1849.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



17 



and exercise some invention — in a word, were not bound down to 

 precedent. We do not find that the freedom then enjoyed was 

 abused to any alarming extent, or productive of many monstrosi- 

 ties unless contemporaries regarded as monstrosities what we now 



admire as the productions of happy and fertile imaginations. 



Before rejecting as dangerous the freedom claimed for architects 

 bv Mr. Leeds, we ought to be convinced that the system now followed 

 effectually guards us against monstrosities, and invariably ensures 

 to US ediiices that are "to the credit of our national taste." And 

 until that can be fairly proved, we must claim liberty — the liberty 

 of doubting, if not actually denying it. If we do not get mon- 

 strosities, we get dulness and mediocrity, — correct and respectable, 

 but mediocrity and dulness still. We do not hiss, indeed, but we 

 ynwn, — and hissing is much the livelier employment of the two. 

 The National Gallery, for instance, is the butt of newspaper criti- 

 cism, and enables it to show its sprightliness ; whereas the poor 

 British Museum lulls both newspaper criticism and critics fast 

 asleep. 



To return to the reviewer and the reviewed, Mr. Leeds's advice 

 is to be interpreted cum grano salis. By no means does it follow 

 from what he urges, that all are bound to strive to display 

 originality. All, as we conceive, he means is, that those who feel 

 themselves capable of doing so, should not be deterred either by 

 fear or by paltry iimid^aise honte, from doing so. Something is, of 

 course, ventured ; but the courage which dares not to venture 

 anytliing, or to come forward unless assured beforehand of success, 

 is not, in our opinion at least, many removes from cowardice. We 

 do not at all imagine that there are many — at any rate, not at 

 present, who could successfully put into practice what Mr. Leeds 

 recommends. Yet, there are surely — perhaps it would be nearer 

 the mark to say, instead of "surely," uncertaiiili/ — some, capable of 

 availing tliemselves of the liberty held out to them. If no others, 

 we have our Barrys and our Cockerells, who, it may be presumed, 

 are artints, and as such, trustwortliy. Those who do not feel the 

 requisite impulse and confidence within themselves, may be left to 

 go on as heretofore, confiding in rules and adhering to routine. 



It is not only a stale, but an unfair trick, to bring forward 

 instances of notoriously extravagant caprices as argument for re- 

 straining an entire profession from any exercise of inventive 

 faculty, lest they should fall into similar excesses. Just as fair would 

 it be to condemn rules altogether, as useless, or worse than useless, 

 by referring to the numerous tasteless, insipid, and prosaic designs 

 that have been manufactured acccording to rule, and may so far 

 be unimpeachable, — very respectable, but utterly worthless. 



Besides, no one can mistake Mr. Leeds's meaning so egregiously 

 as to imagine that he advises arcliitects to put fortli rashly whatever 

 crude fancies may occur to them. On the contrary, he strongly 

 inculcates the necessity of iesthetic study. In architectural design, 

 decided innovations are not to be adopted lightly, being left to 

 take their chance for success or failure. It is for the authors of 

 tliem to study them thoroughly and mature them, before they put 

 them forth to the world, — to consider and re-consider them again 

 and again. And if, after such consideration and contemplation of 

 Lis idea in drawing or model, the architect is satisfied in his own 

 mind that he has accomplished his purpose, and can account ra- 

 tionally for what he has done, hardly will he have perpetrated a 

 monstrosifij. After all, too, it is better to have to endure some 

 monstrosities, than to be condemned to endure universal medio- 

 crity, and the wearisome repetition of tlie same stale ideas. 



The present generation of architects, trained-up as tliey have 

 been to depend entirely upon rules and precedent, may not be 

 capable of profiting by the more liberal views now promulgated. 

 They are to be pitied rather more than to be reproached. But 

 let us hope that their successors will be trained-up better — so 

 trained-up that there will be no occasion for the invidious ([uestion: 

 "Are our architects artists.''" 



The Popular Atlas ; with Geographical and Statistical Descrip- 

 tions. London: Wyld, 1849. 



This work, which has been in progress of publication for the 

 last two years, is now completed. It is an atlas of large maps, 

 with statistical letter-press by Mr. WylA., M.I'., and Air. Hyde 

 Clarke, being the only work of the kind.' It is not so complete as 

 it might have been; but still it is more so than any other, and is 

 the latest work of reference on the subjects to which it relates. 

 Although it is necessarily a compilation, there is much originality 

 in it, and it suppplies in the cheapest form which lias yet been 

 attempted what has been hitherto scattered in many books. It 

 gives a very full view of the English empire and colonies. Under 



the title of Ancient Britain, is a new theory of what have been 

 called Druidic monuments, in the suggestion that they are of 

 Iberian origin. The ethnological characteristics of the English 

 are more fully investigated than has yet been done, and a new 

 light is thrown on the history of the Anglo-Saxon and other Ger- 

 manic races. The Anglo-Saxons, here called English and Sue- 

 vians, are traced in several of their connections, and a novel 

 branch of history is laid open by the identification of a Suevian 

 race, which, under the names of Varini, Warings, Rugians, and 

 Russians, took part in the invasion and peopling of Britain and 

 Slavonia. Since the identification of the Medes, Alans, and Osse- 

 tinians, no fact of equal importance in ethnology has been at- 

 tempted to be established. For tlie detail of geographical, politi- 

 cal, and commercial statistics, the Popular Atlas may be advan- 

 tageously consulted, and will not be soon superseded, while it 

 gives for three pounds a work what has hitherto cost twelve or 

 fifteen. It seems to be a fashion now for M.P.'s to produce such 

 books, as before they did pamphlets, and we have Mr. Macgregor, 

 Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Wyld, starting in this new line. We hope 

 the production of bigger books on political subjects will be accom- 

 panied by better information. It is certainly a proof of progress 

 in political studies, as much as is the class of historians, repre- 

 sented by Lord Mahon, Mr. Macaulay, and Lord John Russell, 

 and seems as if it would now be required that statesmen should 

 know something of their business. We thought it something 

 formerly if parliament was illustrated by poets and novelists. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE AND AET. 



An Historical Inquiry into the True Principles of Beauty in Art, 

 more especially u-ith reference to Architecture By James Fergusson, 



' Esq., Architect ; Author of " An Essay on the Ancient Topography 

 of Jerusalem," " Picturesque Illustrations of Ancient Architec- 



I ture in Hindostan, &c." Part the First. London : Longmans, 



! 1849. 



The writer of this book has set forth fully the great difficulties 

 he has had to struggle with in drawing it up, and has owned in 

 how much he is wanting for its rightful execution. There are evils 

 which still more beset the reviewer, for while the reader looks for 



1 a close examination, sound criticism, and a decided judgment, the 



I reviewer finds that much time is required, much knowledge, and 

 deep and careful thinking, before he can fairly begin his task. 

 He is led over a wide field of learning; he must strengthen his 

 remembrance as to much which has faded from his mind; he must 

 bring back again many things which he had altogetlier forgotten; 

 he must learn much that is new. This must be always hard work ; 

 but much more so when time is not given, for the reader looks for 

 an early notice of such a work. With most books this may be readily 

 done; indeed, it is enough to see them, without reading, to know 

 what to say of them; they are knocked up for the market, made 

 for a speedy sale, and tlieir freshness is all that needs to be asked 

 ab(uit. But when a man spends a score, or two score years — ^a life, 

 indeed, in making his book ; when he brings to it not handiwork, 

 but thouglit — how, in a few hours, or few days, is his book to be 

 grappled with, its strength to be felt, and its weaknesses to 

 be found out and set forth .? Such a book, nevertheless, is that 

 now before us, which has taken years in its accomplishment, 

 and for wliich the writer has gone through the whole round of 

 knowledge. 



Our readers will like to know who the writer is, and happily we 

 can tell them, from his own words. They look, perhaps, for a mem- 

 ber of the Institute, with a fair share of wealth, who has gone 

 through his pupilage, posted to Rome, steamed to Athens, sent in 

 a competition design for a poor school, and built a Tuscan cotton- 

 mill, and an Elizabetlian workhouse. This does not seem to be so; 

 and tliough Mr. Fergusson calls himself an architect, we do not 

 know that he ever put up a building. For the woi'k he has under- 

 taken few men, he says, have, either from education or tlie profes- 

 sional pursuits of their life, been less prepared. From boyhood 

 he was destined to the desk. From school he passed to tlie count- 

 ing-house. In early life he was kept so closely to the desk as to 

 have no time for society ; and having likewise no taste for the 

 common amusements of his fellow-clerks, he unbent his mind by 

 reading. Like most young Scotchmen, the science that charmed 

 him most was metaphysics ; but he read likewise much on che- 

 mistry and geology — tried hard to understand crystalograpliy, and 

 puzzled himself with problems of mechanics and astronomy. " In 

 short," he says, " I bought any book on science my limited means 

 would allow, and more with reference to the price than the con- 

 tents." 



