09 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[September, 



any conclusion, will weigh well tlie testimony on both sides of the 

 question. On the one side they have the positive assertion of a gen- 

 tleman of experience and station upon a matter personal to himself, 

 and in wliich it is hard to suppose he could be mistiken. Upon the 

 other side they have the declarations of a committee of (he House of 

 Commons, backed by the evidence of a host of witnesses who it can- 

 not be supposed had any desire, even if they had the power, to falsify 

 a matter which must have been abundantly notorious. Every reader 

 must form a conclusion for himself from the balance of evidence before 

 bini, and will probably adopt that opinion which involves the least 

 wonderful supposition. 



The general character of the present work is identicid with that of 

 Mr. Williams' other literary productions : — intolerably prolix — mar- 

 vellously superficial — and absurdly ostentatious : and indeed these are 

 among the cardinal specialities of the minute philosophy and the 

 natural concomitants of imbecile pretension. An author of this class 

 never knows when to have done — he is unwilling to lose any oppor- 

 tunity of making the most of his talents and materials— and takes 

 especial care that nothing of the least moment shall be dismissed till 

 its merits have been made apparent to the most impenetrable or inat- 

 tentive. In the idea that anything which has once suggested itself to 

 him cannot be unimportant to the world in general he gives his readers 

 ' — not a selection of his conceptions — but them all, and dilates and 

 elaborates the most paltry truism to the consequence of an important 

 proposition. He does not possess the forbearance to state his views 

 and arouroents in a popular and concise manner, and cast them upon 

 the waters of public opinion to sink or swim as their merits deter- 

 mine ; but must have long speculative introductions and learned mysti- 

 fications — endless repetitions and digressions — illustrations and de- 

 ductions — recapitulations of what every body knows, and demonstra- 

 tions of things nobody ever thinks of doubting— objections anticipated 

 and answered — and predictions as to the influence of his doctrines 

 upon the fortunes of all men, and the destinies of all future generations; 

 and if an idea of more than ordinary value is hit upon, it is exhibited 

 in so many different lights and reproduced in so many different atti- 

 tudes, that its whole force and elasticity are extinguished,— the reader 

 is wearied, perplexed, disgusted,— and turns with aversion or pity 

 from the perpetual display of such vain ambition and such conspicuous 

 penury. 



But we question whether the operose dullness of Mr. Williatns' 

 literary perpetrations constitutes their most exceptionable characteris- 

 tic. There is a vein of disingenuousness running through them which 

 often excites our shame and provocation, and their uniform tone of 

 arrogance and pomposity cannot fail we fear to alienate every reader's 

 affections, and give rise'to associations not by any means favourable, 

 and nearly, if not altogether indissoluble, hideed this gentleman's 

 arrogant and emphatic manner operating upon his habitual trick of 

 overrating all his own conceptions, oecasionallv gives rise to the most 

 ludicrous combinations. His revelations are preceded by such a note 

 of preparation, and such precautions to ensure for them a distinguished 

 reception, that the highest expectations are excited, and when after 

 having prepared his hearers for something very impressive, he utters, 

 as is often the case, only an italicised truism or inconceivable stupidity, 

 the ridicule is irresistible, and its effect scarcely ever to be got over. 

 Such a failure admits neither of toleration nor apology — it makes 

 weakness manifest where a display of strength was intended — and 

 must eventually be fatal to the faith of the most credulous even of his 

 disciplef. 



We regret to find, that Mr. Williams has in the present work 

 repeated the absurd charges he brought against our mechanical 

 engineers on a former occasion, of being altogether ignorant of the 

 chemistry of combustion, and of knowing nothing whatever about 

 boilers. Our engineers have treated these cliarges with the significant 

 silence to which, perhaps, they are alone entitled ; but our function 

 leaves us no such option, and we feel called upon to tell Mr. Williams 

 articulately and in direct terms, that his charges are unfounded. If 

 our leading engineers know nothing about engines or boilers, where 

 is such knowledge to be found? Does Mr. Williams imagine that he 

 or the most accomplished master of gasconade or falsetto will be set 

 down as the depositary or originator of that mechanical proficiency 

 which has made this country the envy and admiration of surrounding 

 nations — added dignity to lier sceptre, and magic to her name ? Or 

 shall we conclude that Mr. Field, Mr. Farey, Mr. Miller, Mr. Brown, 

 and numerous others we could mention — men who would be ornaments 

 to any profession, and on whom the mantle of Watt has descended — 

 have spent a life-time of laborious study and experience in achieving 

 no progress and acquiring no knowledge, and are up to the present 

 moment ignorant even of those elements of chendstry with which 

 every school boy is conversaiit? One of two things is clear: either 

 Mr. Williams makes a statement he does nut himself beUeve, or sup- 



poses that to be acquainted with any simple truth it is necessary to 

 rave and fume, and vociferate respecting it. It appears never to have 

 occurred to him that true science is a thing which shuns all display 

 and noise, and that eminent merit is generally united with eminent 

 modesty. 



The Hand-look of Manchenter. By B. Love. Manchester: Love and Barton. 



This is a well-illustrated work. It contains a description, with views, of 

 most of the public buildings of Manchester ; likewise some interesting 

 statistic information connected with its manufactures. It is a book that 

 ought to be in the hands of every visitor to that important " Metropolis of 

 Manufactures." 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS ON THE FINE ARTS. 



We, the Commissioners appointed by your Majesty for the purpose 

 of inquiring whether advantage might not be taken of the rebuilding 

 of your Majesty's palace at Westminster, wherein your Majesty's 

 Parliament is wont to assemble, for the purpose of promoting and 

 encouraging the Fine Arts in your Majesty's United Kingdom, and in 

 what manner an object of so much importance might be most effectually 

 promoted, humbly report to your Majesty that we have taken into our 

 consideration the matters referred to us, and have given due attention 

 to the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons in 1841 

 on the Fine Arts, together with the opinions of various other com- 

 petent persons on questions relating to the special objects for which 

 the present Commission was appointed, and have consulted the 

 architect as to the manner in which various kinds of internal decora- 

 tion would affect his intended architectural arrangements; and we 

 beg now to report our opinion that it would be expedient that 

 advantage should be taken of the rebuilding of the Houses of 

 Parliament for the purpose of promoting and encouraging the Fine 

 Arts in the United Kingdom. 



Having thus come to an opinion on the first point to whicli our 

 inquiry was directed, we have, in conformity with the instructions 

 contained in our Commission, proceeded to consider in what manner 

 the above-mentioned purpose could best be accomplished. With this 

 view we have, in the first place, directed our attention to the question 

 whether it would be expedient that Fresco painting should be em- 

 ployed in the, decoration of the New Houses of Parliament, but we 

 have not yet been able to satisfy ourselves that the art of Fresco 

 painting has hitherto been sufficiently cultivated in this country to 

 justify us in at once recommending that it should be so employed. In 

 order, however, to assist us in forming a judgment on this matter we 

 propose that artists should be invited to enter into a competition in 

 Cartoons, and we have prepared the draught of an announcement on 

 this subject, offering premiums of public money, to which we request 

 the sanction of your Majesty. 



In framing this announcement we have felt that, although the com- 

 petition which we at present wish to invite has reference chiefly to 

 Fresco painting, yet if we were to confine our notice entirely to that 

 method of painting, an inference might be drawn therefrom that we 

 intended to recommend its exclusive adoption for the decoration of 

 the new buildings. We have, therefore, inserted in our announcement 

 paragraphs intended to explain that the future attention of the Com- 

 mission will be directed to the best mode of selecting for employment 

 artists skilled in oil painting and in sculpture, and that due consider- 

 ation will be given to other methods and departments of Art applicable 

 to decoration generally. 



We humbly subjoin as an Appendix to this Report, some papers 



treating in detail various considerations connected with the subject of 



our inquiry. 



Albert— Lyndhurst— Sutherland— Lansdovrae— Lincoln — Aberdeen 



—J. Russell- F. Egerton — Palmerston — Melbourne — Colborne— 



