264 ^'^^^' SOUTH WALES. 



almost think himself witliin a walled town like those of old Europe^ 

 when the streets had to be made narrow to accommodate house-room 

 for the population within the walls, and palaces and cathedrals were 

 almost concealed from view for lack of space to give a prospect, or by 

 the meaner buildings that crowded and shouldered them out of sight. 

 Palaces like those of theBorghcse inEome or theRiccardi in Florence are 

 lost in the narrow streets and crowded ways of the older parts of those 

 ancient cities, and it is not until one passes the portals and discovers 

 the broad, open courtyard within that any adequate idea is gained of 

 the impressive character of these edifices. But of the public buildings 

 of Sydney it may now be fairly said that they do not labour under 

 such disadvantages. Generous spaces have been cleared and reserved, 

 compared with which the Piazza Colonna at Rome or the Piazza della 

 ►Signoria at Florence cannot for a moment compete in point of space. 

 Few cities, too, are so well situated for architectural display and pictur- 

 esque street effects ; and though these were not much regarded in the 

 early days when the capital was allowed to grow in its own haphazard 

 and careless fashion, we may take credit for having* done something to 

 adapt our public buildings to their surroundings so soon as the claims 

 of the subject made themselves felt. Our Post Office has been relieved 

 of the neighbouring buildings that cramped its effect, and the widening 

 of Moore-street has given us a central plaza of which any city might 

 be proud. The block of buildings in which the Town Hall and St. 

 Andrew's Cathedral are comprised once had much to contend with ; 

 but the removal of the police-station and the substitution of a splendid 

 building for the City Markets has done much to throw these architec- 

 tural monuments into relief. The new Hospital in Macquarie-street 

 has cast new light on the possibilities of that fine thoroughfare, as it 

 defines the crest-line of the hill between the city and the Domain. 

 Doubtless the day will come when the idea these possibilities suggest 

 will be carried out, and the noble sites of the present Sydney Mint 

 and Legislative Chambers will be occupied by edifices more worthy of 

 that position. An adequate House of Parliament — perhaps to accom- 

 modate a Federal Legislature— will be fittingly balanced by new Law 

 Courts at the other end of the street, and it would be difficult to 

 imagine a better site for this much-required building than is afforded 

 by the situation at the top of King-street, with the Domain on one side, 

 St. Mary's Cathedral and Hyde Park on the other, overlooking* the 

 Queen's Square, and commanding the sunlit perspective of one of our 

 principal streets. 



This prospect gives us one of the characteristic street views of a city 

 singularly rich in that and other elements of the picturesque. It 

 crowns and slopes from a succession of gentle hills, falling away city- 

 wards in one direction, or to one or other of the innumerable reaches 

 of the waters of the harbour on the other. Macquarie-street and 

 York-street define these higher outlines, and between them the business 

 streets of the city lead down to the Circular Quay. Such an arrange- 

 ment could not do otherwise than lend itself to picturesque street- 

 views. Sometimes the perspective of the street architecture closes in 

 round sunny glimpses of blue water, as when one looks down towards 

 Darling Harbour. Sometimes it is lost among the towering spars and 

 idle sails of a forest of shipping, as when the eye traverses Pitt-street 



