1842.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



143 



adorned with Scriptural subjects filling up those compartments which its 

 great architect contemplated as being one day so occupied, it would 

 not on that account partake one whit more of Romanism than its dome 

 actually does at present, or than its Corinthian columns do of Pagan 

 mythology and the religion of the Greeks. Nay, both those architec- 

 tural features of the edifice and the style generally might, on such 

 grounds, be considered equally exceptionable, as reminding us too 

 forcibly of the Roman Catholic temples of Italy; while it at the same 

 time becomes doubtful whether there be not some impropriety— some 

 abatement of the wholesome horror of Popery — in permitting ourselves 

 to revert — to relapse into our ancient ecclesiastical style, which 

 flourished here when this country submitted to the spiritual juris- 

 diction of the Vatican. Mr. Welby Pugin — no mean authority, 

 perhaps, on such a point — considers Gothic architecture and Roman 

 Catholicism to be so intimately connected together, that the former 

 cannot possibly thrive — indeed, hardly maintain itself at all — apart 

 from the protection and influence of the other; yet, so far from enter- 

 taining any disquieting scruples against it, we have of late professed 

 ourselves practical admirers of our own indigenous Roman Catholic 

 style of building for new churches and chapels, endeavouring to copy 

 its models as closely as circumstances would permit. Were any aiiti- 

 Gothk critic or dilettante so disposed, he might make use of this 

 last-mentioned fact, and earnestly deprecate such return to the "bar- 

 barous monkish style" of our ancestors, not merely as a backsliding in 

 taste alone, but as betraying a dangerous leaning towards the church 

 whose erroneous doctrines we have repudiated ; a tendency which it 

 behoves us particularly to guard against just now, when Popery we 

 are assured is gaining ground in this country, and certainly does seem 

 to be putting forth its strength — its attractions and seductions, in the 

 costly edifices it is erecting in various districts of England. For our- 

 selves, we look upon its efforts of this kind without apprehension, 

 considering the alarm attempted to be excited against them to be a 

 mere bugbear, little better than the watchword of a party. 



No ; vre certainly do not wish to approach at all towards Romanism, 

 neither do we consider that throwing open our churches for the ad- 

 mission of paintings by Protestant artists would be an approach to it, 

 any more than walking from Westminster to Highgate can be called 

 approximating to the North Pole. Still, it does not follow that, inde- 

 pendently of a seeming tendency to Popery, there may not be objections 

 against paintings, on other grounds — as beneath the dignity of a 

 spiritual worship ; as withdrawing attention from the word to visible 

 objects; as adventitious aids which true devotion does not require. 

 Certain, however, it is that, exclusively spiritual as may be the religion 

 thev profess, the mass of mankind are unable to abstract themselves 

 entirely from external impressions, but feel an increased degree of 

 awe and devoutness in proportion as religion is allowed to display 

 external majesty and solemnity; whereas the bareness which cha- 

 racterizes most of our churches, does not look altogether so much like 

 simplicity as like penuriousness, begrudging to the house of God that 

 degree of becoming adornment which we bestow upon our own homes.* 

 Besides, if objected to upon principle, all decoration of the kind 

 ought to be consistently excluded ; which certainly is not the case, 

 because painting is frequently admitted for altar-pieces — nay, there 

 are instances of the works of Catholic painters being so introduced, 

 without any exception being taken to them as opening the door to 

 Popery. Nor have we only pictures of that kind, but painted win- 

 dows, exhibiting the livery of Popery in figures of legendary saints, or 

 else displaying heraldic emblazonments — the pride of the creature, in 

 temples raised to the Creator. Nay, we will not be quite sure that, if 

 paintings of Scriptural subjects are to be prohibited, we ought not to 

 be scandalized at beholding Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's each 



* Nay, while the average cost of our recently built churches does not 

 smount to more than 3 or £4000, no less a sum than seventy thousand has 

 been exiiencled on stables at Windsor Castle, besides we know not how much 

 more on other stables fur royalty at the Ascot race-course ; f^r which last 

 there certainly cannot be the plea of necessity — so far from it, that we think 

 a female sovereign and her court might very well be excused from counte- 

 nancing horse-racing in any shape whatever ; downright gambling, and 

 nothing else, being at tlie bottom of it. 



converted into a sort of lay Pantheon, and filled with monuments to 

 men illustrious not as exemplars of Christian virtue and piety — as 

 faithful servants and champions of the church — but for secular services 

 performed to the state and the community. Dramatists, actors, artists, 

 poets, musicians, lioc genus omiie, together with a host of naval and 

 military characters, sufficient to form a United Service Club, — such are 

 the personages who are admitted to posthumotis honours in our re- 

 ligious edifices, after undergoing a sort of Protestant canonization from 

 the public. While both the author of the Beggars' Opera and the 

 author of the steam engine have obtained such distinction within 

 Westminster Abbey, without its being considered any profanation to 

 the sanctity of the place, in vain do we look there for any testimonial 

 of national respect to talent and piety, in the persons of such indi- 

 viduals as Milton, Cowper, and Hannah More. 



As regards the possibility, however, of enlisting the arts in the 

 service of religious worship, we are of opinion that were the inclina- 

 tion to do so to be manifested on the part of the church itself, many 

 private individuals would contribute towards such purpose, and as the 

 taste so fostered spread itself, others would be stimulated to emulate 

 their example ; whereas at present all feeling of the kind is totally" 

 discouraged among Protestants, and although a man may erect a church 

 or chapel at his own cost, he cannot contribute towards the embellish- 

 ment of one by a painting or other decoration, so that by various 

 similar donations and acts of munificence, a religious edifice might 

 eventually be completed in all its embellishments. In fact, we seem 

 to have now no idea of gradually perfecting a structure of the kind in 

 all its parts, but what cannot be accomplished at first out of the original 

 funds is never afterwards attempted to be eftected at all ; one serious ill 

 consequence of which is that the designs for our modern churches are 

 never made with reference to any after-growth of ornament, or any sub- 

 sequent finishing up of what has been in the first instance only provisorily 

 schemed. Hence the designs are cramped and stunted in their very 

 conception, and are impressed with a littleness and meanness which, 

 even were it applied, no after study or polishing up can obliterate. 

 Such was not the system by which those glorious fabrics of Catholic 

 times were achieved. Unlike the vulgarly spruce mushrootn churches 

 and chapels of the present day, they were generally the matured 

 growth of generations, if not of centuries; and embellishment con- 

 tinued to be added as the means for doing so were afforded, until 

 they became what we now behold them. But, as we have already 

 hinted, almost any building that will afford sufficient accommodation 

 for a congregation is considered good enough for a church :* nothing 

 farther is expected to be supplied, after it is once erected — no farther 

 thought and attention, beyond that of keeping it in necessary repair, 

 bestowed upon it. 



Almost would it seem that Protestantistn made a merit of dis- 

 couraging architecture, as well as not encouraging painting: for unde- 

 niable it is that by far the greater proportion of the numerous churches 

 erected of late years are anything but satisfactory in design, in many 

 cases totally the reverse, and that not entirely because the funds have 

 been insufficient, but on account of the excessive littleness and paltri- 

 ness that stamp every part of the buildings. The primary consider- 

 ation seems to have been to provide at aU events one or two routine 

 features, whether any other part can be made to accord with them or 

 not. If the style is to come under the denomination of Grecian or 

 Roman, a common-place erection of four or more columns, concocted 

 according to the usual recipe for making a portico,t and which the 



* Now anil then, indeed, an e.<ce|ition occurs ; and as an instance, v.e may 

 mention the new churcli at Lee, near Blacklieath, which, besides liaving all 

 the windows filletl with stained glass, is consistently finished up throughout, 

 and the interior has the singular advantage of being unencumbered hy side 

 galleries. The church now erecting at Stn-atham by Mr. U d;l luomises also 

 to be one of superior architectural merit, and of very unusual design, the 

 stvle partaking of the Italian J'orgotliiscli or Lomhaidic, with some inter- 

 mixture of polychrumic embellishment. A good deal of coloured decoration 

 will likewise, as we have been inlormed, be introduced in the interior, and. 

 among the rest, that of ornamental terracotta tdes both for the pavement 

 and tor parts of the walls. 



T Our modern porticos are at the best seldom more than momprosiyles, tor 

 the explanation of which and several similar terms, and als.i ior a variety of 

 interesting remarks on the subject generally, we reler the reader to tlie aiiielc 

 Portico in the Penny Cyclopeilia, and in the Journal, vol. iii, p. 3Si). 



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