370 Catalogue of Works on Gardenings 4'C' 



Sjjecimen Book of Aiisthi and Seeley's Artificial Stone Manufactory, Kew Road, 

 Lo7idon. 4to, 18 plates. London, 1841. 



Every one who has passed along the New Road, near Fitzroy Square, has 

 seen Mr. Austin's splendid assemblage of sculptural works in artificial stone ; 

 and there is scarcely a flower-garden in any part of England which does not 

 boast of a vase, a fountain, a sun-dial, or a statue, from his manufactory. 

 The establishment has been greatly enlarged in consequence of the widely 

 spreading demand, not only for ornaments to gardens and pleasure-grounds, 

 but for finishings to buildings ; such as chimney-pots and shafts, balustrades, 

 parapets, mullions, architraves, and a variety of similar objects, which it is found 

 may be cheaper and better executed in artificial stone than moulded on the spot 

 in Roman cement. Mr. Austin has taken a partner, Mr. Seeley, who is as great 

 an enthusiast in artificial stone as himself; and from their joint exertions, pa- 

 tronised, as we trust they will be, by our landed proprietors, architects, and gar- 

 deners, we anticipate an increased degree of architectural finish and sculptural 

 ornaments throughout the country. The following quotation from the pre- 

 fatory matter will give an idea of the nature of Austin's artificial stone, its 

 durability, and the various purposes to which it ma)' be applied : — 



" Austin's artificial stone is of a light tint, requires no painting or colouring, 

 will not sustain any injury from the severest winter, and, being impervious to 

 wet, is particularly applicable to all kinds of water-works. Its superiority is 

 now so thoroughly established, that the most eminent architects and scientific 

 gentlemen have expressed, in the highest terms, their approbation of its dura- 

 bility, and close resemblance to the real stone. 



" To prevent the possibility of misconception, A. & S. beg to state that 

 they do not guarantee any of their vases or tazzas to hold during hard frost 

 without injury. The well-known fact of mountain rocks being frequently 

 burst by the natural expansion of the freezing water, would prove the ab- 

 surdity of such a pretension. But they boldly assert (after an experience of 

 many years) that 'Austin's Stone' is waterproof, and, therefore, well qua- 

 lified to hold water (not ice) for any length of time ; and further, that neither 

 heat, nor dry frost, nor snow, nor damp, will produce any sensible effect upon 

 it. They see not, therefore, why, with the simple precaution of keeping the 

 pipes dry from November to March 1st, the English should not enjoy what 

 Mr. Nash, in desfribing the fountains of Paris, calls 'the indescribable pleasure 

 of running water,' during eight months of the year. Without this trifling 

 degree of care the strength of the basin is of little consequence, as it is quite 

 certain that the service pipe will burst with an inferior degree of cold. 



" This artificial stone is well adapted for the enrichments of buildings, and 

 more particularly where repetition of ornament is required, as in the Gothic 

 style; and when Roman cement is used for the plain work of such buildings, 

 the ornaments (of which a large assortment, in every variety of design, is 

 always in readiness) can be had of the same material. 



" Fountains, cascades, artificial reservoirs, vases, figures, grottoes, rock- 

 work, imitative ruins, and the most magnificent designs, can be executed in this 

 material, of any dimensions ; and it only requires encouragement to make the 

 gardens and pleasure-grounds of England vie, in this description of deco- 

 ration, with those splendid, and at present unrivalled, receptacles of art on the 

 Continent. 



" Vases and other ornaments may be made to represent the antique, as old 

 stone can be closely imitated ; and where the ornaments of old buildings are 

 destroyed by age, they can, by this material, be restored." 



Oti the Theories of the Weather Prophets, and the comparative Success of their 

 Predictions. By W. H. White, M.B.S., Secretary to the Meteorological 

 Society, &c. Pamph.Svo, pp. 16. London, 1841. 



Though this tract is to be considered more as a fragment than as a whole, 

 yet it contains matter relating to the weather which we think will be highly 



