272 Ne-jo Market of Covent Garden. 



nite, in the manner of the best street paving. The terrace 

 over the quadruple colonnade is composed of large slabs of 

 stone, which form at once the floor of the terrace and the 

 ceiling of the colonnade. From the terrace the water is 

 drained into hollow cast-iron beams, on which the stones rest. 

 These are supported by columns, some of which, in the centre 

 compartment, indicated between d and f, are of cast iron, 

 for the purpose of obtaining more light and space directly in 

 front of the central passage. The exterior passages, including 

 the shops, are covered with slate and zinc. The whole was 

 admirably executed by Mr. William Cubitt, of Gray's Inn 

 Road, by contract. The work was begun in September, 1828, 

 and finished in May, 1830. It has raised Mr. Fowler to the 

 very first rank as an architect, and confirmed, if confirmation 

 were necessary, the high opinion every one entertained of the 

 skill, integrity, and honour of the contractor. 



The conservatories are heated in a new and very ingenious 

 manner by hot water or by steam, at pleasure, according to 

 a plan devised and executed under the direction of Mr. Col- 

 lins, 1 4. Tavistock Row, Covent Garden. This very ingenious 

 engineer has obliged us with very complete plans of the appa- 

 ratus, which we intend to give in a separate article in a future 

 Number. 



The appearance of the market is on every side highly archi- 

 tectural, though the accompanying perspective view of the east 

 front [Jig. 4!l.), copied from one obligingly lent us by Mr. 

 Fowlei', is too small to give any adequate idea of the elegance 

 of the design. 



To walk through this market with the recollection of what 

 it was three years ago, gives rise to a variety of reflections. 

 By what cause has it come to pass that the pillared grandeur 

 and temple-like magnificence, which in former and no distant 

 times were exclusively devoted to the edifices consecrated to 

 the gods or occupied by princes, are now judged appropriate 

 to the scene of humble industry and the abode of every-day 

 people ? Is this change merely attributable to the accidental 

 circumstance of an individual being at once rich, patriotic, 

 and a man of taste ; or is it the result of any general principle 

 in constant operation ? 



In the days of the Grecian republics there were no mag- 

 nificent buildings but the temples, and those were erected 

 at the general expense. The Roman emperors built sump- 

 tuous palaces, and some of their favourites had magnificent 

 country villas. All these were, in process of time, destroyed 

 by the inroads of hardy barbarians, who easily overcame the 

 effeminate Romans, because the Roman empire had then no 



