business of life. His earlier works of note were St. Peter's Church 

 at Brighton and the Manchester Royal Institution, which he gained in 

 competition. These at once gave him a name. He then built three 

 churches in Islington ; and having thus established his standing in 

 the profession, he became very largely employed. The Traveller's 

 Club House, which he also gained in competition, the Free Grammar 

 School at Birmingham, and the Reform Club, are remarkable speci- 

 mens of the elegance and vigour of his taste in various styles of art. 

 But the great monument of the present age is the Palace of West- 

 minster, or Houses of Parliament, the prize for which he carried off 

 from nearly 100 competitors. This was in 1836 ; but it was not till 

 1840 that the works were actually commenced ; and considering the 

 immense extent of the building, the elaborate nature of its decora- 

 tion, the variety of uses to which the several portions were to be 

 applied, the accommodation to be provided, and the questions of 

 light, ventilation, and selection of materials which demanded the 

 laborious and incessant attention of the architect upon this, the 

 largest of modern edifices in Europe, we must feel surprised that he 

 was able to go through the harassing and arduous duties, and to 

 complete it in twenty years. We may quote the opinion, and words 

 almost, of his able biographer, Mr. Digby Wyatt, and say that " no 

 public building of Europe possesses a more ingenious or effective 

 plan, a more perfect homogeneousness of parts and style, a more 

 graceful outline under every point of view, and greater technical 

 excellences and beauty. In vain will the most critical observer 

 wander into every nook and corner of that enormous structure and 

 detect a neglected point where the failing attention or ability of the 

 architect has allowed a degeneration into meanness of finish, dis- 

 symmetry of axes or leading features, or faulty proportion of line or 

 detail." 



It would constitute a long list to enumerate the buildings of more 

 or less importance in the metropolis and the provinces of which 

 Barry was the architect. He was a Royal Academician, and on the 

 occasion of the opening of the Houses of Parliament, he received the 

 honour of knighthood from Her Majesty. To him also were awarded 

 the great Gold Medal of the Paris Exhibition of 1855, and the 

 Royal Gold Medal of the Institution of British Architects. He died 

 somewhat suddenly on the 12th of May, 1860, at the age of 64, and 



