1S44.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



83 



This is excellent; and the concluding words, which we have marked 

 by italics, point out, in the clearest manner, one most mischievous 

 radical error in the system of our Anglo or pseudo-Greek style, wliicli, 

 owing to opposite elements being merely brought into contact, instead 

 of being, as far as possible, reconciled together and harmonized, is for 

 the most part a patched and piebald one, and generally bald enough 

 in all other respects. Let us hope, then, that this soul-less, mechanical, 

 Brummagem Gieek has had its day with us; for though a great deal 

 of it will hardly outlive the century, there are, unhappily, some " monii- 

 meris" in it which will record the classical dullness of the period when 

 they were erected. 



In the same degree as we cordially assent to the opinion above 

 quoted, do we differ from that expressed by the writer in what he 

 says in regard to Soane. Great praise is undoubtedly due to Sir John : 

 he pursued his art, con amore, at all events — which is more than can 

 be said of every one who writes himself architect; — he ventured to 

 think for liimself, and to bieak tlirough the trammels of mere rules, 

 and he certainly was fertile in ingenious ideas, expedients, and con- 

 trivances; this we readily admit, but never can we subscribe to the 

 opinion, that the "great merit of liis peculiar style is to be found in 

 consistency of detail;" or that his compositions "derive, from a detail 

 based on the purest examples of antiquity, and alwai/s harmonious, a 

 character more essentially Greek than can ever be attained bv the 

 most literal transcript of Greek art, misunderstood and misapplied." 



Of course what is misunderstood and misapplied is bad, and so far 

 much of Soane's detail may be greatly preferable, but it does not 

 therefore follow that it is entitled to be described as a Grecian charac- 

 ter. The truth is that although, after he first began to do so, he was 

 always aiming at a style of his own, he never wrought out for himself, 

 even the consistent elements of one : he just got up to a certain point, 

 and there stuck fast, unable either to advance, or to turn back again. 

 Never was any artist more unequal, — not only in different, but in the 

 very same productions. Even the Bank itself — his great and most 

 studied work, exhibits almost the very opposite extremes of taste, on 

 its exterior, for instance, in that charming little poetical bit of design 

 at the norlh-west angle ; and in the centre of the south front, which is 

 little better than a mean and unmeaning jumble. The same in regard 

 to the interior : there are many admirable ideas and delifjhtful bits ; 

 but of the former, not one is fully wrought out; and the others are ex- 

 hibited only in patches, or so as to appear such. "Consideied as his 

 architectural scrap book," observes a writer in the ' London Interiors,' 

 — " the interior of the Bank is highly interesting , it is a collection of 

 architectural episodes, but no regular architectural epic." Soane 

 seems to have been always studying — and in that he was to be com- 

 mended ; but he was also, unfortunately too much addicted to the 

 practice of mere experimentalizing, and of applying desultory and 

 unfinished " studies" to what were intended to be finished works, 

 utterly disregarding a very salutary precept inculcated in one of his 

 own publications, advising that a design should be laid aside for 

 awhile, and then be rigorously scrutinized and scanned with a fresh 

 eye, — revised and corrected in every part. If he himself, therefore, 

 followed this judicious piece of advice of bis own, he was unable to 

 detect in bis own designs, those strange inequalities and incoherencies, 

 and that want of keeping in them, which are so disagreeably striking 

 to almost every one else. Even his contrivance was sometimes terri- 

 bly at fault, as in the Treasury Buildings at Whitehall, where he has 

 put a row of entresol windows immediately behind the hollow entabla- 

 ture of the order! — as be has also done in the centre of the south 

 front of the Bank — a terrible failure, by the by, in every respect, for 

 before he came to that part of the structure, he seems to have ex 

 hausted his ideas, and to be fairly at his wits' ends. 



Specimens of Decorations in the Italian Style. By J. W. and W. 

 A. Papworth. London: Ackerman, 1844. 



We suppose that the connexion of the elder Mr. Papworth with the 

 Royal School of Design sliowed the necessity and utility of this work, 

 which consists of selections from the splendid Koman publications on 

 the decoration of the Vatican, after the designs of Ratfaello, and some- 

 times called the Ratfaellesque style. The popularization of these 

 beautiful designs is a worthy work ; and we had great pleasure some 

 time ago in publishing in the Journal (vol.vi. p. 1) some able obser- 

 vations of Mr. Poynter relating to the Loggie, which he had read 

 before the Royal Institute of British Arcliitects. There is in the 

 Loggie to be found abundant examples of original conception, pure 

 taste, and luxuriant imagination, than which no better studies can be 

 presented to the artist iu arabesque. The subjects, however, are so 

 extensive, and the work in which they are recorded so elaborate, as 



to be entirely beyond the means of the bulk of the public, no plan 

 could therefore be better than to present a selection of them at a 

 modi'rate price. The Messrs. Papworth's work fulfils these conditions, 

 and we most earnest recommends its use. At the same time we think 

 it due to the importance of the subject, and to the standing of Messrs. 

 Papworth in the world of art, to make some observations as to the 

 mode in which the design has been carried out. It is a decided im- 

 provement on the ordinary works of the class, with Louis Quatorze 

 and Louis Quinze ornaments, and decorations by Watteau, Laneret, 

 &c. It affords copious materials for borders, corners, centres, bands 

 panels, frames, wreaths, brackets, finials, scrollwork, paters, bosses,, 

 foliage, &c. Thus the artist and artizan will have abundant choice of 

 subjects, not merely for pictorial representations on flat surfaces, but 

 also for works in metal. 



On the due application of such examples iu studv, we should have 

 liked to have seen some observations, for which we know the compe- 

 tency of the Messrs. Papworth, for this volume will uecessarilv be 

 sought after, and in many instances, instead of becoming a stimulus to 

 ingenuity, will only be used as a refuge for dullness. We are not in 

 favour of cram works, to which a stolid individual resorts, picks out 

 two or three bits and joins them together, we cannot sav coinljines or 

 unites them. This is a grand evil and requires redress : we do not 

 want Ratfiello mutilated; we do not want art dislocated, and nature 

 bepatched ; but we want compositions which shall breathe the spirit 

 of Raffaello, and follow out the course which he himself has shown. 

 We do not expect that every one should be possessed of genius of 

 originality, but the key note being given we may obtain a well modu- 

 lated exercise, or the works of Ratfaello may teach a still better 

 lesson, "Go and study in the school that he did — in the world." We 

 should have liked to have seen some observations on this subject from 

 the pen of the Messrs. Papworth, or if not, they might have availed 

 themselves of that able and interesting criticism of Mr. Povnter, to 

 which we have already referred. With this they must be well ac- 

 quainted ; but we do not observe that they have profitted by it, or 

 shown that refined discrimination, which we have a right to expect 

 from them. The ChimiEras with breeches on (Part 1st, Plate ind,) 

 might well have been excluded, and indeed the fabulous animals so 

 frequently introduced might without any great prejudice hare been 

 totally omitted. To the trophies, small vase5, and St. Peter's keys, 

 (Part 2nd, Plate 4th,) we must also object. These are trifling points; 

 but a work by the Messrs. Papworth should show care in trifles, for it 

 is perhaps destined to teach the elements of taste to many a poor 

 mechanic. We also consider the drawing in many places, particularlv 

 of the human figures, very careless. It is very true the authors 

 say, " To bring them within the means of every designer, no needless 

 delicacy of the graver has been expended upon these — the amuse- 

 ments of our leisure hours." Delicacy and carelessness are, however, 

 two very different things. 



The selection is of a very fragmental character; that may in some 

 idea attach to the nature of the work, but we should like to have a 

 better selection and a bettor collation. There are many specimens iu 

 an impure Roman style, such as Adams has shown in the pilasters of 

 the Adelpbi, while we should more willingly have seen such graceful,, 

 broad, and beautiful studies, as the acanthus, in plate 6, of the second 

 part. We think, too, specimens allied in style might have been brought" 

 together. As to style, however, our ideas are rather at variance with 

 those of the Messrs. Papworth, who hold forth the application of some- 

 of these ornaments to the Elizabethiau style. This sounds to us some- 

 thing like barbarism ; but at the best it is a clap-trap to catch the 

 plasterers and compo-builders. Why did not the authors introduce- 

 more of Raff'aelle's admirable adaptations of fruits, flowers, birds, and 

 animals in composition? These form an admirable basis for study. 



The observations we have made we should esteem hypercritical if 

 applied to individuals of less popular standing than the Jlessrs. Pap- 

 worth, but they do at all detract from our recommendation of the 

 work as one of great value, and we are indeed so highly satisfied with 

 it, that we recommend to the consideration of these gentlemen the 

 propriety of also publishing some of these ornaments on an enlarged 

 scale, say folio, for the use of students in schools of design. The 

 Messrs. Papworth have rendered great service by this publication, and 

 we hope they will persevere in tins course of instruction. 



The Year Book of Facts in Science and Art. By the Editor of the Arcana 

 (if Science. London: Bogue, 1841. 



This is the volume for last year of this popular annual register of the 

 sciences, containing a nuaiber of facts collated from various works published 

 during the year. We are sorry not to see so many refereuces to staadard 

 authorities as in previous years. 



