1844.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



271 



tempted, purely from the difficulty of obtaining the preliminary legis- 

 lative sanction ami authority to raise funds. 



The processes adopted in the formation of dikes are extremely 

 simple, but are necessarily detailed with such minuteness that we can- 

 not seize any salient point to exhibit to our readers, although many of 

 the features discussed are very interesting, the necessity of a strong 

 grass turf covering, the mode of contending with the London clay 

 formation, and the plans for carrying dikes across broad and deep 

 creeks of the sea. In the copious notes are many interesting illustra- 

 tions. The author mentions a work of the celebrated Captain John 

 Perry, the engineer, who stopped Dagenham Breach. Unfortunately 

 the pamphlet in question is not to be found in the British Museum. 

 It is a plan for the improvement of the Bedford Level, published in 

 1727. 



Mr. Woods' paper on the Consumption of Fuel in Locomotive En- 

 gines, read before the Liverpool Polytechnic Society, and Sir John 

 Macneill's Report on the Atmospheric Railway, conclude the part, 

 both papers are copiously ilhistrated with copper-plate engravings. 



ROYAL (NSTITUTE OF THE ARCHITECTS OF IRELAND. 

 Lectuees op Aechiteciuue. 



On the 28th of June, the venerable Vice-President of this Institute, Sir R. 

 Morrison, delivered an introductory lecture of a course mtended to be given 

 upon architecture, in the Board-room of the Royal Dublin Society. 



Sir Richard proceeded to say— It is my pleasing duty, on this occasion, to 

 congratulate you on the success which has attended our exertions to establish 

 an Institute for promoling the advancement of architecture in this country, 

 and for raising to their legitimate place in public estimation the character 

 and the claims of its professors. For a long period our art was neglected in 

 Ireland— for, in Ireland, the cBice of its professors was misunderstood— and 

 while, in other countries, the profession of a science requiring for its proper 

 eshibition an union of the purest taste, with the most literal attainments, 

 claimed and earned an elevated position and the brightest honours for its 

 successful practitioners, in Ireland our beautifid art h.is remained unappre- 

 ciated ; and the title of its instructed professors has continued to be applied, 

 in ignorance, to uneducated persons, unpossessed of the slightest claim to such 

 a distinction. However, the cloud which too long hung over us is passing 

 away, and amongst the enlightened of our countrymen our labours arc, at 

 length, beginning to be understood and valued as they deserve. Our asso- 

 ciation has already established a high position in public estimation. It has 

 been honoured with the distinction of royal patronage. It has been hailed 

 by the sister Institute of British Architects, and it now remains for its mem- 

 bers to extend its benefits, as well to the public as to professional aspirants, 

 by endeavouring to diffuse a taste for, with a knowledge of our art, that its 

 •utility may keep pace with its advancement. With a view to this desirable 

 object, I propose to deliver here a course of lectures on the history of archi- 

 tecture, its principles and its rules; and, as it is my wish, founded on a 

 strong feeling of its importance, to bespeak for my humble efforts to elucidate 

 architectural science the attention not only of professional auditors but of 

 others, I am induced to preface them by offering a few observations on the 

 advantage to be derived from some study of this highly interesting subject as 

 a branch of general education. 



I have said, in this country that the science of architecture has been much 

 neglected by those who, from principle and from feeling, should be the liberal 

 fosterers of the arts. The fact is obvious as its consequences have been in- 

 jurious. From prejudice or from apathy amongst the educated classes the 

 acquisition of any knowledge, and, therefore of a correct taste in this branch 

 of the fine arts, has been too generally overlooked. There has, in conse- 

 quence, been wanting a criterion to discriminate between the instructed 

 artist and the illiterate pretender. Public and private wealth has been, from 

 this cause, too often wasted in the erection of abortive and ridiculous struc- 

 tures, which, as if in mockery of an advancing civilization, remain the re- 

 cords of an absolute vandalism in respect of that art which should exhibit 

 the most decided and most lasting monuments of a nation's refinement. That 

 this unhappy neglect of architectural cultivation is not attributable to a 

 dearth of prufessional talent, is manifesteJ in the few but surpassingly beau- 

 tiful edifices which from time to time have been raised in this city and through 

 the island, to exhibit the aid which, under encouraging circumstances, Irish 

 genius could lend to forward the progress of national refinement. But archi- 

 tectural ability, in order to flourish, requires the support and the encourage- 

 ment of discernmg sympathy for its exertions. Honos atit artis. The mind 

 of taste, of imagination, and of creative fancy, thus fitted for the conception 

 of arrangements grand and beautiful in their design, is unfortunately the 

 most sensitive of depreciation or neglect. But to appreciate the artist's 

 lahours as they deserve, there must be a clear perception of the degree of 



ability which he displays ; and it is evident this capability of true discrimi- 

 nation cannot subsist without some correct knowledge of, at least, the gene- 

 ral principles of the art. Here, then, is the first consideration which, inde- 

 pendently of the motive of personal improvement and gratification marks the 

 importance of giving a place in the studies of the educated classes to the 

 principles which should govern architectural design. If it is of importance 

 to good feeling and enlightened juilgment to encourage the development of 

 talent in a pursuit of the most intellectual character ; to be enabled to sym- 

 pathise with the lofty aspirations of genius, and to protect an art which re- 

 pays the taste that fosters it, liy affording to the many an inducement to 

 peaceful pursuits and to mental cultivation, teaching them, by attractive 

 examples of harmonious beauty in design, the appreciation, with the feeling 

 of refinement, then, indeed, will those who love their country rejoice to see 

 the possessors of its rank and of its wealth habituate themselves to that study 

 of architecture which will render them competent judges of its examples, and 

 enable them to encourage with praise, not "faint'' and chilling, but warm 

 and ardent, as it is discriminating, the reallly comiwtent professors of an art 

 which tends at once to embellish their country and to improve its people. 



There is, in connexion with this general view of the subject, a further con- 

 sideration which renders it incumbent on the higher classes to acquire a com- 

 petent ability for judging correctly as to architectural designs upon the 

 the merits of which they may be called, in the discharge of duty, to decide. 

 To the gentry of this country, in their capacity of legislators, members of 

 committees, or grand jurors, is submitted the disbursement of large sums of 

 money for the erection of public buildings, and in their education as well as 

 in their integrity the nation reposes her confidence for the due fulfilment of 

 their trust. The performance of this task involves, of necessity, the exercise 

 of correct judgment and discrimination, that the common resources be not 

 wasted in the erection of edifices inconvenient and unsuited to their intent ; 

 and that the national taste suffer not discredit in the eyes of foreign nations 

 and of posterity, by encumbering the land with mean and unsightly struc- 

 tures, to misdirect the feehngs of its people, and to blot the page of their his- 

 tory, instead of being the present means, as well as the tokens, of their re- 

 finements, and remaining, like the monumental temples of Greece and Home, 

 for future ages the memorials of their civilisation. But can this necessary 

 faculty of correct judgment subsist independently of its acquisition by study- 

 ing the principles of our art? With reference to other subjects of informa- 

 tion the question would be deemed superfluous, though, with a strange in- 

 consistency, many who would scarcely venture to give an opinion in a dis- 

 cussion (for example) of medicine or of law, with respect to a science which 

 requires at least an equal devotion of studious labour, consider themselves 

 competent without any preparation to pass a decisive verdict. But there is 

 a voice, familiar to many who hear me, which gives a sad denial to this as- 

 sumption. It is the voice of experience, reminding them how frequently, on 

 occasions such as I have referred to, they have witnessed from numerous 

 designs the worst selected ; and thus giving her testimony to the principle I 

 uphold, that those whose social position gives them the control of public 

 money, with the ultimate decision upon public works, are called upon to fit 

 themselves by study fur the task, no less by a consideration of duty, than by 

 that of taste and feeling to which 1 already have adverted. But if those 

 higher motives, involving a principle of feeling or of duty, had not any 

 existence, there is a personal inducement for acquiring some general know- 

 ledge of our art, which, with reference to the classes of society to whom I 

 allude, ought, it might be supposed, to be sufliciently influential. The gentry 

 of our country are to be considered not only as the legitimate patrons of the 

 liberal arts and as the guardians of the national wealth and honour, but also 

 more immediately in their private relations, and with reference to their indi- 

 vidual interests, as well of reputation as of purse. Now, how is an individual 

 in utter ignorance of the principles of architectural design, and about to 

 incur a large expenditure in the erection of a mansion suitable to his station, 

 to guard against the abuse of confidence by those whom he professionally 

 employs ? It may, no doubt, be said that (as applies to other professions) by 

 employing an artist of reputation, he may rest his security in the decid^ 

 skill which he has thus engaged. It is obvious that this principle, rigorously 

 pursued, were inconsistent with that generous and enlightened feeling which 

 would rather seek to open than to bar the way of the youthful aspirant to 

 professional distinction ; and although there would, indeed, be safety in its 

 adoption, it is yet perhaps more applicable to the professions of law or of 

 medicine, which aim but at a certain result, than to that of architecture, 

 which aflbrds for selection such diversity of style and character in design, in 

 respect of which the client, though submitting to the artist's professional 

 taste and science, is supposed to direct him by some decided feeling and 

 judgment of his own. But, after all, there is unfortunately with reference to 

 our profession, as to that of medicine, a venal empiricism, ever ready, for its 

 own corrupt purposes, to take advantage of the too prevailing ignorance of 

 architectural principles, which we deplore. How often do we, from this 

 cause, see a large expenditure lavished on an incongruous and unsightly mass 

 of absurdity, under the dictation of some ignorant impostor, unable to under- 

 stand much less to imagine a beautiful design, requiring the exercise of pure 



23* 



