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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[September, 



quantity of practical information than will be found in any other work 

 of a similar description, we have besides IGO illustrations by wood 

 cuts of the first character. Although we do not agree with the author 

 in many of his remarks, particularly in some of his strictures on archi- 

 tecture and the use of cement, we are not disposed to find fault with 

 him on that account, as the great variety of useful instruction which is 

 conveyed by the many precepts, if we may be allowed to call them so, 

 contained in this work, far outweigh the few faults we might be dis- 

 posed to look into. Both professions, the architect and the engineer, 

 will read this work with much interest, and the student by a careful 

 study and perusal of it, will gain considerable practical knowledge. 

 We have not time now to minutely examine the contents of the volume, 

 as they are far too voluminous for us to attempt hastily, but we shall 

 not fail, next month, examining largely, and extracting freely, from 

 the pages of this text book, we shall, before we conclude this notice, 

 state tliat we fully agree with Mr. Bartholomew in what he has saiil 

 regarding specifications, particularly with the following: 



Except for the mere manner of the work, the author can hardly think 

 strong general clauses just ; and he now never inserts them, unless he has 

 previously included in the particular description, even.' thing which he be- 

 lieves the building can require : indeed he cannot think it borders upon 

 honesty, to involve perhaps in bankniptcy, the builder, who like all labourers 

 is worthy of his hire, by rendering him ignorantly liable to perform, to the 

 detriment of his family and his creditors, and to the scandal of society, that 

 work, of the nature of which, at the time of signing of the contract, the 

 architect himself has not had a clear idea. 



We have more than once, denounced the unjust sweeping clauses 

 which are frequently inserted into specifications, particularly one, that 

 the builder is to do all that is expressed or implied by the drawings 

 and specifications, and also another, whereby the responsibility of the 

 construction of the building is thrown on the builder, which is strictly 

 belonging to the engineer or architect, by the introduction of such 

 clauses, it allows any man to call himself an architect, for he is thus 

 enabled to escape censure and cloak his ignorance of construction. 



ArcTiitectural Remains of the Reigns of Elizabeth and James I. 



As a series of historical documents, illustrating the architecture of 

 the period referred to, and also as contributions towards topographical 

 information, these drawings possess considerable interest, apart from 

 the pictorial merit of several of them. Still, we must be allowed to 

 question the propriety of taking examples of that period as models 

 suitable for imitation, at the present day. To revert to a style of the 

 art that was in itself merely an attempt towards one, it being super- 

 seded by another before it had time to develop itself, to get rid of its 

 crudities, to become refined as well as matured, appears to us a rather 

 backward, crab-like advance, and not very much less absurd than it 

 would be for an adult to imitate the tottering steps of a child just 

 learning to walk. There might be something like sense in going back 

 to any Renaissance style for the purpose of taking it up where it had 

 been abandoned, and applying to it those lessons in taste which we 

 have — or ought, by this time, to have — acquired from what has since 

 been produced or been studied. Could we, by some architectural 

 chemistry, extract all the good qualities of the Elizabethan style, 

 leaving all its dross and impurities behind; — could we transfer to 

 modern designs its stateliness, its picturesque combinations and out- 

 lines, its freedom and spirit, without any of its barbarisms and defor- 

 mities, without any of its uncouthness and extravagance, its puerile 

 conceits and incongruities, without its inconsistent mixture of over- 

 done finery in one part and poverty in another, could we accomplish 

 this, or were we to attempt it, there would be some plausible pretext 

 for taking the style so far into favour again. But to adopt it, as we 

 find it to be when adopted at all, with all its vices, is surely somewhat 

 preposterous. At present it is imitated without any discrimination ; 

 we either find it copied in all its rude and unmeaning, yet most expen- 

 sive finery, or, if attempted to be simplified, reduced to naked de- 

 formity and insipid nionotonousness, and deprived of all that tends to 

 render it if extravagant, at least picturesque. 



However, there is no occasion for our deprecating the imitation — 

 the literal imitation, we mean, of Elizabethan architecture any further, 

 because, we conceive, its day, as a fashion of the day, is nearly over. 

 The recent application of it to shop fronts is likely to open people's 

 eyes to its rulgarity, far sooner than all the objections of criticism. 

 Besides which, it has lately received some tolerably staggering blows 

 from criticism itself. Mr. Wightwick— and his book is likely enough 

 to find its way into fashionable circles— speaks of Elizabethan as 

 "beneath abhorring" as a style, though deserving notice as a link in 

 the history of the art ; which opinion will doubtless cause some of its 



fashionable admirers to stand quite aghast. Mr. Bartholomew, ag.iin, 

 speaks of it without more respect or ceremony, denouncing it in good 

 set terms as founded in ignorance and corruption. Nay, he goes so 

 far as to say, 



" Among the numerous " (quoere) " architectural publications tliat 

 issue from the press in these times with such rapidity, may be men- 

 tioned those which treat of buildings erected in England during tlie 

 reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James the First ; but while these 

 works, some of them so splendid in their embellishments, are so valu- 

 able as furnishing historical records, yet is it to be regretted that no 

 works ever published ever had a more pernicious effect upon public 

 taste ; for some of those who view their embellishments feel a strange 

 inclination to copy that in which their eye delights, although they 

 know its corruption, in the same way as children look at dirt till they 

 desire to handle it." 



"It may be said," he afterwards observes, "to contain all the faults 

 and corruptions of design and composition, which have ever been con- 

 demned in every style of architecture by every description of critics, 

 of everv age, and of every country in the world" ! 



This is a clincher! and if it does not put people out of conceit with 

 Elizabethan architecture, and make them heartily ashamed of their 

 fancy for it, we know not what will. Of course Bartholomew must 

 look upon Mr. Richardson as a very great offender, one of those who 

 have contributed to vitiate public tiiste by their splendid publications. 

 To say the truth, some of the subjects contained in the part before us, 

 are so seductive and captivating as pictures, as almost to disarm criti- 

 cism ; — little is it to be wondered at, therefore, if those are apt to be 

 mislead, and have their fancy led captive by them, who either cannot 

 or will not be at the pains to discriminate between the charm of pic- 

 torial treatment and effect, and what belongj merely to architectural 

 design. 



The view of the quadrangle at Kirby, the seat of Lord Chancellor 

 Hatton, and now belonging to the Earl of Winchelsea, affords a striking 

 instance to the purpose ; since although a singular melange as to style, 

 — although the entrance tower and porch [iresent a mere grotesque 

 parody of Roman architecture, and although large fluted piasters of 

 the Ionic order appear in other parts between lofty and spacious 

 windows and bays, whose openings are divided into a system of small 

 panels, by numerous muUions and transoms, — the general effect is so 

 imposing, picturesque, and even scenic, that we admire almost in spite 

 of ourselves. Still we should not admire the less, were some of the 

 mere extravagances expunged or abated. However this building — or 

 at least a portion of it, for if not altogether so grotesque, the Garden 

 Front is by no means so "exciting," is of superior quality to the gene- 

 rality of Elizabethan designs. 



The Garden Porch at Coombe Abbey, opening upon a terrace with 

 a rich open work parapet, is another picturesque bit, thougli a mere 

 bit, of architecture ; but it shows exceedingly well in the drawing, be- 

 cause it is given on a satisfactory scale, and the subject is confined to 

 it. On the same plate is another drawing representing part of the 

 Great Chamber and its fireplace, at Coombe ; b.it although we are well 

 satisfied vrith it as a picture, we have no admiration to bestow on the 

 subject itself, for nothing can be more barbarous and uncouth, more 

 perversely hideous in taste, than the whole of the chimney piece ; 

 however, there is very little danger of its being copied, at least not by 

 any one who has not a terribly heavy purse, and is distressed how to 

 lighten it. 



Of that celebrated mansion Burghley House, we have here two 

 views of the North and West Fronts, but we also desiderate a ground 

 plan, and one, if not more elevations, notwithstanding that the character 

 of the detail can be tolerably well made out in the perspective draw- 

 ings, which show the building from a near point of view. In its gene- 

 ral style this edifice is rather plain, and derives its air of magnificence 

 and richness chiefly from its magnitude, and from the variety produced 

 by its being broken into numerous parts, yet so as not to interfere too 

 much with regularity, or with breadth of character. What decoration 

 there is, is almost entirely confined to the summit of the structure, 

 where the open parapets, turrets, domes and chimneys, make a " brave 

 show." The chimney stacks, however, composed of two or more 

 Doric columns, with a piece of entablature above them, are offensive 

 conceits, and tend to suggest the idea of there having been originally 

 some upper structure, of which they are the remaining fragments. 

 .Some of the parts of the parapets and their ornaments are shown at 

 large in one of the Plates of Details, of which several are here given. 



How far these latter will be found serviceable as practical studies, 

 we pretend not to say, being inclined to suspect that the taste for the 

 style itself, of which it may truly be affirmed that it is viiiis imitabile, 

 will wear away as quickly as it arose. 



