky. of blue, green, 

 and red drapery, are still very apparent. A painted foliage and meander 

 is seen in the interior coiuice of the peristyle, .and a painted star in the 

 lacun.aria." To this I may add, a bright red,' blue, and yellow pattern, in 

 the newly cleared part of the Pinacotlu^'a, the egg shape moulding on frag- 

 ments of cornices lying beneath the Pro]iyleia. the same near the Ereeli- 

 theium, a yellow coloured pattern in parallel lines in the roof of the 

 Caryatid portico of the same, besides an i) la Crcrqnc pattern .and star in 

 fragments of the same building, and evident traces in the upper part of 

 flutings and the capitals; the outlines of these and most oilier patterns are 

 scralclicil on the marble willi some sharp tool. In the Museum of the 

 Acropolis are fragments supposed to belong to the Hecaluinpedon, which 

 retain very bright colours, red and blue, particularly some Iriglyphs; a head 

 of v\hich the hair appears to have been gilt, yome of these fragments, 

 ri'lainiug bright colours, are now in London; and the colours themselves, 

 fnnn analysis, a]>pear to have been mixed with honey .and wax. In short, 

 the buildings nf the age of Pericles were painted. " M'hrlher the custom 

 was deri\ed from Egypt or not, it would be absurd to say thai the (ireeks 

 showed exquisite skill in architecture, and a b.arbarons taste in paiiiting. 

 Those who cry out most loudly, forget that time has now rc-painted the 

 Parthenon, &c. for them, with a great variety of the richest browns and 

 grey tints, otherwise it could not have been seen when the snu shone on 

 the fresh cut m.arble. This is illustrated by the poor ellcct of the columns 

 of the re-erected Temple of Victory, which are white from having been 

 buried for two or three centuries in the earth. The secret of taste seems 

 to have been, that the backgrounds, and plafonds, and the Iriglyphs (as re- 

 presenting the stone cut thrnugh), were painted deep blue, to as.similato 

 v\ ilh the sky they represented, and which appeared abo\ e lliem ; that the 

 dulings of columns and olher large members were colouri'd Milli neutral 

 tints, while the nunuli- oniameuls v.ere marked by the brightest red.s, 

 yellows, greens, and blues, — highly coutr.asted iiuleed, but each so small in 

 breadth, lliat lliey produced no gaudy eft'ect at the height to which they 

 were elevated, being chiefly on cornices, friezes, capit.als, &c. When the 

 eye was directed to any one spot of the building, the coutrasled luies pro- 

 duced a high n-lief and variety ; but when it was removed, so as lo take 

 in a view of a largi' jiart of the slructure, the colours by no means 

 deslroyed its unity, since Ihcy then became mingled like the vanishing 

 rainbow. Such an cfl'cct any one may sec from approaching or willulraw- 

 iug from a card coloured with prismatic colours. Von Klenze has given 

 a prelly, but not entirely happy illustration of this in his circular temple 

 al Munich. An interesting discovery in polychromy li.as just been made in 

 a shilue in allo-rclievo, discovered bi-tv.een the south-eastern ]u-umoulory 

 of Mount tlyiucllus and Sunium ; it is six feet high, and gent rally (exccjit 

 in one arm ) of good projiorlious. The subject is a warrior, ai'inccl with 

 helm, breastplate, greaves, and spear, standing erect, in profile. The heard 

 and conutenani'e rcniind one much of the Egina marbles, but the style is 

 MH.crior ; beneath the breaslplale a leather jerkin seems to have been 

 Worn, and the fuslinclla descends below this halfway down the thighs, like 

 a liigbhmder's larlan. The backgrouud has been coloured venuillion ; the 

 tints <iu file Mesh are nearly gone, but the elabipratc paltems on the arniour 

 are clearly visihle; among these are borders in a variety of firms in bright 

 colours, besides stars, and sonic other tigurcs not easily deciphered. Blue, 

 red, and yellow, are the recurring colours ; ;uid the whole effect is exceed- 

 ingly good, and indeed imposing, for the counteu.ance (the heard being 

 trimmed and pointed) is earnest and intelligent. The pedeslal bears the 

 words epyoi' KpinroKiuvi, a sculptor, who, it appears, was one of the ibniidcrs 

 of Ihi^ sclicl of Si. you, long before the rise of Ihat of Athens. Here, then, 

 is a painted statue still in existeuci', as deciiledly painted as was that of 

 .Shakspcre ui Stratford Church; it was the prod'iicl ion of a famous school, 

 the taste of which seems to have been followed by Phidias himself, in the 

 great cryselcphantine statue of the guddc.s.s in the Parthenon, since this 

 latter had coloured garments, for the golden peplos dcscendeil lo ihe feet. 

 If Phidias then eoudenined not Arisloi'lcs. what may we dare lo say in 

 this degenerate age of art f 



While I am writing, some beauliful reliefs have been discovered near Ihe 

 temple of Victory similar to the two admirable specimens already found 

 there ; a scries of winged Victories seem to have formed a prolonged 

 decoration, of a uniriue kind, roiuid the front of the base, fu- they could 

 not have belonged to the lemple itself Wr. Pitlaidii has also discovered 

 some vases on the spot where the work of the smilplor of Sieyon was found ; 

 and could this active olliccr be supplied with means, no doubt many rich 

 renmins v\ould reward his labours, but the government can only allow him 

 a very small annual sum fur the excavations of the Acropolis, and, unfor- 

 tunalely, a jealous and ill-judged law has the cfl'cct of blopjung all enter- 

 prise on Ihe part of foreigners. — AHiciiiriim. 



ST. BRIDE'S, FLEET-STREET. 

 (From the Churches of London. By G. Godwin, .Inn., F.S.A.) 



The present edifice was not constructed until 1080. Sir Christopher 

 Wren was the architect ; Mr. William Dickenson the superintenduig sur- 

 veyor. The cost was £11,130. The steeple was not commenced unlil 

 some time afterwards; for, according to an entry in the parish books, the 

 first stcme was laid October 4th, 1/OL It w.as completed in 1711.'?. 



The steeple, as left by Wren, was 'I'il feet in height from the ground, in 

 consequeuce of which great elevation, and from the want of pifqier precau- 

 tions, it was twice seriously injured by lightning. On the first of these 

 occurrences, namely in June 1704, so much damage was done, that it 

 was found requisite to taki^ dov\-n 85 feet of the spire. The metal 

 vane, the cramps wilh ^^llich the masonry was si'curcd, and the other 

 iron work employed in the constrnctiou, led Ihe electric fluid down the 

 steeple, ill the aiisoncc of any continued or heller conductor; and as at 

 each point where the connection was broken off, a violent disruption neces» 

 sarily ensued, the stone-work was rent in all parts, and pr.jccled from its 

 situation. One stone, weighing nearly 80 pounds, was thrown over the east 

 end of the church, and fell on the roof of a house in Bride Lane, while 

 anolher was forced from the boltom of the spire through the roof of the 

 (diurcli into the north gallery. Mr. aflcnv.ards Sir William .Staines, was 

 ein]doy(d to ri]iair the damage; and in doing so he lowered the .spire, 

 eight feet, either by direction of the parish authorities, or on his own 

 resp(uisibilily, vxithout, as it would appear, any suflicieut reason for this 

 mulilalion. The whole cost of the injury caused by the lighlniug at this 

 time, was estimated at £3000. On the recurrence of this accident, which 

 took place in 180.3, the damage Avas much less considerable. 



Si. Briile's steeple is, unquestionably, a most sncccssfnl .and beautiful 

 design, as wcdl as a fine specimen of Wren's skill in construction. Each of 

 the four octagon stories pierced with openings, and which compose the 

 lower part of the spire, is beautifiUly proportioned, .and together, in their 

 mutual relations, they are most harmonious. The parts are simple, almost 

 severe; the elfect of Ihe v\liolc agrc'cable and good. Every sncci>ediiig 

 writer who has described this church, has lauded the steeple without re- 

 serve, pri.inouncing it second in bcaiily (udy to Ihat id" Bow (liurch, Wren's 

 masterpiece ill this chass of design. On the first cousideratiou of it, an 

 examiner may not be disposed iniplieilly to a.ssent to this ojiinion, feeling 

 that the mere repetition of the same forms, although in the end productive 

 of good eft'ect, as it docs not call for the exercise of much iuvcnlive power, 

 is not entitled to the highest degree of admiration ; and that as this siccple 

 disjdays less variety than many others by the same master, il has less claim 

 to praise. Further consideration, we think, m.ay lead to a dilferent opinion 

 in this case. 'J'o pile story upon stors without good rcsnil, is not ditlicult 

 and requires little genius. To do so and produce; the effect here altaiiual, 

 is quite the reverse, and needs the soundest judgment, and much tasU? ; 

 and we are disposed therefore to believe, that SI. Bride'.s steeple may be 

 confidently ajipcalcd to by 'Wren's admirers, as one of the best of liis nu- 

 merous works. In Iici^bl it approaches nearer to the exquisile spiles 

 which belong to, and characterize Ihe pointed style of architecture, than 

 any other example, as it does lo, in lightness of ctVect, and in gr.acefidness. 

 II is still very far from possessing tlii^ sauu' degree of beauty which belongs 

 to some of those matchless product irms of human skill ; but then, on the 

 oilier hand, it has a clianu in coinmou v\'ilh olhi'r sidres designed by Wren, 

 peculiarly its own ; namely, as a record of a dillieully overcoiuc. A spire 

 does not behuig lo Italian archilecturc, it may in fact be regarded as a 

 violation of a gri>at prhieiple of Ihe style, which is horizoutalily ; and il 

 thercfoie required no ordinary cU'orl of genius solo introduce and fashion 

 It, .as to render it honiogeneous with a builduig so designed. This effort 

 W'reii successfully made, and it has been jn.stly said lo be nearly ctpial 

 in degree to what woulil be necessary to invent an enlirely new sjieeies of 

 buililing. 



'file fwo lower slorii'S of the spire arc Tuscan, the third Is Ionic, and Ihe 

 fiairth Composile. At the angles cd' Ihe parapet crowiung Ihe lower, from 

 v\hlch Ihe steeple rises, vases are introdneed, as they are also at Ihe base (d' 

 the obelisk which tcrniinales th(^ spire, by wh.ich means all harsh transitions 

 of form are a^'oided, and the outline ed' the whole, front Ihe tt)wcr to the 

 fane, is rendered pyramidal. 



'file upper story of the tower, n Ilh its circular-headed ]iediments, pre- 

 sents the solnc\^■llat singular feature of au attached Corinthian Cfdnmii at 

 each angle, which hi this case is not altogether productive of good cll'ecl. 

 The riitusifi of the coliunn being strongly marked, gives to the outline u 

 cripjilcd appearance, inducing at first sight the idea, that the superincnm- 

 beiit weight has caused the walls lo bulge at the centre of the story. 



The exterior of the cast end of the building is neat, and Ihe dresslues of 

 IIm; great window are boldly desiencd. 



