18)7.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



23 



ejplaining the introduction of arts into our country which are unfioubfedly 

 of oriental character. It was scarcely needful to remind the archspologist 

 that ecclesiastics of the highest grade did not account themselves de- 

 meaned by practising the crafts in which they had attained to eminent 

 skill as simple brethren of the convent. St. Dunstan in Ensland, and St. 

 Eloi, bishop of Noyou, in France, who lived at the close of the sixth cen- 

 tury, are instances of prelates celebrated for their skUl in working the pre- 

 cious metals. 



Mr. Turner next adverted to the undoubted practice in Ireland, from a 

 very early period, of the various arts of working in metals. His observa- 

 tions applied not only to productions in gold and silver, but to castings in 

 bronze or uiixi-d nielals, presenting the united characteristics of very early 

 fabrication with peculiarities of most skilful workmanship; and he al- 

 luded to the superior advantages enjoyed by Irish Hntic)uaries for the pro- 

 pe ution of such au inquiry in the existence of a national collection. The 

 n; ture and extent of the collection formed by the Kojal Irish Academy 

 was known to many members of the Institute, by the series of faithful 

 drawings of the numerous objects preserved in their museum, which, by 

 favour of the Council and the kind intervention of Dr. Todd, were exhi- 

 hited at ibe last year's meeting of the Institute at Winchester. It was 

 observable that some of the Irish specimens exhibited a remarkable skill 

 in the use of the metallic compound technically called niello, at a period 

 long antecedent to that at which writers have usually accounted that curi- 

 ous art to have been practised. That art, indeed, is of far earlier date 

 tlian the times of Kiniguerra and the Florentine orferres of the fifteenth 

 century, as is shown by the researches of Count Cicognara, who has given 

 examples of it earlier than the eighth century. In the possession of the 

 Society of Antiquaries there is a Stylus, or pointel, for writing on waxed 

 tablets, the bead of which is beautifully ornamented, apparently with 

 nUllo. This little work is of early Normau, or possibly Saxon, date. 

 After some remarks on the art of engraving as applied to the enrichment 

 of sepulchral memorial familiarly termed " Brasses," — which, independ- 

 ently of their value as family memorials, evidences of costume, &c., pos- 

 sess additional interest as examples of design, and of a peculiar kind of 

 artistic method in the working of metals, viz., the conibination of the work 

 of the burin with the use of enamel, and of a coarse assimilation to the 

 process of the use of niello, — Mr. Turner observed, he regretted that it was 

 at present impracticable to ofl'er any definitions of a precise nature in re- 

 gard to many of the mediaeval terms to which he had occasion to advert. 

 As respected the distinctive terra opus Aiigliciim, by which the works of 

 the eaily metallurgists of England were known abroad, he ventured to 

 express an opinion that the phrase was not applied to denote any particu- 

 lar process of art, but was rather used to describe the general character 

 and design of the objects fabricated in the precious metals in this country 

 at an early period. And it might possibly have reference to the two pecu- 

 liar patterns generally worked on the surface of such objects, — which may 

 be broadly distinguished as the ribbon and the lacertine or dragon pattern. 

 The opus Dunolmense he was inclined to consider as a peculiar decorative 

 process which the monks of Durham, to whose skill it must be attributed, 

 derived from their predecessors who came from Lindisfarne ; and the cha- 

 racteristics of this style were probably analogous to those of the early 

 Irish works to which previous reference had been made. The want of any 

 national Museum of Mediajval Art in this country was a serious obstacle 

 to tlie prosecution of researches of this nature ; as it was only by actual 

 and careful comparison of examples that any satisfactory knowledge of 

 their date or origin could be obtained. In many instances, doubtless, these 

 terms were confounded ; as. for example, works of oriental character may 

 have been called without strict regard to their proper designations. But 

 unquestionably these were appellations denoting objects of perfectly dis- 

 tinct style, in their true signification: and, Mr. Turner remarked, that in 

 formal documents some attempt seemed to be made to distinguish the coun- 

 try of objects of price with precision. Thus, in a list of presents (xeuia) 

 given to Henry the Third by the Master of the Temple beyond Sea, we 

 find, among other productions of oriental skill — "two Turkish bows with 

 strings of leather," and "two iron maces of Saracenic work." The dis- 

 crimination between Turkish and Saracenic work is curious in more re- 

 spects than one ; and, besides its indicating a knowledge of the dill'erence 

 between the races, it would appear to mark some distinction fully recog- 

 nised in the thirteenth century in the character of eastern productions. By 

 the writers of romance these terms were doubtless used in a more vague 

 or general sense; as in the "Tale of Gawayn," written in the times of 

 Richard the Second, in which the battle-axe of the Green Knight is 

 minutely described, with its handle strengthened with iron wound around 

 if,— 



■ and all bigraven with grene jo 



Grecous werkes. 



At the same lime, the frequent allusion to Greece as the source whence 

 Buch decorations were derived, is fully consistent with the fact that the 

 chief source of a great variety of artistic processes, of every kind, preva- 

 lent during the Middle Ages, may be traced to Constantinople. 



In illustration of the goldsmiths' work of the ISth and )4lh centuries, 

 Mr. Turner read numerous extracts from the unpublished accounts of the 

 native artists employed by Henry the Third aud Edward the First, which 

 showed the Tariety and elaborate character of the objects executed by 

 them in the precious metals, during those times. In the course of some 

 concluding, and necessarily hasty, remarks on early iron work, Mr Turner 

 called especial attentioD to a beautiful cast, exhibited by Mr, Wilkment, of 



the wrought iron screen which formerly enclosed the monument of Eleanor, 

 consort of F^dward the F'irst, in Westminster Abbey. This beautiful spe- 

 cimen of the iron work of the I4tb century was removed but a few years 

 since, and is now rusting in the vaults or crypts of the Abbey. In Mr. 

 Willement's opinion, it is scarcely inferior in beauty to the celebrated 

 work at Notre Dame : and Mr. Turner observed, it should possess great 

 interest in the eyes of F'nglish archaeologists, as he had discovered that it 

 was the undoubted work of an English smith, one Adam de Leighton, 

 of Leighton Buzzard, in Bedfordshire; who received 12/. for the entire 

 fabric — equal to ISO/, of the present currency. It is to be hoped that 

 under the auspices of the present Dean this remarkable specinien of the 

 excellent craft of a provincial smith in the old time may be either restored 

 to its original positiou, or preserved from further possible mutilation or 

 decay. 



DECORATION OF THEATRES. 



At a meeting of the Df.coratite Societt, a paper " On the Decoration 

 of Theatres," by Mr Dv(vtR, was read. It was illustrated by sketches 

 from the interiors of the Metropolitan Theatres. 



The subject was introduced by observations upon the influence which 

 dramatic art and its literature have had for good purposes when judiciously 

 conveyed. The just appreciation of the beautiful in scenic etfecls, now 

 frequently displayed in our theatres, was adverted to. Mr. Dwyer con- 

 sidered that the best means of increasing the imporlanre of theatres, and 

 raising them in the public estimation, is to render them magnificently 

 worthy, in every way, for the dissemination of moral truths and refinements. 

 He noticed the construction of theatres ; and admitting that accommoda- 

 tion for the greatest number in the least possible space, with subdivisions 

 for various classes of visitors, formed an important requirement, he argued 

 that the form generally adopted (that of the horse-shoe) is not the most 

 suitable. He maintained that the idea of making the audience feel as 

 comfortably seated in a theatre as in a drawing room had been imperfectly 

 contemplated ; and that, however much a curved side might with propriety 

 be admired, utility should have the first attention, so as not to restrict the 

 view in any case to merely a portion of the opposite boxes. 1 he circular and 

 semi-circular forms employed by the ancients, Mr. Dwyer said, suggested a 

 useful modification, somewhat approached in the plan of Drury Laue Thea- 

 tre, and contrasting favourably with the straight-sided horse-shoe form in 

 Covent Garden. 



An ignorance of ncoustics was said to be evident in the construction of 

 our theatres. Mr. Dwyer referred to several well-known forms, such as 

 tunnels, archways, and long curved spaces ; as also to the stone-canopied 

 seats on M'estminster Bridge, — where the slightest whisper in one could be 

 heard in the opposite, — as so suggestive that he could not but feel the 

 greatest surprise at such repeated blunders. The proscenium to each of 

 the Loudon theatres was said to be dift'erent in arrangement ; no two being 

 alike, and none exhibiting an approach to any principle which the laws 

 affecting sound would dictate. Some censure followed on the prevailing 

 use of massive Greek entaljiatures, with Corinthian columns in unusual 

 proportions (at Astley's very lofty, at the Haymarket very short), exhibit- 

 ing a disregard of harmony in form and proportion, from the entire absence 

 of a medium for combining the gigantic massiveness in the one with the 

 subdivisiou of parts throughout the interior of the house. The theatre at 

 Versailles was referred to as an instance where Corinthian columns being 

 placed on the stage, Ionic columns support the superstructure ; and which, 

 together with some other arrangements, render this theatre particularly 

 w orthy of observation. Nevertheless, the proscenium there is imperfectly 

 constructed lor the distribution of sound. Mr. Dwyer considered the up- 

 per portion of the proscenium at Covent Garden the least objectionable of 

 any in the nietropolitiiu theatres; and awarded praise to the picturesque 

 aud agreeable manner in which it blends with the interior, and also as 

 being in that part better calculated for the distribution of sound. A form 

 of construction was then explained, which, it was said, would obviate the 

 necessity for extraordinary exertions on the part of the performers in at- 

 tempting to produce au audible and satisfactory eflect throughout the house. 

 Mr. Dwyer propounded a theory which, he said, comprehended the princi- 

 ples embodied in two familiar instruments of sound; — viz., the bell aud the 

 violin. He said he would construct two bold hell-shaped curves, diverging 

 over not less than eight feet on the stage to the sides of the theatre ; each 

 composed of two thicknesses of wood placed about six inches apart. The 

 front one should be perforated ornamentally ; thus serving to receive and 

 distribute equally within itself the sounds given forth near to it. The ele- 

 vation should assume the form of an arch, with spandrels also perforated — 

 thereby distributing with distinct resonance the words or music to all parts 

 of the house. — In a subsequent part of the paper Mr. Dwyer offered some 

 remarks upon the construction of ceilings ; which we report now, as having 

 more immediate connexion with the acoustic theory last described. He 

 proposed the use of a spherical or a spheroidal roof, supported by iron 

 ribs, which might be ornamented ; the spaces between each rib to be en- 

 riched with elaborate perforations (or otherwise, according to the general 

 style of the house), in a manner similar to the doorway in the circle at 

 Astley's. The additional height thus given to the interior would enable 

 the chandelier to be placed above the line of sight from the upper part of 

 the theatre to the stage; and the objections that might be made to this 

 position of the chandelier were met by the fact that a concave surface re- 



