74 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[March, 



given up to them, without at all interfering with the accommodation 

 required for the body of the Exchange. According to Mr. Tite's plan, 

 the entire space occupied by the latter will be about 19,000 square 

 feet, but out of this number, 0500 will be quite open and unsheltered, 

 consequently cannot always be made use of for purposes of business. 

 Now had it been determined that the centre portion of the plan should 

 be covered in, there would have been shelter every where, therefore the 

 breadth of the ambulatories might have been considerably reduced, so 

 as to afford an additional depth of nine or ten feet to the shops— some 

 of which will now not be more than 7 feet in depth, or hardly that. 

 Even then the actual space available at all times for business would 

 have been the same, or rather more than will now be the case. And 

 so far from the architectural effect being at all injured by such con- 

 traction of the space behind the columns, it would, in our opinion, be 

 improved, and the whole would, in fact, appear to be more spacious 

 than it is now likely to do; for the width of the cloister portion or 

 ambulatories will now be so great, in order to provide a sufficiency of 

 sheltered space, that while they will look low and depressed, they 

 will occasion the open part or court to appear comparatively narrow 

 and squeezed up ; more especially as the same space looks consider- 

 ably less when uncovered than when roofed in. 



We have heard it urged as an objection to the Exchange being 

 covered in, that it would be exceedingly difficult to light it from above 

 without a very great sacrifice of architectural character. We, our- 

 selves, however, are of a diametrically contrary opinion. Even sup- 

 posing it to be covered by a mere skylight as a protection from the 

 weather (as is the case with the cortile of the new structure at Liver- 

 pool, called the Brunswick Buildings) we do not see how that could 

 interfere with the architectural elevations of the sides. We do not 

 say it would be an improvement in point of appearance, but it would 

 not be any great drawback on it. Hardly, however, should we recom- 

 mend a skylight of that homely description for such a place as the 

 Exchange ; and skylights admit of being put into such a great variety 

 of form, whether introduced so as to appear mere cofferings or panels 

 receding little within the general surface of the ceiling; or as lan- 

 terns, — which may be ceiled above, and open only on their sides; and 

 further admit of such great diversity of decoration, that a roof of the 

 kind may be accommodated to any style and any design. While it is 

 the most original, its ceiling, with three large skylights of plate glass 

 (each consisting of two sloping planes parallel with those of the ex- 

 ternal and internal roof), is not the least happy idea in the interior of 

 the Walhalla, and certainly magnificent enough, it consisting almost 

 entirely of bronze and gilding. 



For these fifty years at least, not a single edifice has been erected 

 for the purpose of an Exchange for merchants either in Europe or 

 America, but what has been covered in and protected from the 

 weather, and now, instead of further improvement being aimed at, we 

 are reverting to the old inconvenient plan of a mere open court, and 

 to what, as such, will be no better than a pent-up and dismal area, 

 except, perhaps, during a few remarkably bright days in the course of 

 a summer. Almost might it be imagined that the " open court" had 

 been determined upon, by the company of umbrella-makers, and by 

 that of " undertakers" also. The city worthies seem to have either 

 a very singular taste for uncomfortableness, or else very singular 

 notions of convenience. No sooner had the public began to congratu- 

 late themselves on the very great advantages attending wooden pave- 

 ments, than Sir Peter Laurie set about attempting not to put them 

 down, but to take them all up again. 



The architect of the Royal Exchange has, it seems, had sufficient 

 influence with the Committee to prevail on them to have the pedi- 

 ment of the portico enriched with sculpture ; let him then now re- 

 commend, while it may be yet time, that the " area " should be 

 covered in above, for then it would be protected from the atmosphere 

 and its London smoke, as well as from the weather ; and as a hall 

 it would not only appear more spacious than as an open court, but also 

 more lightsome and cheerful — certainly would be more cleanly, be- 

 cause its pavement would be always dry. 



As to the difference of appearance in regard to spaciousness, there 



can be no doubt; for what sort of effect, we ask, as to size, would 

 Westminster Hall make without its roof. To an open cortile, in 

 itself, there can be no objection; but, we must contend, it is prepos- 

 terous to adopt it for a purpose where something more is obviously 

 required. 



CANDIDUS'S NOTE-BOOK. 



FASCICULUS XL VI. 



" I must have liberty 

 Withal, as large a charter as the winds, 

 To blow on whom I please." 



I. Since Mr. Gwilt not only entertains, but professes, so great a 

 horror of architectural critics, anonymous writers, amateurs, and 

 "literary idlers," as it pleases him to call them who amuse themselves 

 with architectural studies, it is to be hoped that some of them will 

 horrify him yet more. Myself, for one, it may be presumed, am num- 

 bered by him among the most offensive of the tribe, and reckoned an 

 incorrigible maiivais sujtt, and mischief-maker. Nothing, however, 

 can be more mischievous, or more completely opposed to the interests 

 of architecture, than the doctrine he puts forth ; for the drift of it is 

 not to encourage the study of it as an art, but actually to deter from 

 it. He would confine it entirely to the profession, treating with scorn 

 the idea that anv one else can acquire a competent knowledge of it, 

 even as a fine art, or form a correct taste. In his opinion, the less the 

 public know, or pretend to know, of it the better ; and if he means 

 better for himself and those (if there be any) of his way of thinking, 

 he is undoubtedly right. Hitherto it has generally been made a sub- 

 ject of pride and congratulation, that architecture has enlisted among 

 its most zealous votaries, persons of refined taste and liberal educa- 

 tion, many of whom have rendered it essential services by their pen. 

 But Mr. Gwilt views the matter in a very different light : he is for 

 changing it altogether, and "heretoforivard" — to make use of his own 

 quaint expression — the whole race of Benthams, Hopes, Dallaways, 

 Whewells, &c, are to be looked upon as mere " literary idlers," who, 

 furnished with no more than a few purblind ideas, and crude notions, 

 which they have picked up by chance, pretend to instruct and inform 

 others in matters of architecture. Yet it is to such industrious 

 " idlers," that we are indebted for the far greater part of what is 

 known of the history of the art; very little information of that kind 

 has been supplied by architects themselves, and what they have 

 written at all seldom extends further than to the mere elements and dry 

 rules of their art ; what may be termed the philosophy of it, being 

 rarely touched upon by them. 



II. Instead of taking it amiss of Gwilt that he has omitted his work 

 in his list of architectural publications, Wightwick ought to consider 

 himself a very lucky fellow in escaping a good dressing from him, for 

 having recommended the study of architecture as a very delightful, 

 and also a very suitable, one, not only for " idle " gentlemen, but 

 proh pudor .' for "woman kind" also. He and Gwilt are the two 

 poles of opinion; while the latter would confine the study to those 

 whose proper business it is, Wightwick would have it rendered acces- 

 sible to all ; the one would have it kept as a well-watched preserve, 

 with a due warning of " Man-traps and spring-guns " to scare away 

 the public — the other is for breaking down all its paling and fences, 

 and throwing it open as a common, where every one may stroll, and 

 where literary geese are free to pick up what they can, and to hiss, 

 without having their necks wrung off for their presumption. It is 

 G wilt's opinion that the less the public meddle with architecture 

 the better ; on the other hand, Wightwick's, that the more thfr 

 public understand and render themselves competent judges of it, the 

 better both for them and for the art itself, and those who practise it. 

 Nor is it altogether unreasonable to suppose that people would take more 

 interest in what they understood, than in what they are now ignorant 

 of; and further, that the greater and more extended the interest taken 

 in it by the public, all the better would it be for those whose interest 



