1844.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



17 



style of the sculptures proves this to be a mistake, and it is much 

 more probable that, by a kind of flattery, of wliieh there are numerous 

 known instances, these heads were substituted for others in the times 

 of the Romans ; however, if we may believe Plutarch, tlie monuments 

 reared by Pericles did not need restoration when he wrote his his- 

 tories. 



The second series of the sculptures of the Parthenon was composed 

 of the metopes which decorated the frieze outside. These metopes 

 were 4 ft. 4] in. high, and 4 ft. 2 in. broad, those near the angles being 

 rather narrower. Their height being greater than the width, shows 

 that the architect intended to make them appear square, notwith- 

 standing the projection of the band of the architrave. The figures 

 were in higher relief than those of the inner frieze of the portico, be- 

 cause they were intended to be viewed from a greater distance. The 

 metopes were 92 in number. Many of them had escaped the ravages 

 of time and men, when Lord Elgin, during his embassy at Constanti- 

 nople in 1801, unfortunately obtained a firman of the Turkish govern- 

 ment, which authorized him /o erect scaffolding round the old lempk of 

 the idols, to take plaster casts of the ornaments and Jignres, and also to 

 remove the stoves containing inscriptions, as mil as the statues still ex- 

 isting. It is said that it cost Lord Elgin ^£74,000 to obtain all the 

 beautiful fragments that it was possible to carry to London. This 

 barbarous speculation, however, was far from being profitable to his 

 Lordship, as the whole collection was purchased by tlie British Museum 

 in 1816 for £3.'>,'j00 ; and one of his most illustrious fellow-country- 

 men. Lord Byron, seeing his name engraved on the Parthenon, wrote 

 underneath. Quod non fecerunt Goth, iScotus fecit. It is nevertheless 

 true that Lord Elgin has acquired a celebrity that Erostrates might 

 have envied. 



Very different was the conduct of the French ambassador, M. 

 Choiseul Gouffier, who caused all the plaster-casts, now in the Museum 

 of the Louvre, to be taken, and only brought away a single metope, 

 which had long been detached. This is the metope that was pur- 

 cliased for the Royal Museum for the sum of 25,000 f. (£1,000) in 

 1818, after the death of M. de Choiseul. 



Fourteen metopes still remain in their places. .Some fragments 

 have been found in clearing away the rubbish round the Parthenon, 

 which operation was superintended by M. Pittiikis; 16 metopes have 

 been taken away, 15 of which are in London and one in Paris: the 

 others have been destroyed by time, or the explosion of 1687, and the 

 only traces left of them are in Carrey's drawings. The metopes of 

 London and Paris all belong to the southern side, which was the least 

 injured, and they represent episodes in the battle of the Centaurs and 

 Lapithse ; but other subjects were treated in those which remain or 

 have disappeared. The metopes of the Parthenon have been pub- 

 lished several times, especially by Stuart, Legrand, and Brbnsted. 



The most considerable fragment of sculpture now remaining is a 

 part of the frieze placed under the soffit or ceiling of the peripteron, 

 about 10 ft. from the ground. This frieze is 4 ft. 8 in. high, and was 

 originally 524 ft. in length. M. Bronsted estimates the number of 

 figures it contained to be 320, the varied groups of which represented 

 the procession of the grand quinquennial festival of the Panathenea. 

 These sculptures were in very low relief, which was admirably cal- 

 culated to allow them to be seen from below, without drawing back, 

 as their position under a rather narrow portico absolutely required. 

 Stuart and Revett sketched a considerable part of what existed in 

 their time (1751 — 53). A fragment, containing seven figures, was re- 

 moved by M. de Choiseul, and is now in the Louvre. Lord Elgin, in 

 his turn, took down a length of about 250 ft., and carried it to London. 

 In this frieze the harness of the horse was of metal, and the holes in 

 the stone, made by the cramps that fastened iton, are still perceptible. 

 The frieze has been published several times, wholly or in part, by the 

 same authors that we have already quoted for the metopes. 



We must now return to the great masterpiece of Phidias — the 

 famous statue of Minerva, which stood in the sanctuary, and of which 

 unfortunately we know nothing but what we can learn from the de- 

 scriptions given in Greek and Latin authors. This statue, which, ac- 

 cording to Pliny's statement, was 26 cubits high (35 ft.), including the 

 pedestal perhaps, was made of gold and ivory, and the gold ornaments 

 were equal in weight to 44 talents (£120,000). This statue was 

 raised in the temple in the first year of the 87th Olympiad (A.C. 430). 

 After being pillaged of the gold by the tyrant Lycbares, who stripped 

 off its golden mantle, and put on a cloth one, saying that it would keep 

 the goddess warmer, it appears to have been finally destroyed by the 

 Goths under the command of Alario. Such was the temple which has 

 been justly reckoned the masterpiece of architecture by both ancients 

 and moderns. 



ONE OF THE CRAFT. 



A singularly blustering address has been issued by the new Editor 

 of a contemporary journal, wherein, not content with vaunting of what 

 he himself intends to do — and he certainly has a very largp field for 

 improvement before him — he gives his readers to understand that 

 until now, when he has taken it up, " the periodical literature of ar- 

 chitecturi'" has been marked not only by deficiency of talent, but 

 also by "lowness of style, coarseness of diction, and a kind of any- 

 thing-arian conscience," What the last expression may be levelled 

 at, it is not very easy to guess, bpcausp, whether they be upon matters 

 of fact, or on matters of taste and critical opinion, architectural topics 

 do not touch upon moral or religious questions. Some, indeed, have 

 thought proper to mix up a good deal both of aanctimoniouanesa 

 and of religious party spirit — that, too, of the most intolerant kind, 

 when thev have handlpd the subject of ecclesiastical architecture, or 

 h ive denounced the Grecian, Roman and Italian styles as Pagan and 

 anti-Christian ; but then they have not so much addressed themselves 

 to professional and architectural readers properly so called, as they 

 have sought to ingratiate themselves with their own particular sect or 

 coterie. 



We certainly were not before aware that the periodical literature 

 of architecture was at all more open to the charge of looseness of 

 principle than periodical literature generally, or even by many de- 

 grees so much so. At the same time, it must be allowed that a change 

 has of late years come over architectural discussion and criticism; 

 but it is both a natural and an advantageous one. It is but natural 

 that a greatly extended circle of readers should have caused this 

 species of literature to assume a more popular tone, and this in turn 

 has helped to extend that circle still more. If, therefore, this is what 

 is meant by the reproachful term " lowness of style," we can only say 

 that it is to the full as good as the serving up stale truisms and namby- 

 pamby remarks in inflated pomposity of verbiage. At all events it 

 tvould seem that the offensiveness complained of is confined to diction 

 and style, for had the matter also of such writing been considered 

 poor, puerile, and absurd, that defect would have been dwelt upon 

 mure forcibly than the other. 



Our contemporary is pleased to talk somewhat mysteriously of 

 "scandal in thi- literature of architecture ;" and no doubt there hiis 

 been something of the kind, and, strange to say, it has most shown 

 itself where it was least of all to be expected — in the publications of 

 some professional writers who have aspersed nearly all their archi» 

 tectural brethren as a body, accusing them now of want of even or- 

 dinary talent, and now again of want of principle and honesty. To 

 no one are the profession less obliged for what has been said of them, 

 than to Messrs. Pugin, Gwilt, and Bartholomew— and to the last, per- 

 haps, the least. However, from henceforth, we presume such scandals 

 are to be put a stop to. 



After no little bouncing, and some vapouring, too, about "the ba- 

 lance of justice hanging conspicuously over his columns," our contem- 

 porary takes up the submissive strain, imploring favours from authors 

 and publishers, no doubt in order that they may be thrown into the 

 said balance as "make-weight" on their side. It seems, therefore, 

 after all, that his lofty independence may occasionally be jeoparded; 

 and also that he trusts to the chapter of accidents, for being more 

 fortunate than was his predecessor in obtaining the voluntary assist- 

 ance of " high talent." However, he has shown himself discreet 

 enough in one respect, since he hxs forborne complimenting that pre- 

 decessor, or in any way referring to the p;ist as satisfactory earnest 

 for the future. His own style is by far more figurative than luminous; 

 in fact, he sometimes wraps up bis meaning in such very odd guise, 

 that few will be able to make it out at all, for instance, where he talks 

 of "baken-meats seiisoned by a few gridirons! I " By "baken-meats," 

 we suppose he means /)!e8; but never before did we hear of "grid- 

 irons " being used as seasoning either for pies or anything else. Pos- 

 sibly this queer stuff may be intended as a specimen of " loftiness" 

 of style ; but then it soars so loftily that meaning is lost in the clouds. 

 However, it is, at all events, funny and droll; and we therefore leave 

 the "Swathed Horus " — as he chooses to call himself, "Infant of 

 athletic promise," to do his doings as featly, and, above all, as " clean- 

 ly " as he can : only advising him to be more cautious for the future, 

 and not to betray so much malevolence and arrogance towards all 

 others who are engaged in the same cause as himself. 



RoTAL Aesexal, Woolwich. — Several powerful cranes are in progress of 

 erection at this e.\tensive department, made on the most approved principles, 

 by Napier, the celebrated engineer. One capable of supporting 10 tons 

 has Iwen erected in the foundcry, and the ottiers on the trharf wall, for 

 landing and embarking large guna shot and shells. ^ 



