554 



CIVIL ARCHITECTURE. 



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WNM<*D- 

 imd. 



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ltaior. Although Sir C. Wren was chiefly employed in pub- 

 lic work*, yet Hampton Cour *ter Palace, and 

 that deagaed for Si Jamct't Park, prove, that hit clas- 

 sical lane and scientific ikill were equally eminent in 



y department of hit art. 



kn The neit architect of eminence was Sir John Van- 



Vubwrfh. burgh, whose chief workt are, Blenheim, (*ee Plate 

 CLXX!X.) Cattle Howard, Grimsthorpe, Seaton De- 

 X. iavil, and King'* Weston. In all these splendid edi- 

 fice* there is much genius displayed, and in all of them 

 the architect of Blenheim is distinctly to be traced. He 

 was loo much a mannerist. In the smaller buildings his 

 defects are more conspicuous ; and his heavy arches, 

 clumsy arch stones, and glaring semicircles, are in many 

 instance* unpardonable and disgusting ; but from this 

 heavy charge there are some exceptions, as in the fine 

 garden front of Castle Howard. 



The interior of the houses at this time were too much 

 sacrificed to great halls, staircases, and galleries. These 

 commonly occupied about one-third part of the princi- 

 pal edifice, and rendered the other two divisions cold 

 and uncomfortable. 



The Earl of Burlington, at his houses in Piccadilly 

 and at Chiswick, produced beautiful specimens of Pal- 

 ladian architecture. Holkam and Houghton, in Norfolk, 

 re magificent edifices, but partake, perhaps, too much 

 of the French style. Wanttead, in Essex, by Colin 

 Campbell, has more architectural merit. Stuwc, in 

 Buckinghamshire, is a splendid monument of the taste 

 of Viscount Cobliam ana Lord Camclford ; and Went- 

 worth, in Yorkshire, reflects equal credit upon William, 

 Earl of Stratford. These, and many other habitations, 

 tiiuw the perfection to which domestic architecture was 

 carried in England. The estimation in which it was then 

 held, is evident from considering, that not only men of 

 the first talents and taste, but noblemen of the firet rank 

 in the kingdom, both encouraged and practised it. 



Hitherto the restored Roman architecture had been 

 formed entirely upon that furnished by the modern Ita- 

 lian architects, and was frequently employed without 

 just discrimination as to the different characters of the 

 buildings. This led to the introduction into apartments 

 of delicacy, decorations which the ancients had only 

 used in those of great dignity and magnitude. But 

 about this time, some very ingenious artists of this coun- 

 try, not satisfied with this translation of taste, were 

 prompted to examine the ruins of those ancient edifices 

 where architecture might be found in the greatest pur ty 

 and splendour. With this view, Messr- W.>od and Daw- 

 kins visited Balbec and Palmyra ; Stuart and Revet, 

 Greece and the c >ast of Ionia; and Robert Adam, the 

 Emperor Diocle.-ian's palace at Spalatro in Dalmatia. 

 In order effectually to accomplish the objects of their 

 miasioni, they not only ascertained the outlines of the 

 several buildings, which they examined by actual mea- 

 surement, but they determined the precise dimensions of 

 each particular member and decoration. They each of 

 them published, in a splendid style, the result of their 

 labours, which furnished the rudiments of a new school, 

 drawn immediately from the most refined works of the 



"iltf. 



Mr Adam, on his return to England, war for many 

 years very extensively employed, and thereby had many 



Worki by opportunities of ad> iiy with edifices con- 



s:ructed upon the principles of tint newly acquired 'man- 

 ner. Kcddlettune in Derbyshire, Luton Park in Bed- 

 ford.hire, (ee Plate CLXXX.) Kenwood in Middle- 

 sex, and Shelburne House iu London, reflect much ere- 



f-'.xxx. <jjt OB his gemus and taste. In these works, the refined 



Dtwkint 

 ad Woud. 



Sloan. 

 R. 



Carr of 

 York. 



style of the ancients is introduced with great propriety, History 

 and the decorations are applied with a delicacy which '"'V" 

 was before unknown. But the Palace of Dioclcsian, 

 which formed the principal object of his study, was de- 

 corated to profusion, and was, upon the whole, an in- 

 stance of the bad style into which the Romans had de- 

 generated. His manner accordingly partakes too much 

 of this original : His decorations, though exquisitely 

 fine, are frequently too profuse ; and many particular 

 features accord ill with the outlines of correct Greek ar- 

 chitecture. The street architecture of the Adelphi, and 

 the gateway to Sion House, are instances of these de- 

 fects. 



The defects in Mr Adam's style were corrected by 

 that brought from Greece by Athenian Stuart : It was 

 now, for the first time, that architecture, as practised by 

 the Greeks, appeared in original purity. The beautiful 

 simplicity of the outline!., the correct propriety of the 

 particular members, and the strict delicacy of every or- 

 namental decoration, display the superior taste of that 

 singular people. Besides his clas.ical performance in 

 the restoration of Greenwich Hospital, Mr Stuart de- 

 signed the house of Mr Anson in St James's Square, 

 and of Mrs Montague in Portman Square. 



During this time, Sir William Chambers was very ex- 

 tensively employed at) an architect. He was correct in 

 the best Roman manner, and appears to have been con- 

 stantly labouring to obtain a stiff magnificence. The 

 Villa of Lord Besborough, and Lord Abercorn's house 

 at Duddingston, near Edinburgh, arc some of his best 

 works. 



In the north of England, the late Mr Carr of York 

 practised architecture very extensively, and in many 

 works of considerable magnitude. Harewood House is 

 inferior to few of the dwellings of the nobility, and is a 

 respectable specimen of his professional skill. He holds 

 a middle place between the stiffness of the preceding 

 style and the variety which has lately succeeded. He 

 is rather a mannerist, with a repetition of ths extended 

 fronts. 



To the credit of the national taste, the Greek style 

 has lately obtained a decided ascendency in every part of 

 the kingdom, and the present artists have, in many in- 

 stances, cultivated it with success. It is also fortunate, 

 that Mr Wyatt, who has long been at the head of his 

 profession as an architect, possesses sufficient taste and 

 skill to distinguish the true beauties of his art under 

 whatever school it is to be practised. He appears to be 

 equally aware of the excellence of the Greek, Roman, 

 or Guihic mann-rs, and likewise equally successful in 

 applying them in public edifices and private dwellings. 

 We are sorry that our prescribed limits will not permit 

 us to give more than two specimens of his works, (see 

 Plate CLXXX.) but they are mostly well known, and 

 easy of access to English artists. 



The great influx and general diffusion of wealth, has 

 of late introduced an improved domestic architecture in 

 Britain. The merchants and manufacturers have, by 

 their superior industry and ingenuity, acquired, most 

 honourably, the means of procuring accommodation equal 

 to that of our nobility. This demand has increased the 

 number and dexterity of our architects, many of whom 

 exercise their profession with much credit and skill ; but 

 our views being confined to merely carrying on a con- 

 nected account of the progressive changes of the art, 

 we must deny ourselves the pleasure of bestowing enco- 

 miums upon many deserving artists, and conclude this 

 part of our subject with a few general reflections. 



For more than a century past, whatever peculiarity 



Jamrs 

 Wyatt. 



Pt.iTI 



CLXXX. 



General 

 remark*. 



