1847.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



239 



tion of pigments, still its moral grandeur rose paramount to all the bril- 

 liancy of colour. Owiug to the seaichiug and penetrating light which 

 shon around it, anything that was defective would be ijnniediately mani- 

 fest — the beauties more strongly developed ; so the utmost ing-enuily of the 

 artist was taxed to combine greatness with caution, ellectiveness with 

 economy; if the colouring, for instance, were over-warm and not judi- 

 ciously applied, a glaring contrast might be produced ; equal care was 

 necessary, also, lest it should be too cold, amidst the variegated and lusu- 

 riant scenery by which it was surrounded. On the same principle, 

 nothing unnecessary or superfluous was to obtrude itself in the ornamental 

 portions; — what took the lead in these were the sculptured figures, that 

 represented various actions, and gave the most animation to the marble — 

 on the execution and arrangement of which, mature consideration was to 

 be bestowed, a conspicuous situation being given to the principal : to con- 

 clude all, the building, by its pyramidal termination, was brought to an 

 exquisite climax. 



This supremacy of grandeur over the desire for the exhibition of orna- 

 ment — this mastery of simplicity over every inferior feeling, convinces us 

 of the high taste and refinement of the Greeks. They attempted, but 

 indeed were able, to achieve the sublime. They knew that art could only 

 possess the efficient cause of the sublime, in proportion to the manifesta- 

 tion of skill and manly energy. They knew that a departure from 

 simplicity would be a fatal blow to art: and hence it was that the 

 legislature watched over its interests, and Pericles enforced upon the 

 artists the necessity of preserving in all their works a settled simplicity, 

 as the principal source of grandeur. And there is in simplicity of 

 architecture, especially in that so deservedly called " Classic," an 

 attraction which calls forth a dignified calmness, yet a tenderness of 

 soul, and steals upon its sympathies as does the pure and unsophiscated 

 nature of a beautiful child. Hence the dominion of the architecture of 

 the Greeks over our feelings — for the evidence of what is truly good 

 or beauliful, is recognised by the soul as something most congenial to 

 it; and that unity of design, that conformity of character, in Grecian 

 architecture, corresponds in its nature to that of a well-regulated mind — 

 to the healthy balance and proportionate development of all the powers 

 that constitute a perfect nature. Architectural works that bear not this 

 stamp cannot satisfy. Such are those where we see the imagination has 

 gained an entire ascendancy over reason, and where an overweening 

 fondness for a redundancy of ornament has been indulged in at the 

 •xpense and sacrifice of simplicity. 



THE BRITISH IVIUSEUM. 

 No. I. 



The opening of the new hall of the British Museum is a fitting time for 

 beginning a set of papers on its contents in this Journal, in which we have 

 very often given notices relating to it. The collections in the British 

 Museum are more the result of the exertions of the public than of the 

 government, and unless the exertions of the government be kept up by the 

 voice of the public they will be slackened. Great as is what has been 

 already done, yet measured by what is wanted and what is to be done, it 

 is but little. As the public get a better knowledge of the Museum, and 

 make a better use of it, so they prepare themselves for the requirement of 

 something more. We fear, however, that the worth of the Museum is not 

 yet so fully felt as it ought to be ; while we cannot but say, that even in 

 its most trifling uses its worth is great. 



By some, the Museum is looked upon as a great plaything or playhouse 

 for the people. Be it so ; we should be willing to take the matter on that 

 footing, for it is no mean thing to furnish pastime for a people. Among 

 the chief duties of a government, are to provide for the amusement of the 

 people; and if men who are hard-worked in their several callings, can 

 have a day's pleasure in a Museum, and can have given to them new 

 thoughts, which shall fill their minds in many days of toil, this is a great 

 thing. Discontent is one of the greatest evils which any government has 

 to withstand, even where bodily evil, hunger, and want are not felt. The 

 gloomy sway of the Independents broke down mostly from this cause; 

 and the people hastily changed a good government for a bad one at the 

 Restoration, because they were deadened and disheartened by the want of 

 their accustomed pleasures. The playhouse, the bear-garden, and the fair , 



were closed, the fiddler and the ballad-singer were put down, holidays 

 were forbidden, and although plenty reigned at home, and glory crowned 

 our arms abroad, the people were sullen and unhappy. In times of want, 

 workmen are ever open to be led astray by mob orators and agitators, to 

 whom, when in full work, they will not listen. As it is with one, so it is 

 with many ; when the mind is heavy and the heart faints, the man himself 

 gives way to a trifling sorrow, and sinks from bad to worse; whereas, 

 were he but upheld, he would overcome every hardship. More or less, 

 the same thing is to be seen at all limes, and we feel sure that we are 

 always doing good when we are yielding pleasure to the old or to the 

 young, Happy feelings are the mainspring of good deeds. 



As it has been acknowledged by the greatest statesmen, that it is de- 

 sirable to find pastime for the people, so it should be given usefully. The 

 bloody shows of gladiators, Or the beastly games of the bear-garden or the 

 prize-ring, will give pleasure to those who are called enlightened Romans 

 or enlightened Englishmen ; the gambling cock or quail fight or horse 

 race may prove still more enticing, but no one good feeling is awakened or 

 strengthened, and no bad one weakened or quelled. The love of the good, 

 the true, the great, and the beautiful is that which should always be kept 

 before the people, from their childhood to their death, in all outward forms 

 and shapes. It should never be thought that education is the time of 

 schooling in boyhood, but it should be remembered that in its rightful 

 meaning of " bringing up" a man, it is being carried on at all limes, in all 

 places, and by all means. The eye, the ear, the touch, the taste, the smell 

 are always on the watch learning something, — and if not good, they are 

 learning evil. Thus habits, which cannot be shaken or undone, are shaped 

 slowly and unknown, and fetters are welded which chain the mind in the 

 doing of good or evil. If mankind are to be thoughtful and careful in 

 their deeds and thoughts, it is becoming that in everything we should keep 

 sight of goodness, of truth, of beauty, and of greatness, for the Almighty 

 maker of all has done this in everything, from the sjiallest being, hardly 

 seen by Ehrenberg under the most powerful microscope, to the great bulk 

 of the mastodon or the most dreaded beast which ever walked the earth. 

 If mankind are not to be taught to think, at least, we should take all 

 means of giving them right habits. 



Whatever may be the feeling as to the forms of worship to be taught in 

 common schools, however much quarrelling and bickering there may he 

 about these — whereby the children of England run the chance of losing 

 their schooling altogether — there can only be one feeling as to the right 

 and duty of the government to look after the public bringing up of the 

 people, by training them to proper thoughts, wherever tliere may be the 

 means of doing so. No one, we believe, has ever thought otherwise than 

 that the great mind of the Greeks, their love of freedom and of learning, 

 was kept up as much by their care for the beautiful in their buildings and 

 public works, as by any other means. Those lovely temples, those carv- 

 ings which have never yet been outdone; those shapes, which seem already 

 to have a soul, and want only breath to live, were but the outward showing 

 of what the minds of the people held within, of those great feelings of 

 which even the lowest Athenian slave must have had his share. 



If we are to have great public buildings and great architects, we must 

 have an enlightened people, a people who love art for its own sake. In 

 Athens, lowly as were the dwellings, every public building was beautiful, 

 and was so because no other dare be opened to them. Public buildings 

 are always those which are the best for showing the skill and cunning of 

 the builder, where there is the most money to be laid out, the best place to 

 be had, and the most care to be taken in keeping up what is once built. 

 In London, not to say in England, so far from our public buildings being 

 always handsome, they are often far from it ; and what a single rich man 

 would not bear nor lay out his wealth upon, many thousands of the people 

 are made to bear. It is a mere chance whether Wren or Dance be the 

 architect, whether he be Barry or Soane. We should never see work- 

 houses set up for public buildings, and barns for churches, if the people 

 were brought up to think rightly. The taste of a people may wander upon 

 matters of detail or of style, but it is always right as to what is great or 

 beautiful. York Minster, St. Paul's, and Westjninster Palace will always 

 be liked by the people, although they may never be able to give a reason 

 for their liking. 



It is acknowledged that we have made a great step in weaning the 

 people from cockpits, bear-gardens, and prize-fights, that we have lessened 

 their love for low and bloody sports, — and we feel a kind of pride that we 

 have done so much. Me may be no less proud that we have given them a 

 greater love of gardens, paintings, and museums, which, while we look 

 upon only as a harmless change, must indeed work greatly upon the minds 



