CIVIL ARCHITECTURE. 



U.XXIX. 



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 tiont on 

 Van- 

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Burlington. 



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 Hu>c,Pic. 

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able to convey a diitinct idea of this elevation, or the ar- 

 rangement of the apartments, in word*, we must : 

 (Plate CLXXIX.), where a particular representation 

 will be found. In the central part of the entrance -front, 

 the Corinthian columns and pilasters, standing on a low 

 basement, and rising to 4-O feet in height, are magnifi- 

 cent features, and the varied ornamented outlines of the 

 top are truly magical. If there it any defect in this sin- 

 gular elevation, it arises from the central part not having 

 ufficirnt elevation and macs in proportion to those in 

 the square and pyramidal turrets toward* the extremities. 

 In the garden front, the outlines are equally line ; and 

 the long range of windows in the principal story, have a 

 singularly good effect. The basement is in good pro- 

 portion to the superstructure, but is injured by the 

 small circular windows. In both fronts, all the porticoes 

 have, very properly, pilasters at the extremities. 



The followiug-are the dimensions of some of the apart- 

 ments in the principal story : The g^eat hall 5.5 x 1 1- : 

 saloon 44 X 35 ; principal stairs each 33 X 1 1 ; preat gal- 

 lery 1S:X-1 at the narrowest part, and 28 at the 

 broadest; the vestibule, including the bow, 4-1x18; 

 anti-rooms each 32x25; drawing room :;'2x'2'2; little 

 dining-room 32 X 18; grand cabinet 26 X 2(3 ; bed-room 

 26 X 20. 



In the works of this able architect, we find the fol- 

 lowing fine features : extensive front stairs, low base- 

 ments, orders rising each to the height of two lofty 

 stories, upper windows of as great a height as those in 

 the first story, and a varied and ornamented outline at 

 the top of the edifice. He is singular in using pilasters 

 at the extremity of porticoes and colonnades. In the lat- 

 ter they are most correctly placed, in the former we know 

 of no classical architype ; but in his great works, where 

 strength and durability were apparently the principal ob- 

 jects, even this deviation appears defensible ; in short, 

 every external feature contributes to produce an impo- 

 ng effect. Internally, at the same time that he has pre- 

 sented the means of exhibiting extensive suits of rooms, 

 by connecting doorways, yet by the judicious arrange- 

 ments of passages and staircases, he has generally ob- 

 tained a separate access to each apartment. In the ma- 

 nagement of the detail, he has been accused of unneces- 

 sary clumsiness. In some cases, this criticism is cer- 

 tainly just, but we are to keep in mind, that the scale 

 he worked on admits not of comparison with little 

 things. He perhaps may, with more justice, be reckon- 

 ed a mannerist : Blenheim seems never to have been ab- 

 sent from his mind when forming designs, for he is al- 

 ways gigantic, but also always bold and imposing. 



About this time architecture in England received 

 much encouragement, and was considerably improved by 

 the indefatigable exertions and liberal patronage of the 

 Earl of Burlington ; we shall, therefore, in order to con- 

 vey an idea of his taste, give some account of his town 

 residence in Piccadilly, London, which, in 1717, was 

 new modelled by him. 



The court which the buildings encompass is 180 feet 

 by 130. It is divided from the street by a high brick 

 wall, in tile middle of which ii a magnificent arched gate 

 way of the Done order, ornamented by a peculiar sort 

 of rusticated work. Immediately within this gateway, 

 on each hand, is a circular Doric colonnade, which alto- 

 gether makes a semicircle. The passage under these is 

 15 feet wide. The kitchvn offices occupy the left hand 

 side of the court ; the stables the right. At each end of 

 these ranges there are separate entrances, and a short ar- 

 cade connects them with the main building. The middle 



part of the main building is 86 feet in length ; at each Prcti. 



extremity '25 feet projecli 10 feet before the middle part. ^"~~-~ ' 



The whole length over the walls is 130 feet; the breadth 



at the extrem: t j in the middl- part 53 only. 



The hall is 30X-0 feet; ml ,.io '.-lOx'-'O; apartment Dimf.i- 



right hand side of the latter yH x '-'0 ; that on the left tioii;. 



; IS. In the division, next the left hand extremity, 

 are tw.. '2'.' X -'>X 13 ; one is x 1,0 ; the great 



staircase 'Jl-x-I- In the right hnnd extreme division to 

 the chapel 10 x '-'0. The kitchen is 3 1 x I K. 



in the elevation, there is at bottom a plain plinth about * Remarki. 

 feet high, the top of which is the level of the first floor, ;> 

 up to this level there is a front stair, the st> ps uf which 

 are 1*1 feet long; and as it is all without ; f the 



projections, at the extremities its landing forirn a n IM(| 

 between them. The face of the first story is > 

 and, including the plain belt which passes along <l -.- rep, 

 is 15 feet in height; in this story the windows 8.^X< 

 are rectangular with three heavy ... , in each lin- 



tel. Upon the before-mentioned belt course, rises the 

 Ionic order, which, including the entablature, is '21 reel 

 6 inches high. In the central part of the building are 

 (j three quarters columnr,, upon each of which the entabla- 

 ture is broken. Itteach of the projections at the extremi. 

 ties, there are two couple uf pilasters, without any breaks 

 over them. Within this order there is one row ut win- 

 dows ; those in the middle division are rectangular 9x4' 

 with pediments, alternately pointed and circular. In each 

 of the projecting divisions there is a Venetian window, 

 arched in the middle. Upon the entablature, there is a 

 parapet with balusters and small pedestals over the co- 

 lumns. 



In the general disposition round the court, the colon- 

 nade within the gateway, aa seen from the front of the 

 main building, produces an elegant effect ; but the 

 kitchen is situated at a very inconvenient distance from 

 the dining-room. In the main building, from the prin- 

 cipal stair not being in the middle, the communic.it. ons 

 are incommodious, and its effect as a fine feature is lost. 

 There is also too much thoroughfare, and the apartments 

 are small. Externally, the front is generally well pro- 

 portioned ; the first story, which forms a basement for 

 the order, is not too high, and the upper story being 

 principal, corresponds witii what we have frequently re- 

 commended. The windows should have been loftier, for 

 there is too much dead wall over then:; and not even sta- 

 tues on the top, is, in our opinion, a sufficient reason for 

 breaking the entablature ; for by so doing, the columns 

 seem erected for this purpose alone, instead of being, as 

 they ought, an essential part of the edilice. The assem- 

 bly room at York, Lord Harrington's house at Peters- 

 ham, the Duke of Richmond's at Whitehall, and Ge- 

 neral Wade's in Cork-strevt, were from his design. 



During this period, Mr Colin Campbell also laboured 

 with much zeal and perseverance. He published an ac- 

 count of many works performed by him: our limits will 

 01. ly permit us to notice Wanstead in Essex. This noble 

 front extends '260 feet ; the basement is well proportion- 

 ed, being only 15 feet high. In the principal story is one 

 row of very fine windows; they are rectangular, with pedi- 

 ments alternately circular and pointed. In the middle, 

 there is a magnificent portico of eight Corinthian co- 

 lumns, three feet diameter, and a balustrade along the 

 whole front. Internally, on the principal floor, there is 

 a great hall 51 X 36 X 'M ; a saloon 30 X 30 x 30; two i ou . 

 apartments 34x'21,; two L'l x '- ! ; four 21 X -'0 ; four 

 2'2x-'0; two 21. x 15; four 15x12. A library 31 X '21; 

 and a chapel of the same dimensions. Many of those 



Campbell. 



