181.9.1 



THK CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



07 



CENTRAL RAILAVAY STATION, NEWCASTLE- 

 UPON-TYNE. 

 John Dobson, Esq., Architect. 

 CWith an Enr/i-aving, Plate VI. J 



Having described tliis liuilding in our number fur last December, 

 in which a grmiiid-phm of it was given, we need now accompany 

 tlie view of it with no more tlian simie observations upon its ar- 

 chitectural merits. — In the separate features wliich go to make up 

 the design, there is nothing at all remarkable, they being such as 

 have long become common property; and, moreover, one compart- 

 ment of tlie elevation serves nearly as a specimen of the wliole of 

 it. Nevertheless it is anything than comnion-j>lace in expression, 

 or tiresomely monotonous in effect. Tlie style is Romanu-Italian, 

 with a Doric order u])(m a sufficiently dignified scale, but so ap- 

 plied that those rigorists and formalists wlio deem it tlie essence 

 of architectural philosopliy to admit of only one invariable metliod 

 for every purpose and occasion, may object to it two serious 

 solecisms — viz., that of coupled columns, and again, that of broken 

 entablatures. To allege that the Greeks never employed coupled 

 columns, is slieer frivolousness of argument; because there was 

 nothing wliatever in their temples that required or at all motived 

 such disposition of tliem. Where, indeed, strict conformity with 

 antique precedent and jihysiognomy is affected, as in a pediniented 

 prostyle jiortico, coupled c(dumns may fairly be condemned as im- 

 proprieties; but a case like tlie present is altogether different. The 

 C(Hipling them here was almost matter of necessity; for had tlie 

 piers been proportioned to only a single column, while the columni- 

 atioii would have appeared straggling and meagre, the general 

 uir of solidity which now marks the ensemble would have been de- 

 stroyed. Another defect which is now avoided is, that over single 

 columns the breaks in the entablature would have been too much 

 like mere bits; whereas, coming over two cidunins, they rather help 

 than at all interfere with breadth of manner, while they tell pic- 

 turesquely as touches in the general composition. AVith regard to 

 this last, it is stamped by cliaracter in a more than usual degree, 

 the building bespeaking its purpose very plainly: the composition 

 is further pervaded by a quality which is too frequently lost sight 

 of in design, as well as kept quite out of sight in an outline en- 

 graving. As will be concluded, perhaps, from this last remark, 

 we allude to vigour of architectural cliiiiro-sciiro, and effective 

 touches of light and shade; to which must be added, the very un- 

 usual depth of the portico or arcade — not less than 71) feet in the 

 central division of it — presents a strong contrast to tliat air of 

 insipid flatness and want of relief which, whatever may be their 

 merits in other respects, stam]is so many of our Imildings; and 

 also to that shallowness which is the chief characteristic of most 

 of our porticoes. In fact, design as it shows itself in geometrical 

 elevation seems alone to be considered by our architects, while 

 composition in its wider sense, which includes both chiaro-i-ciiro 

 and perspective, is comparatively disregarded. 



Let us not, however, lose sight of the particular building under 

 notice, but proceed by calling attention to some of those points 

 whicli, in our opinion, have been judiciously considered, and hap- 

 jiily treated. It will, we think, be admitted to be expressive of 

 purpose, and to present a well-combined en.iemhle, in which oppo- 

 site qualities are reconciled to and made to set off each other— 

 namely, unity and variety, picturesque play of plan and outline, 

 and regard to the more prosaic demands of ])urpose and con- 

 venience. Although the order is continued uniformly through- 

 out, it is so with some difference, the central portion being dis- 

 tinguished by having insulated columns, while the two lateral 

 divisions of the fa.ade have only engaged ones. Moreover, 

 although each division consists of seven intercolumns or compart- 

 ments, it is also with a difference, the extreme one at either end 

 of the fa ade being closed up; which circumstance, independently 

 of its contributing to variety, produces a most valualile expression 

 of solidity and repose. Tlie ornamental masses of attic are in- 

 troduced with artistic feeling akin to that of \'anbrugh, and serve 

 to produce that movement and play of outline in which he not 

 only deliglited but showed himself to be a master. All that we 

 will say further is: let it be understood that we speak entirely after 

 the drawing. Even should the architect's intentions have been 

 deviated from in execution — the design have been tampered with, 

 and have suffered accordingly, our remarks will nevertheless hold 

 good, and apply to the design, if not, unfortunately, to the struc- 

 ture itself. 



No. 139.— Vol. XII.— .-Vpiul, 13j9. 



CANDIDUS'S NOTE-BOOK, 

 FASCICULUS XCII. 



•' 1 must have liberty 

 M'illial, as Urge a charter a the wiuds, 

 To blow on whom I please." 



I. A great deal of what has passed for architectural criticism is 

 mere cant, or else dogmatic, arbitrary assertion, unsup])orted by 

 either evidence or argument, and relying chiefiy u|ion certain 

 talismanic words and phrases. Among terms of the kind which 

 h,ive been bandied about, and uttered by rote till they have nearly 

 lost all meaning, is "Simplicity," than which hardly any quality 

 seems to be less understood. Indeed, as it is usually applieil, that 

 word would seem to be expressi\'e of tlie mere absence and nega- 

 tion of all artistic quality, or synonymous with poverty and va- 

 cuity of ideas, and meanness of manner. IIou- many buildings 

 there are for which Simplicity has been arrogated, merely because 

 there is nothing worth calling design in them. People used at 

 one time to cry up as Simplicity, the poor, meagre, vapid, manner- 

 isms of James Wyatt, whose designs were for the most part 

 stamped very legilily with what may be called either cockney 

 elassicality or classical cockneyism. In fact, terms that ought 

 to convey something like an accurate and conscientious critical 

 meaning, are so liandied about by the vulgar of all classes, and 

 by vulgar and tinscrupulous writers, as to have nearly lost their 

 meaning altogether, and have become no more than tawdry brum- 

 magem epithets. There is in this metropolis a building wliich has 

 been spoken of as being ^^sirnjile without meanness, and grand 

 without exaggeration," — a prettily-turned jdirase, no doubt; but 

 no mortal would ever guess the piece of architecture which is so 

 remarkable for the rare combination which it presents of Simpli- 

 city and Grandeur, since "littleness" and "gingerbread" would 

 have been far more appropriate expressions. Reader, if you have 

 been struck by the tirandeur of that architectural phoenix, you 

 deserve to have been knocked down also; and if you have admired 

 its Simplicity, you may set yourself down for a confirmed simple- 

 ton. Truly, there is Grandeur and Simplicity with a vengeance 

 in the front of the "Society of Arts," in the Adelphi. Nay, the 

 Adelphi-terrace itself has been characterised — not in a mere news- 

 paper puff, hut in a grave and authoritative encydopajdia — as "a 

 most magnificent mass of building"! Pity that the most refined 

 Simplicity was not claimed for it also, since it has just as much ot 

 the latter quality as of the other. Really after such specimens of 

 it, one is actually ashamed of penning anything in the shape of 

 architectural criticism, — for it seems to require only the brass of a 

 bawd, and the steel of a pickpocket. 



II. If not sickened of Grecian, or Anglo-Grecian, architecture 

 before, we have got a comjilete sickener of it now, in the facade of 

 the British Museum. Sir Robert Smirke has given the finishing 

 stroke to that style by giving it its quietus. Tiiere may, jierhaps, 

 be some merit even in doing that, — so he that his jiraise; although 

 we had much rather the experiment had been made in corpore vili, 

 instead of being made on an edifice which ought to have been 

 rendered a noble and worthy production of architectural design, 

 — yet is no more than what any draning-board tyro or any stone- 

 mason could have produced, the dimensions of the columns lieing 

 given. With many blunders for which a tyro would deserve to 

 be rapped on the knuckles, there is not one single artistic touch 

 in the whole design, — not one that, as the French say, accuses the 

 artist, although very much that accuses Sir Robert of being one 

 of the most prosaic gentlemen in the whole profession. Even if 

 we do not consider the wings as at all belonging to the main 

 building, but merely as two ranges of street houses that happen 

 to be so placed with regard to it, they manifest a most dull and 

 chilling coldness of manner, that contrasts very strikingly with 

 the ornateness now affected even in second-rate public buildings 

 and in street architecture generally, at the present day. 



III. If, as supposed, it be a fact that the Greeks borrowed the 

 idea of their Doric style from the Egyptians, and founded it 

 upon that of Egypt, they most assuredly pursued a very different 

 course from that of the literal copyists, architectural transcribers, 

 and plagiarists of the present day. What they adopted they 

 made their own by educating it — so to say — and training it up in 

 their own habits of taste. Greek architecture may have been 

 kindled by Egyptian light, but it was very much more than the 

 retiection of it; whereas, we now content ourselves with reflected 

 light alone, and are fain to plume ourselves ujion reflecting Me- 

 diievalisni, or Revivalism, or Sansovinism, or Palladianism, or Eli- 

 zabethauism, or Louis-Quatoruism, or any other in the iiitermin- 



