406 S. O N 
two hundred and ftxty of which are fo eafy that a child 
may afcend them without difficulty; but thofe above are 
■unpleafant, and in fome places very dark; the little light 
that is afforded, is, however, fufficient to (how amazing 
proofs of the wonderful contrivances of the architect. 
But, as the firft gallery, furrounded by a ftone balluftrade, 
and therefore called the ftone gallery, affords a very fine 
profpeCt, many are fatisfied, and unwilling to undergo, the 
fatigue of mounting higher. In the afcent to the iron 
gallery, may be feen the cone of brick-work that fupports 
the lantern with its ball and crofs; the outer dome being 
turned on the outfide, and the inner on the infide, of the 
cone. Thetimber-work, which at once fupports the outer 
dome and the cone, is alfo worthy of infpeClion. 
The vifitor, on his defcent, is invited to fee the whif- 
pering-gailery, which will likewife coft two-pence; he 
here beholds to advantage the beautiful pavement of the 
church, and has the molt interefting view of the fine 
paintings in the cupola, which are now going to decay. 
Here founds are magnified to an aftonifhing degree ; the 
lead whifper is heard round the whole circumference ; the 
■voice of a perfon fpeaking foftly againft the wall on the 
other fide feems as if he itood dole to your ear, though 
the femicircular diftance is no lefs than 140 feet; and the 
fhutting of the door refounds through the place like thun¬ 
der, or as if the whole fabric were falling. To this gallery 
there is an eafy afcent for perfons of diftinCtion, by a molt 
beautiful flight of ftairs. The principle upon which this 
gallery is built appears at firft very complicated ; but, when 
we confider that found, like light, produces always an an¬ 
gle of reflexion equal to that of incidence, we fhall more ea- 
flly comprehend the myfeerious effeCt which has caufed our 
allonifhment. See alfo the article Acoustics, vol. i. p. 89. 
The ltranger is next invited to fee the library, the books 
of which arc- neither numerous nor valuable ; but the floor, 
which is formed of 2376 fmall pieces of oak, is artfully inlaid, 
without either nails or pegs, and is not only neat in the 
workmanfliip, but beautiful in appearance ; and the wain- 
i'coting and book-cafes are not inelegant. The principal 
things pointed out to the vifitor, are feveral beautifully- 
carved flone-pillars, fome Latin manuferipts written by 
the monks eight hundred years ago, and an illuminated 
snanufeript, containing rules for the government of a con¬ 
vent, written in old Englifli about five hundred years ago; 
thefe, and fome other manuferipts, are in very fine pre- 
fervation. .Over the fire-place is a portrait of Dr. .Comp¬ 
ton, the prelate that filled the fee during the whole time 
of building the cathedral, who fitted up the library at his 
©wn expenfe, and gave it to the church. 
The next curiofiry is the fine model fir Chriftopher firft 
caufed to be made for building the new cathedral. It was 
jiot, taken from St. Peter’s, at Rome, as is pretended ; but 
was fir Chriltopher’s own invention, and the model on 
which he fet the higheft value; and it is greatly to be la¬ 
mented that this defign was not executed; the fuperiority 
©f which becomes evident, on a comparifon of the model 
with the building. It is of one ftofy only, and, in every 
refpeCt, much more Ample than the cathedral; while, at 
the fame time, it poffeffes all that elegance which refults 
from the happieft union of fimplicity and variety. Here 
is alfo the model of an altar-piece, which fir Chriftopher 
intended for this cathedral, had his plan been followed. 
You are next fliown the great bell in the fouth tower, 
which weighs 11,470 lbs. On this bell the hammer of 
the great clock ftrfkes the hour; and on a fmaller bell are 
ftruck the quarters. The great bell is never tolled, ex¬ 
cept on the death of one of the royal family, the bilhop 
of London, or the dean of St. Paul’s; and, when tolled, 
it is the clapper, and not the bell, which is moved. The 
clock-work is alfo very deferving of attention, both for its 
magnitude and the accuracy of the workmanfliip. The 
length of the pendulum is fourteen feet, and the weight 
at the extremity oneewt.—From this part a furvey of the 
furrounding ftreets otters a very interefting fpeCtacle.—The 
geometrical ftair-cafe, as it is called, was a curiolity at 
£> O N. 
that day ; and to fome people, unacquainted with the prin¬ 
ciples of ftatics upon which it is conftructed,it appears dan¬ 
gerous ; the fteps being formed of large ftones, which 1'eern 
to hang together without fupport. The vifitor may not be 
aware, that the weight of the part of each ftone concealed 
in the wall, and aided by an unfeen corbel, is nearly dou¬ 
ble of that of the part projecting from it. This fort of 
conftruCtion is at prefent not uncommon. 
The afcent to the ball is attended with fome difficulty, 
and is encountered by few ; yet, both the ball, and the 
paffage to it, well delerve the labour. The internal dia¬ 
meter of the ball is fix feet two inches; and it will con¬ 
tain eight perfons. 
The cathedral church of St. Paul is defervedly efteemed 
the fecond in Europe, not for magnitude only, but for 
beauty and grandeur. St. Peter’s, at Rome, is undoubt¬ 
edly the firft ; but, at the fame time, it is generally-acknow¬ 
ledged, by all travellers of tafte, that the outfide, and par¬ 
ticularly the front, of St. Paul’s, is fuperior to that of St. 
Peter’s. The two towers at the welt end, though faulty in 
fome refpeffs, are yet elegant, and the portico finely marks 
the principal entrance. The loggia, crowned with a pe¬ 
diment, with its alto relievo and ftatues, make, in the 
whole, a fine ftiape; whereas St. Peter’s is a ftraight line, 
without any break. The dome is extremely magnificent;, 
and, by riling higher than that at Rome, is feen to more- 
advantage, on a near approach. The infide, though no¬ 
ble, falls fhort of St. Peter’s. The difeontinuing the ar¬ 
chitrave of the great entablature over the arches, in the 
middle of the aifle, is a fault which architects can never 
forgive. Notwitliftanding, without a critical examinations 
it appears very linking, especially on entering the north 
or fouth door. The fide-aifles, though fmall, are very ele¬ 
gant. If, upon the whole, St. Paul’s does not equal St. Pe¬ 
ter’s, there is much to be faid in defence both of it and - 
the architeCl, who was not permitted to decorate it as he 
intended, through a want of tafte in the managers, who 
feemed to have forgotten that it was intended for a na¬ 
tional ornament. St. Peter’s has all the advantages of 
painting and fculpture by the greateft mailers, and is en- 
crufted with a variety of the fined marbles; no coft having 
been fpared to make it exceed every thing of its kind. 
The great geometrical knowledge of the architect can ne¬ 
ver be fufficiently admired ; but this can be come at only 
by a thorough infpeClion of the feveral parts. 
It has been often remarked, and not without emotions 
of gratitude, that the architect of the metropolitan church 
fhould have, and yet has not, a monument in the bofom 
of this great proof of the tranfcendency of his mind, and 
of his unequalled lkill in the art. This laudable with 
would, however, defeat and fet to nought the fublime 
idea which terminates the epitaph of this great man fimply 
and modettly affixed to a pillar in a corner of the crypt. 
But Mr. Pennant very judicioufiy obferves, <£ It is to be 
lamented that this beautiful thought (hould be flung away 
in the mod darkfome nook of the whole fabric ;” where 
indeed it lofes all the beauty of its poffibie application. 
“ May we venture to luggeft to the venerable chapter the 
propriety with which the infeription might be placed be¬ 
neath the centre of the magnificent dome, on fome elegant 
cenotaph, directing the eye to the intended objeCl.” We 
rejoice to find this liberal luggettion at length attended to 
by the prefent worthy dean and chapter, and the welcome 
hint, partly taken up in a manner which, as far as it has 
brought the excellent epitaph out of the ffiades into light, 
certainly does credit to the promoters and executors oS 
the defign. The infeription runs thus: 
Subtus couditur, 
Hujus Ecclefia: et Urbis Conditor, 
Christopherus Wren, 
Qui vixit annos ultra nonaginta, 
Non libi, fed bono publico. 
Lector, fi Monumentum requiris, 
CIRCUMSPICE. 
Qbi.it 2,5. Feb. ann, MDCCXXIII. XCJ. 
WhicJa 
