340 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[October, 



Tlu're is iiolliing in the whole prodigious length of the two Bond 

 Streets, or in any of the luljacRnt places, though almost all erected 

 w ithin cnir memories, that has any thing worth our attention ; several 

 little, wretched attempts there are at foppery in building, but thev 

 are even too inconsiderable for censure. 



There is something particular in the manner of George Street, 

 which deserves our attention, it being laid but so considerably wider 

 at the upper end, towards Hanover Square, that it quite reverses the 

 perspective, and shows the end of the vista broader than the beginning, 

 which was calculated to give a nobler view of the square itself at the 

 entrance, and a better prospect down the street from the other side ; 

 both ways the effect answers the intention, and we have only to lament 

 that the buildings themselves are not laore worthy this pains to show 

 them to advantage. The west side of Hanover Square is uniform, 

 argues a very tolerable taste in the architect, and deserves a good 

 deal of approbation: but all the rest are intolerable, and deserve no 

 attention at all. 



I must own this, however, that the view down George Street, from 

 the upper side of the square, is one of the most entertaining in the 

 whole city : the sides of the square, the area in the middle, the breaks 

 of building that form the entrance of the vista, the vista itself, but, 

 above all, the beautiful projection of the portico of St. George's 

 Church, are all circumstances that unite in beauty, and make the 

 scene perfect. 



If any thing is wanting, it is a graced building at the end of the 

 vista ; and the chapel which now stands there afforded a handsome 

 opportunity even for adding this too, if the undertakers had taste or 

 generosity enough to make the best use of it. 



The church of St. George's is, at least, one of the most elegant in 

 London ; the portico is stately and august, the steeple handsome and 

 well proportioned, and the north and east prospects very well worth 

 a sincere approbation : but even this structure is nowhere to be seen 

 but in profile, as mentioned above, though situated in the very centre 

 of the vista that leads to Grosvenor Square, and were it not for two 

 or three intervening houses, would be seen in the noblest point of light 

 in the world. In short, it would fill the eye quite from the other side 

 of that square in all its perfection ; and I leave any one to judge to 

 what superior advantage it would then appear, and how many more 

 beauties it would add to the prospect. 



We must now cross the road to Oxford, or Cavendish Square, I am 

 uncertain by which of those names it is most properly distinguished, 

 and there we shall see the folly of attempting great things, before we 

 are sure we can accomplish little ones. Hene it is, the modern plague 

 of building was first stayed, and I think the rude imfinished figure of 

 this project should deter others from a like infatuation. When we 

 see any thing like grandeur or beauty going forward, we are uneasy 

 till it is finished, but when we see it interrupted, or entirely laid aside, 

 we are not only angry with the disappointment, but the author too ; 

 I am morally assured that more people are displeased at seeing this 

 square lie in its present neglected condition, than are entertained with 

 what was meant for elegance or ornament in it. To be free, nobodv 

 should undertake things of this public nature, without resolving to go 

 through with them ; for the declining it afterwards is so notorious, 

 that the whole world has occasion to blame it, though few or none can 

 be sufficiently acquainted with the motives, so as either to defend or 

 absolve. 



It is said the imperfect side of this square was laid out for a 

 certain nobleman's palace, which was to have extended the whole 

 length ; aud that the tw o detached houses which now stand at each 

 end of the line, were to have been the wings; I am apt to believe this 

 can be no other than a vulgar mistake, for these structures, though 

 exactly alike, could have been no way of a piece with any regular or 

 stately building; and it is to be presumed this nobleman would have 

 as little attempted any other, as he would have left any attempt lui- 

 tinished. 



The house of the late Lord Bingley, on the west side of the square, 

 is one of the most singular pieces of architecture about town ; in my 

 opinion it is rather like a convent than the residence of a man of 

 quality, and seems more a copy of some of Poussin's landscape orna- 

 ments, than a design to inntate any of the genuine beauties of building. 

 1 may be mistaken, perhaps, in my opinion, and what I esteem Gothic, 

 heavy and fantastic, may really be harmonious, light and elegant ; so 

 1 leave the determination of it to better judges. 



I have now brought this painful survey almost to an end, and am not 

 a little pleased on that account; it was" not so easy a task as I at first 

 imagined, and whoever will make it their guide to measure the same 

 ground, will be of the same opinion ; huge, indeed, as this city is, the 

 toil of examining it from place to place is the least ; for a building 

 ought to be viewed several times before we come to a conclusion, 

 either with regard to its faults or beauties: part of tluit trouble this 



Review was designed to save, ujid if it will not polish the taste, or 

 reform the judgment, it will serve, however, as an index to the public 

 buildings, &c., and point out to the stranger whatever is worthy of his 

 attention. 



Grosvenor .Square is not only the last addition which has been made 

 to the town, but the last in situation too ; and as it is generally under- 

 stood to be the finest of all our squares, I am sorry I have the oppor- 

 tunity to say it has so few advantages to recommend it, and that the 

 public is disposed to like these few so well ; I have frequently ob- 

 served already, that magnificence should never be attempted ; it ought 

 always to be perfect and complete, or else the very essay mocks the 

 builder, and excites ridicule instead of admiration. This is the case 

 of Grosvenor Square ; it was meant to be \ery fine, but has miscarried 

 very unfortunately in the execution; there is no harmonv or agree- 

 ment in the parts which compose it, neither is there one of those parts 

 which can make us any thing like iimends for the irregularity of the 

 whole. The triple house, of the north side, is a wretched attempt at 

 something extraordinary; but I hope not many people, beside the 

 l)urchasers, are deceived in their opinions of its merits; for it is not 

 only bad in itself, but in its situation too ; had it been in the centre of 

 the line, there would have been some excuse for the project, but as it 

 is almost in one extreme, there can be no plea remaining; unless the 

 view of taking in some young heir to buy it, at a great rate, may be 

 allowed one. 



The east side is the only regular one of the four, and is undoubtedly ' 

 nmch the most elegant for that reason ; but then even this is not in 

 taste, and neither the house in the middle, nor the two which serve as 

 wings, have anything remarkable to recommend them, though the 

 builder seems to design they should; the pediment over that in the 

 middle, particularly, is proportioned only to the breadth of that house, 

 and not the entire line ; whereby it appears that the artist forgot his 

 first design, of making this the main body to the whole. 



The other two sides are little better than a collection of whims and 

 frolics in building, without anything like order or beauty, and there- 

 fore deserving no farther consideration. 



I have often wondered that, in the number of squares which adorn 

 this city, no builder ever thought of an octangular one ; I am fully 

 persuaded that it would make a nobler figure than any we have seen 

 yet, and is capable of greater beauties ; it is to be observed, thourfi, 

 that I would not have it broken at the angles, for the sake of tiie 

 streets or entrances, because that woidd spoil the theatrical appear- 

 ance of the whole ; I would rather choose to have all those inlets 

 under an arch, in the centre of each particular side, and if the super- 

 structure was elevated proportionably, in a grand and noble stile, what 

 was principally meant as a conveniency, would prove one of the most 

 magnificent ornaments in the world. 



I would not be understood iiere as recommending any farther addi- 

 tions to this mighty metropolis ; no, I am of opinion the head is al- 

 ready much too big for tlie body, and therefore its farther growth 

 cannot be checked too soon. But this I leave to the determination of 

 wiser heads than mine. 



STONE FOU THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. 



Sib — It is much to be wished that anonymous writers would endeavour to 

 give more practical proof of their candour, love of fair play, and other good 

 qualities and dispositions which their signatures profess. In the letter in 

 your last lumiber on the " Stone for the new Houses of Parliament," by " A 

 Lover of Fair Play," though there are some just and reasonable complaints, 

 there is still so much that is unjust and ungenerous, that I think few who 

 have taken an impartial view of the subject will think he has any claim to the 

 honourable title he has assumed. 



I am far from thinking that Mr. Barry and the Commissioners are alto- 

 gether free from censure, and I am decidedly of opinion, that after donating 

 from their first recommendation, they should he called upon to lay before the 

 pubhc a second report explanatory- of the changes which have taken place ; 

 and till this is done, I think every body has a right to give his own opinion 

 on the suliject. At the same time, however, I think that the tone in which 

 the subject has been treated in many public prints, aud which is echoed by 

 your conespondcnt, cannot be too strongly deprecated. M'hen men of science 

 and reputation are engaged on a )>ublic object, their conduct is certainly open 

 to public discussion, hut such discussions should be conducted in the spirit 

 of cool and impartial inquiry ; the coirectness of the judgment of the parties 

 in qiiestion should he carefully investigated, but the correctness of their in- 

 tentions should not for a moment be called in question. Had this been the 

 course pursued on the present subject, there can be no doubt that a satisfactory- 

 explanation would have been given by the Commissioners ; but when every 

 kind of alnisc and brutal insult has been heaped upon them by the lowest 

 political prints, I think no one need wonder that men of science and integrity 

 wodd not stoop to defend themselves from such impotent attacks. 



