1814.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



3^9 



nicnsious; so that, when vertically arranged either as solids or vacui- 

 tiis, their vertical sides must be in the same line ; and when horizon- 

 tally arranged, their horizontal lines must also be in the same line, 

 their harmony being regulated by their diagonals alone. 



" 2nd. Triangles must on all occasions correspond to the rectangles 

 with which they are associated— acutely when the rectangle is verti- 

 cal, and obtusely when it is horizontal. As the harmonious propor- 

 tion of every rectangle, when in a vertical or horizontal position, is 

 determined by an oblique line, called its diagonal, so is the proportion 

 of every regular isosceles triangle determined by a vertical line. This 

 being in a positive position, it can have no change but in its lineal 

 dimensions, which will be always as 1 to 2, or 2 to 3. When, 

 therefore, triangles are employed in succession, their proportions 

 must be in other respects the same ; if they be not, they generate 

 between lliem a discordant figure. 



" Curvilinear figures, in like manner, must always correspond to the 

 rectangles with which they are associated, and in succession their 

 harmony will depend upon the ratio of their radii, therefore, they can 

 only differ in size, annd not in degree of curvature ; this difference can 

 only be in the ratio of 1 to 2, or 2 to 3. The curve can never be 

 greater than wd\at may be inscribed by the rectangle with which it is 

 associated, and can never harmoniously leave the rectangle, unless at 

 the tangental point, or at right angles with it. 



" As a circle may be described within any rectangle tangented to 

 its longest sides, this peculiar curve may terminate any vertical rect- 

 angle." 



In conclusion, we cordially recommend " Hay on Proportion" to all 

 engaged in the ornamental arts designers for shawls, carpetings, paper 

 hangings, mosaic work, stained glass, will find here an ample field for 

 the exercise of their t;dents. To all such Mr. Hay's diagrams must, 

 indeed, be most valuable in suggesting designs altogether new, all re- 

 gulated by fixed principles, agreeable to those inherent in our nature, 

 and which must of course always be productive of pleasure. To ar- 

 chitects, we think, the work will be most acceptable. Those edifices 

 which have been and continue to be most admired are those wherein 

 tiie geometric proportion of beauty has been most closely adhered to. 

 The finest of the ancient cathedrals in Britain and on the continent 

 are remarkable for the geometrical knowledge developed in their 

 general construction, as well as in their most minute details. The 

 harmonic ratios of Mr. Hay appear to us altogether a new branch in 

 this department of art. By following them closely the result is cer- 

 tain to be agreeable, and we cannot help indulging in a hope that, re- 

 gulated by these principles, new architectural designs may yet gladden 

 our eyes, not depending for our approbation on a slavish and close 

 imitation of what has gone before, but exciting our admiration no less 

 by their originality than by their beautiful symmetry. It has long and 

 often been maintained that so much has been done in architecture 

 that there is no room for anything new ; we have always maintained 

 an opposite opinion, and are now more convinced than ever that there 

 is no end to human invention. New schools of poetry, of painting, of 

 every branch in art, science and literature, are daily arising, why 

 should we, therefore, despair of seeing a new order of architecture ? 



We have now to return our best thanks to Mr. Hay for the plea- 

 sure which the perusal of his book has afforded us. He has entered 

 into the examination of his subject with his whole heart and soul ; 

 he possesses a deep and penetrating intellect, and his best energies 

 have been evidently devoted to the work he had in hand. He states 

 his opinions firmly, although with the modesty which is always the 

 characteristic of true genius; and if ho has not been the first to dis- 

 cover that the ancients constructed all their great works on geometric 

 principles, he is the first who has probed the matter to the bottom, 

 and has thus been able to lay down exact rules, by which beauty can 

 be produced and deformity for ever avoided. 



B. 



REJECTION OF BRITISH AND ENGLISH ANTIQUITIES BY 

 THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



SiK, — Within the last month it has been pointed out, in more than 

 one publication, how highly desirable it is that there should be, and 

 how strangely perverse it is that there should not be, some collection 

 of national art and antiquities in the British Museum. But, with oni' 

 exception, none of the parties who urge the propriety and expediency 

 of a gallery of the kind being formed in that building, seem to be at 

 all aware that a proposition to that effect has actuahy been made to 

 the trustees. Only in one instance have I seen your correspondent 

 Mr. Lamb's spirited attempt to obtain for the public such a valuable 



addition to the contents of the Museum, spoken of with the commen- 

 dation it deserves, and at the same time with severe but justly me- 

 rited reproof of the conduct of tin; trustees in the affair. Those good, 

 easy gentlemen were, it seems, quite taken by surprise — absolutely_/?a6- 

 6er^a.s7erf,at so very out-of-the-way an idea as that of introducing British 

 antiquities within the walls of a British Museum, but retained only so 

 much of their wits about them as to find out that f hey were "not prepar- 

 ed" to n^coramend the scheme to Her Majesty's government. "Not 

 prepared" was, no doubt, the very literal truth, but it also evidently 

 implied what it would not have done to utter in plain words, namely, 

 that they did not mean to prepare themselves, or take any initiative 

 stops at all in the matter; whereas, the reply should have been that 

 although "not prepared" to pledge themselves to any thing further, 

 the trustees were well disposed to give their serious consideration to 

 what appeared to be an important and desirable object, and one likely 

 to obtain the decided approbation of the public. Instead of returning 

 an off-hand, frigid, decisive negative, tantamount to a supercilious 

 rebuff, the trustees might, at any rate, have left the matter open for 

 deliberation, and might have waited to see how far public opinion was 

 at all in favour of what had been proposed. 



Had that course been pursued, there would have been opportunity 

 afforded the Institute to step in and add their testimony and influence 

 in behalf of a project that they ought in fact to have originated — ^at 

 least have taken up and promoted with alacrity and earnestness. But 

 somehow or other there is a strange want of vigour and activity, to 

 any really good purpose, in all such bodies; and their vis inertm and 

 apathy appear to be even contagious, for even those individuals among 

 them who are not deficient in zeal become in a manner paralyzed by 

 the general torpidity. Hardly anything that would be of real benefit, 

 either as putting down some abuse, or securing some improvement, is 

 proposed without being met by the evasive and childish objection of 

 its being dilhcult. But of what use are Institutes, Societies, Associa- 

 tions, with all their apparatus of councils, committees, secretaries, &c., 

 if they cannot even attempt to take in hand difficulties which indi- 

 viduals cannot overcome? One thing there certainly is which persons 

 gain by entering into associations, because they are thereby liberated 

 from all individual responsibility and exertion, and they become one 

 and all alike invulnerable to reproof, and utterly impenetrable to shame, 

 as are the big-Wig trustees of the British Museum! 



Zero. 



J, S. COTMAN. 



Sm, — Knowing of no readier one, I resort to this mode of making 

 inquiry respecting an artist whose works are well and widely known 

 to architects and antiquaries. The name of the late John Sell Cotman 

 is assuredly one of more than common note, nevertheless I have 

 hitherto been unable to ascertain from what time that mortuary epi- 

 thet is to be dated. I have been able to gain no nearer information 

 than that he died some time lust year; for, most strange to say, I can 

 discover no mention whatever of that event in any obituary, or in any 

 of those journals which are in the habitof giving necrological notices, 

 however brief, of individuals of any note in literature and art. 



For this marked silence, in regard to one who had been so long be- 

 fore the public as Cotman had, and who had distinguished himself by 

 a peculiar yet masterly style of architectural drawing and engraving, 

 I know not how to account, and were it possible to do so, I should 

 take the report of his death to be a false one. 



Thus completely baffled, my hope now Is that the insertion of this 

 letter in your Journal may elicit, from some one of your correspon- 

 dents or readers, the information I have hitherto vainly endeavoured 

 to obtain. 



I remain, Sir, vours &c., 



E.D. 



THE CAM-CAMS. 



Sir, — la the Morning Herald of to-day is a letter from a " Quon- 

 dam Member of the Cam-Cam Society," assigning as the reason for 

 his withdrawal from it the discovery that, instead of promoting its 

 original ostensible object, it is now all but openly declaring, what it 

 had long been suspected of, an earnest endeavour to revive amonc us, 

 and re-introduce into the church, some of the most puerile and gro- 

 velling superstitions— such as it might be supposed even Ro« 



