176 The Street Architecture of London. 



already under the jurisdiction of a Roman Catholic Bishop of 

 London. 



Of modern mediaeval works, the Palace at Westminster of 

 course stood in the first rank. Alphonse was some time before 

 he hazarded the remark that the enrichments and ornamenta- 

 tions were laid on with too lavish a hand, and that, if some 

 plain surfaces had been preserved, those portions which were 

 enriched would, by contrast, have had an additional value. 

 The Victoria Tower he considered as a Capo d' Opera. The 

 buildings at the Broad Sanctuary he found most picturesque, 

 and admirably adapted to the site, and the Crimean Memorial 

 a most successful performance. The numerous attempts at 

 medigevalism springing up so plentifully in all parts, excited 

 the young French architect's greatest astonishment. He was 

 told that by some it was called the Victoria school, to which 

 he replied that it was well named, as it seemed to "regne 

 partout." Many shrugs of the shoulders were given as he 

 passed these specimens of incongruous forms and elaborate 

 workmanship rapidly in review, considering them generally as 

 great monstrosities. The Music Hall in the Strand is said to 

 be the crowning triumph of this school. My friend observed 

 that its claims as to being a chef d'ozuvre might be a question, 

 but that, at all events, the architect had endeavoured to make 

 it characteristic, and had shown his knowledge of the science 

 of thorough base. There are, however, some specimens of this 

 style which are deserving of praise ; for instance, the schools in 

 Endell Street, St. Giles's ; some buildings on the west side of 

 Bishopsgate Street; a house built for Messrs. Alexander, in 

 Lombard Street ; and more especially a house on the east side 

 of Mincing Lane, near the south end. 



Of Greek and classic buildings, we brought forward St. 

 Pancras Church, in the New Road ; the Propylean entrance to 

 the North- Western Railway; the British Museum; and the 

 Post Office in St. Martin's le Grand. The beautiful little 

 fa9ade and entrance to Melbourne House, Whitehall, may be 

 added to the list. 



We now approach the Italian and French school, and first 

 of all stand the churches of Sir Christopher Wren, the several 

 towers and spires of which had so delighted our young 

 architect in his panoramic view from St. Paul's. With the 

 interior of these churches he was equally delighted ; tbe 

 ingenuity displayed in adapting the buildings to old sites ; 

 the cleverness with which they are lighted ; the appropriate- 

 ness and freedom of the enrichment. The interiors, especially 

 of St. Stephen's, Walbrook ; St. Bride's; St. Laurence Jewry; 

 and, more particularly, St. James's, Westmiuster, all impressed 

 him with admiration at the genius of our great architect, and 



