The Street Architecture of London. 175 



magnificent appearance of our city when viewed from any of 

 the environs.'" 



We had no excuse to offer, and contented ourselves with 

 the apologetic reply that formerly there was a charming 

 cupola upon the church of St. Benet Fink, and another very 

 picturesque dome close by us over the College of Physicians, 

 both of them the works of Sir Christopher Wren, and Both 

 lately demolished. There were two others to the westward, 

 which we had no little difficulty in explaining to him were 

 called " the Brompton boilers/' but which the good sense of 

 Parliament ordered to be taken down. 



The young French architect, seeing our chagrin on the 

 paucity of domes, good naturedly replied, " Well, but you 

 compensate for them in your spires and steeples. What 

 charming forms are those of Bow, St. Bride's, St. Magnus, 

 St. Vedast, St. Dunstan's in the East, and even that humble 

 one close upon us, St. Martin, Ludgate V and when we 

 informed him that they were all the works of Sir Christopher 

 Wren, he exclaimed, " He was, indeed, an architect !" 



The interior of St. Paul's did not excite so much surprise 

 or approval from our companion, beyond being astonished at 

 the aerial effect of the dome, and its apparent over its real 

 magnitude. Of the embellishments and decorations now in 

 progress he was silent, although it was explained to him they 

 were the works of foreign artists. A shrug only was expres- 

 sive at this announcement. The exterior excited more of our 

 friend's praises than the interior, and the picturesque towers at 

 the west end of the Cathedral, and the circular porticos at the 

 north and south sides he greatly commended. 



Instead of adopting the usual plan of dividing the metro- 

 polis, guide-book fashion, into certain districts, it was thought 

 better to take the buildings according to their several dates, 

 commencing with the early English and mediaeval, then the 

 classical, and finish with the Italian and Palladian. According 

 to this arrangement, the Tower of London first excited the 

 deepest interest in our young friend ; Westminster Abbey he 

 thought finer than Notre Dame, but in parts inferior to Amiens 

 or Beauvais ; he rejoiced to hear of the intended restoration of 

 the Chapter-house. The Temple Church, and that of St. 

 Bartholomew the Great, in Smithfield, completed the list of 

 ancient ecclesiastical structures. Of the modern, in mediaeval 

 fashion, we pointed out to him the Catholic Apostolic, in Gordon 

 Square ; All Saints, in Margaret Street ; and St. Alban's, in 

 Baldwin's Gardens, as three of the most important of a legion 

 in this style. The first and last of these he considered of the 

 highest merit, and was somewhat surprised that mass had 

 not yet been performed in them, and that they were not 



