420 Brit Ion's Illustrations of Toddington. 



other objects' connected with the property ; and at the end there is the pedi- 

 gree of the family of Tracy. 



We give entire the author's concluding address, and again most strongly 

 recommend his work to every country gentleman and amateur. 



" I cannot close the present Volume without adverting to circumstances 

 connected with it, which may be said to form part of its annals, and may 

 therefore be regarded as essential items in its composition. After many years 

 devotion to the history and illustration of the Architectural and Cathedral 

 Antiquities of England (both intimately associated with the history and 

 fine arts of the country), I was naturally tempted to study and examine those 

 modern buildings which professed to imitate, or dared to compete with, 

 edifices which range under those titles. I had published a volume on the 

 noted mansion of Fonthill, and had illustrated and criticised other houses of a 

 similar class in different publications. The fame of Toddington impelled me to 

 seek an opportunity of viewing its architecture, for it was said to possess much 

 originality of design, with elaborate details, and many peculiarities. This 

 wish was readily gratified by its noble proprietor and architect. For the 

 last four or five years I have occasionally seen it, both in progress and since 

 its completion, and have also had frequent conferences with the noble lord, 

 who has devoted more than twenty years to the pleasing, but anxious, task 

 of directing the whole of the woi'ks. To that respected nobleman I now 

 tender grateful thanks for many acts of courtesy and polite attention, and 

 also for the engravings which accompany this volume, which gave it origin, 

 and may be considered to constitute its most attractive portion. 



" To Lord Sudeley the public is under obligations which will never be fully 

 known or appreciated. As one of the committee to select from the competing 

 designs for the new Houses of Parliament, his Lordship not only devoted 

 much time and zealous attention, but manifested an intimate knowledge of the 

 science and art of architecture. Whatever differences of opinion prevailed 

 amongst professional architects and legislative critics, on that conflicting oc- 

 casion, it may be safely predicted, that the designs by Mr. Barry, unanimously 

 fixed on by the Committee, will hereafter be equally an honour to the architect, 

 to England, and to the three distinguished gentlemen who, after choosing the 

 anonymous design, rendered many useful, if not important, hints to the artist. 

 I cannot indulge the hope of living to see that magnificent edifice fully exe- 

 cuted ; but I venture to prognosticate that it will hereafter become a subject 

 of national exultation and pride, and also mark an important epoch in the 

 architectural annals of our beloved and illustrious country. 



" The present volume has been long in progress, and frequently announced 

 for speedy publication. Repeated attacks of illness have occasioned me to 

 put it aside in different stages of composition. At times of convalescence and 

 health other and more pressing demands engrossed nearly all my time and 

 solicitude, and compelled me to postpone the completion of the work. It is 

 at length submitted to that critical ordeal which I have frequently encountered 

 on preceding publications, and which has very generally been indulgent and 

 flattering. In three instances, however, and by three hostile parties, my 

 ci'itics have indulged in envious and malevolent strictures. Knowing those 

 parties, and pitying their constitutional infirmities, which must entangle their 

 road of life with thorns and nettles, I bequeath to them a sincere wish that 

 they may live to know better, and to act more kindly ; that they may correct, 

 or endeavour to correct, their own bad and perverse tempers ; and, in wielding 

 the pen of criticism, that they treat other authors with a justice and generosity 

 which they themselves have a right to expect from public critics. 



" Incidentally becoming connected for the last five years with an imfor- 

 tunate railway company, I was gradually involved in the loss of much time, 

 and also in nearly the whole savings arising from fifty years of literary labour. 

 These ai'e my painful pleas for delay, and also for those imperfections of 

 authorship which the acute critic may too easily detect, but which it is hoped 

 he will generously be disposed to pardon." (p. 46.) 





