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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[November, 



be not the indication, we must seek the reason, for the rustic work, in 

 a similarity of taste with New Zealanders and other polite nations of 

 the Pacific, who tattoo their faces, and consider scars and scratches as 

 so many lines of beauty ; for my part, as I prefer the face human 

 without the scars, however geometrical, so do I the face mural, 

 without the rustic lines and gashes. A writer in this Journal, with 

 much wit and truth says, that lawyers and architects are the only men 

 who are the slaves of precedent. I wish that some high authority, in 

 addition to experience, could be brought forward to show that as the 

 savages in vain attempt to hide the nakedness of their bodies by 

 tatooing, so do some architects, by treating their buildings in the same 

 way, in vain attempt to hide the nakedness and meanness of their 

 designs. 



Much dissatisfaction has very reasonably been expressed at the 

 secrecy observed with regard to the expected facade of the Museum. 

 Sir Robert Smirke, no doubt, says, " From the character of my other 

 works, you may safely rely on the fitness of the forthcoming facade." 

 The delineator of Magna Grecia said the same thing under similar 

 circumstances with respect to the National Gallery: for my part, my 

 faith in Sir Robert is not so strong; the only work we have of his fl 

 believe) in Ireland, is the Wellington testimonial, and a decided 

 failure it is. Of all the works of a monumental character which the 

 ancients have bequeathed to us in possession, the pyramids are the 

 least, and the obelisks the most pleasing: the Wellington testimonial 

 partakes of the character of both, but approaches more nearly to the 

 deformity of the first, than the beauty of proportion to be observed 

 in the latter; the height of the shaft is only about 5 J diameters, 

 instead of being '.) or 10 as in the obelisks. 



Without being possessed of any private information on the subject, 

 we can easily say what the facade will be — a portico of six columns, 

 with plenty of triglyphs on the frieze, in compliment to the Lapithae 

 and Centaurs of the Elgin marbles, and to show the possibility of 

 having an architrave which shall appear to be uvr rhurthened anil yet 

 not give way ; to borrow a phrase used in the description of civic 

 feasts, like the tables loaded with viands it si all appear to groan! 

 Then we shall have a pseudo portico at each fl.mk by way of wings, 

 with sham pediments also, stolen from the gable end of some Greek 

 temple, not to surmount another gable, but a long colonnade like the 

 river front of Somerset House, requiring three, and spaces between. 

 On these misplaced pediments we shall have various apothecary- 

 looking works, copied either from those of Somerset House or from 

 the antique models to be found in the Museum. These three porticos 

 will be advanced a little in front, for the purpose of showing that they 

 do not belong of necessity to the building, but on the contrary, may 

 safely be removed for any other purpose Si oput sit. No, Sir Robert 

 avoid these peculiarities, and give us a front something like that of 

 the Berlin Museum; and do not be afraid of the spectator's eye re- 

 quiring to be relieved by broken lines and cornices, nor seek to give 

 your design a military character, by the introduction of cocked-bat 

 pediments over your doors and windows. 



I formerly made some observations on the^e ornaments, (?) to which 

 a critic under the signature of (i. \V. R., m the fifth volume of this 

 Journal, page 1"JS, s.iys in their defence that, if these gable tops be 

 absurd iii Palladian architecture, shall we not be obliged to condemn 

 quite as much the beautiful pedimeuted canopies over the windows of 

 York cathedral. This does not appear to be a siquiter any more than 

 that it should he argued th.it because pointed arches, flying buttresses, 

 pinnacles and tiuials are introduced into such edifices, with complete 

 success, it would be advantageous to mix them up in a Grecian com- 

 position. But although G. W. R. truly says I was unable to discover 

 the use of these window tops, yet lie might have observed that, with 

 great disinterestedness, I gave Palladia all the merit of the discovery, 

 and that 1 merely suggested that one figure would answer as well as 

 Palladio's two. If any architect who admires these window pediments 

 so much, would have the kindness to exhibit himself undressed, and 

 Bacchus like, astride one of those at the Reform Club House during 

 certain hours of the day, admiring spectators might at a glance decide 

 on the advantage of my suggestions, as compared with the practice 

 of Palladio, the elfect of whose plan might be shown by two other 

 architects on an adjoining window. ' 



I have to complain that the same critic misrepresents me, (and 

 critics do some times misrepresent,) by making it appear that I de- 

 rived the pointed style directly from the Roman. Now I asserted no 

 such thing, but referred to the ruins at Spalatro for the origin of the 

 semi-circular arch on slender columns, supported by consols, (see 

 Vol. V., page 79 of this Journal;) and as it is generally admitted that 

 the pointed arch was formed, and in point of fact can be formed, by 

 the interlacing of the semicircular arch, it is not going too far to say 



' See Palladio's works, book II, chap. 3rd, plates iv, vi, and xviii. 



that even the beautiful pointed style may owe its origin indirectly 

 to the debased Dioclesian. 



I cannot see the force of G. W. R.'s objection to my saving that the 

 graduated basement of a Doric temple might be considered as the 

 base of the columns : the observations made by me on that head were 

 with reference to a portico, which has no basement raised above the 

 level of the street, (see page bO.) But if G. W. R. had read the 

 paragraph preceding the one he censures, he would not have raised 

 an objection. 



To return to the Museum— if pure Grecian architecture must abide 

 its time, and that we are not yet fit to appreciate its merits, let Sir 

 R. Smirke consult the magnificent works on Egyptian antiquities, 

 published by the Imperial Government of France, and give us an 

 Egyptian front. No building ever was, or perhaps ever will be, 

 erected in London, more suitable for that style than the Museum. 

 But I speak of the court yard as it was when I last saw it three years 

 ago. 



In College Green, one of the best situations in Dublin, there is in 

 course of erection a gin palace — I beg pardon, it is intended for a 

 bank, but the fitness of the thing might well excuse the mistake, anil 

 indeed it is quite impossible to look at it without being struck with 

 the resemblance. I had intended to give a drawing of it, but as there 

 is no lack of palaces in London, it would be a waste of space in this 

 valuable Journal; besides, the building, a'.though of cut stone, is of so 

 slight a nature, that it does not appear intended to remain very long. 

 The architect of it, (if such there, be,) with a taste which does him 

 credit, and with a spirit of chivalry worthy an architect belonging to 

 a free and enlightened people, viewing the over-burthened state of 

 columns in the hands of modern architects, has in the present in- 

 stance relieved his from any such irksome tasks, and nut obliged them 

 to support anything, for the perpendicular line of the edifice falls 

 behind them ; to be sure there is a kind of cornice on a level with the 

 commencement of the first floor; but what of that, the whole is in "a 

 free unhoused condition :" and by this expedient he has been enabled 

 to make the columns more slender and graceful than any example 

 with which 1 am acquainted. And after all, the idea of making the 

 edifice resemble a palace was not a bad one, for with little or no alter- 

 ation, it can at any time be turned into one, should it no longer be re- 

 quired for a bank, or should its neighbours of Trinity College, t lie 

 Bank of Ireland, or the Royal Irish Academy, require a gin palace in 

 their vicinity, xic transit gloria muudi, that is, "to what base uses may 

 we return, Horatio." 



THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER. 



Sir — Reports both official and popular relative to the Palace of 

 Westminster are all highly favourable and satisfactory; still there is 

 one point, and that of no small importance, in regard to which nothing 

 has yet transpired, nor have any questions been put. Far as the 

 stiucture is now advanced in appearance, it is appearance chiefly — 

 along the east side of the plan : considering, therefore, the immense 

 mass of inner buildings and courts there will be behind, and that all the 

 present buildings on the west side will have to be cleared away, a 

 very great length of time must elapse, before the entire pile can be 

 constructed in its main walls, roofs, &c. 



If I mistake not, the Peers' House is to be finished within about 

 two years from the present time; but surely that does not include de- 

 coration, supposing that fresco-painting is to form any portion of it. 

 And even then, the accommodation for public business, so far afforded, 

 will be very limited and imperfect, unless all the contiguous parts of 

 the plan can be carried on at the same time. Should that not be pos- 

 sible, no small inconvenience is likely to be felt, both by their Lord- 

 ships, and by the architect, who will have to exercise a good deal of 

 management and contrivance for which there would be no occasion, 

 were none of that part of the building required to be taken possession 

 of, until it was thoroughly completed. ' 



The question — when is, or when can, the work of embellishment 

 commence/ is perhaps one which no one can yet answer; neither 

 may any one be as vet prepared with a readier reply to that of — 

 J/' htrc is it to commence 3 As fresco-painting will at first be somewhat 

 of an experiment among us, surely the artists will not be allowed to 

 try their "'prentice hands" on any of the principal rooms intended to 

 be so decorated. It is most probable, therefore, that they will begin 



1 A similar sort of inconvenience is now experienced in the British 

 Museum, where temporary passages and partitions are obliged to be erected 

 while the workmen are employed on those parts of the building which have 

 to be added ur adapted to those already finished. 



