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times; and it will continue to reward unborn genius by its honours and its fascinations. Hence cities have been reared in lands previously desolate, and palaces constructed to adorn them; whilst churches, castles, and public edifices have progressively risen into notice by the fostering sun of patronage shedding its benign rays on the latent faculties of man. Many sovereigns of Egypt, Greece and Rome have their names enshrined in the annals of history and poetry, more on account of the buildings they erected, and the arts they cherished, than for any conquests they made;—more by promoting the welfare and happiness of man, than for spreading desolation and misery around his habitation.

Among the illustrious worthies of antiquity, whose names will descend to distant ages, and be honoured in all, we find the following duly enrolled in the annals of history:-Dido and Solomon, who lived above one thousand years before the time of Jesus Christ-the first raised Carthage, and the second built the most famous temple in the world. To Themistocles, Athens owed its re-edification, after being nearly destroyed by Xerxes; and Pericles erected its chief sacred edifice, the Parthenon. The warlike Alexander gave origin and his name to the city of Alexandria. Pyrrhus caused the town of Berenicis to be raised in honour of his consort. The city of Corinth owes its creation to Julius Cæsar, who likewise augmented and embellished Paris. Under the dominion and patronage of Herod, the Temple of Jerusalem was rebuilt; and the city and country were at the same time adorned with many stately edifices. The name of Augustus and the magnificence of Rome are intimately associated; whilst those of Trajan, Hadrian, and Constantine are connected with, and dignified by the remains of noble edifices, now in ruins. Julian was proclaimed emperor at Paris, and afterwards testified his regard to that city by augmenting and embellishing its public edifices and making it the seat of government. Many other names might be cited to adorn this list. England has hitherto been either indolent or unfortunate in its career of fame: Architecture and the fine arts have been struggling in the trammels of trade, and seem to have worked by the square foot. Charles the First was well disposed towards both, and patronised a Jones, a Rubens, and a Vandyck-names that would reflect honour on any age or country. In that monarch's reign, London was a tasteless mass of timber huts and dwellings; a calamitous but useful fire nearly consumed the whole, in 1666. Charles the Second and his Architect, Sir Christopher Wren, were desirous of rebuilding it in a plan and style that would have conferred honour on both; but the people were not capable of appreciating the advantages of space, symmetry, and

beauty. A favourable opportunity was lost-for houses, halls, and churches were rapidly and promiscuously raised, regardless of public accommodation or public ornament. Fortunately for the age we live in, the spirit of improvement and taste has deigned to visit London. Every branch of art and science has made rapid advances; public benefits and comforts are consulted in the streets and squares, whilst luxuries and the refinements of life are promoted within the houses. Architecture, sculpture, and painting are now more encouraged and appreciated than at any other epoch of the English annals: palaces and public works are building to adorn the metropolis; and it will be the grateful task of future historians, to associate the name of George the Fourth with the advancement of art, science, and literature; and with the blessings of peace and national prosperity."

THE ensuing pages have been written rather with a view of giving general sketches of the features and contents of Mr. Soane's house, than of furnishing a catalogue raisonné. At first it was my intention to have attempted such a catalogue, with descriptive notices of the various and numerous articles of art, virtu, and literature with which it is stored; but a short essay soon impelled me to change that plan for the one now adopted. The former would have extended to at least two large quarto volumes, and thus have been merely a book for reference, and not for reading. It has been my aim to give it the latter character, and impart some degree of interest to the essay, by advocating and asserting the claims of architecture to proper distinction-by shewing its capabilities, and by enforcing the necessity for private gentlemen to study its principles and its powers. That honours and riches have crowned the career of some of its professors, we have proofs; and that many men of acknowledged talents and worth have been neglected and even ill-treated, we could readily demonstrate: it would not be difficult to point out the causes and to prognosticate the consequences.

ARCHITECTURE, as an art, has not been treated fairly and liberally in this country. In the Royal Academy it has been, and still is, slighted: by public bodies it is regarded as a trade, and put up to speculatory competition. In the erection of a fine metropolitan street, as well as in the designs for many new churches, it has been crippled or sacrificed to mis-judged economy. Some of the great public edifices of

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the country are abridged "of their fair proportions," or deprived of their finer ornaments from this motive or pretext-and thus the taste of the architect is impeached, and the English character traduced. These considerations, and the daily evidence before our eyes of failures and degradations in this noble art, show the necessity of speedily founding an

ARCHITECTURAL ACADEMY,

wherein the elements, the art, and the science of Architecture might be taughtwhere able professors might be supported and rewarded-wherein models, casts, drawings, books, &c. might be preserved,-where emulation and talent would be placed in laudable competition, and find their proper level and reward ;—and where diplomatic honours should be conferred on ability, and be its passport to the world. On this subject I have employed much reflection, and for the furtherance of it have matured a plan which it is my intention, at no distant time, to lay before the public. For whilst societies are established for the promotion and protection of mechanics, -of painters, sculptors, and of authors,—and at a time when a new University is advancing to adorn and benefit the metropolis, by improving literature and science, it is almost indispensable that Architecture should enforce her claims and establish her character. If the professional man, the sincere patron, and the zealous amateur, will promptly and cordially unite in the cause, it may easily and speedily be carried into effect. The chief obstacles to encounter are jealousy and theory: for there is no good without alloy. The Architect must forego all temporary views of his own, and concede to a public object and a public benefit: indeed, every person who cannot dispossess himself of private and sinister motives, and enter upon the subject zealously and impartially, will be unfitted for management, and will rather retard than advance the progress of a plan which is calculated to place Architecture, and its enlightened professors in their proper station among the highest class of the Arts and Artists of the country. Wishing to render this plan as efficient and unobjectionable as possible, it will give me much pleasure to receive the suggestions or co-operative assistance of any professional or private gentleman who may be inclined to communicate on the subject.

J. BRITTON,

17, BURTON STREET, LONDON.

XV

ANALYTICAL CONTENTS OF THE VOLUME.

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TITLE with Vignette-Views of Vases. DEDICATION, to the King. PREFACE, embracing remarks on intellectual associations and characteristics Museums and architectural collections-Qualifications for writing this volume-Causes of prejudice -Originality liable to severe criticism, particularly in an Architect-Travels of Architecture-Art and patronage-Honours conferred on Architects of antient times-Explanation of the present work-ARCHITECTURAL ACADEMY, p. vii to xiv. CHAP. I. Remarks on design, arrangement, decoration; principally as relating to interior architecture and its embellishments-painted glass, mirrors, and ornaments, p. 1 to 23. CHAP. II. Description of the general arrangement of Mr. Soane's house, with brief remarks on the fitting up and decoration of the different

apartments, referring to the accompanying illustrations, p. 24 to 30.

CHAP. III. Detailed descriptions of the different apartments, viz. the Vestibule and StaircaseEating-room and Library-Breakfast-room, Passage,-Cabinet, Museum,--Vestibule to, and Picture Cabinet,-Dressing-room, and Study:-In the Basement-the Monk's Parlour and Cemetery: Corridor, Sarcophagusroom, Drawing-rooms, with reference to the sections and perspective views, p. 30 to 48.. CHAP. IV. Brief essay on the contents of the house, classed under the respective heads of-1. Egyptian Antiquities; 2. Grecian; 3. Roman; 4. Pictures and Drawings; and 5. Books. Mr. Soane's style of design illustrated in the National Debt Redemption Office-and Royal Gallery, House of Lords.

A LIST OF ENGRAVINGS, WITH REFERENCES AND NOTICES.

*The reader is solicited to figure the Plates according to the ensuing List—as there are errors in the engraved numbers.

PLATE I. PLAN OF THE GROUND FLOOR, and of

the two adjoining houses, pointing out the relative situations and forms of the different apartments. A cursory view of this plan will indicate the variety, picturesque arrangement, apparent complexity, but symmetry of the whole floor. A. A. Porch and arcade projecting before the house; B. Vestibule; c. Arched recess; D. Staircase, lighted from above; E. E. Eating-room, forming part of F F, which may be called the principal library; G. Breakfast-room; H. Cabinet study, with fragments of Grecian architecture, bronzes, &c.; J. Dressing-room, with windows to two courts; K. Closets, or passage to Museum, R, which is beneath the clerk's office, and communicates with a more lofty part of the Museum, Q. This is open from the basement floor to a domical lanthorn light. At P. is a cast of the statue of Apollo, to the left of which are three recesses with glazed bookcases, filled with an illustrated Pennant and other valuable books. o. A passage gallery, filled with various vases, casts, fragments, &c. with a coved sky-light, and an opening in the floor, to the catacomb beneath. At M. and N. are closets with bookcases, models, &c. s. Vestibule, filled with architectural fragments and casts. T. Picture Gallery, with

folding screens on three sides, a lanthorn light in a highly enriched ceiling, and opening by two pairs of large screens, or doors, to a lofty gallery, u, and window filled with stained glass, v. At w, x, and L, are two courts, that to the east adorned with ruins of arches and architectural ornaments from the dilapidated palace of Westminster, forming a sort of monk's cemetery, whilst that at L is enriched with several fragments of Grecian and Roman architecture. At T. is a door-way to a back street, and stairs to the basement floor, which will be described in noticing Plate VIII. z. Is a Picture Gallery, with sky-lights, a suspended ceiling, and bay window, now forming part of the house No. 12. PLATE II. Elevations of the four sides of the LIBRARY and EATING-ROOM, forming one apartment, and adorned with pictures, vases, book-cases, &c.

PLATE III. Sections and elevations of two sides

of the BREAKFAST-ROOM, shewing the form and design of its domical ceiling, with central lanthorn-light and two coved sky-lights at the ends; also the manner in which it is fitted up. The junction of this apartment with the Museum is displayed in PLATE IV. (erroneously figured VII.) which gives a section of that part marked a in the plan,

and shews the style of design and adornment of this very unique place. The scenery and characteristic features of this room, or series of rooms, are represented in the four following prints. PLATE V. A view from the basement floor, in which the sarcophagus is placed, with several fragments arranged around. PLATE VI. A view from one angle, looking towards the Breakfast-room, and representing a series of marble vases, fixed on a balustrade, and numerous architectural and sculptured fragments attached to the walls. PLATE VII. A plan of the Sarcophagus-room, a, with elevations of its four sides, delineating the several antique ornaments with which it is adorned; B, the eastern side; c, the western; D, northern; and E, southern. PLATE VIII. Section of the whole Museum, from

east to west, with the basement floor, the office above that part at M, the staircase from the basement to the ground floor, and another flight of stairs to the office. N shews the elevation and section of the Picture Gallery, with an apartment called the Monk's Room, beneath. The plan beneath displays the arrangement of this floor: A. The Sarcophagus-room, as shewn in Plate VII.; B. A sort of Catacomb, in which are placed several marble cinerary urns, some of which are delineated in Plate XVIII.; c. Recess; D. Wine Cellar, but shewn in the annexed section as a sort of catacomb; E. Stairs; F. Monk's room; G. Corridor, in which, and in that at the bottom of the stairs, are many fragments of ecclesiastical architecture; н. Vestibule to court, or monk's cemetery, at J; at K. is a court-yard, and L an anti-room communicating to kitchen, &c. It will be seen that the plan is half the scale of the section, in order to bring it into the same plate. PLATE IX. Vestibule to the Picture Gallery, marked s. in the Ground Plan. One end is occupied by casts of parts of a capital and entablature, from the ruined Temple of Jupiter Stator, at Rome, whilst the sides are adorned with several other interesting and valuable casts from, and fragments of, architectural members.

PLATES X. XI. and XII. are intended to convey some idea of the design, arrangement, and decoration of the Picture Gallery, which I believe is truly original, and is richly stored with valuable works of art. PLATES XIII. and XIV. are representations of the Monk's-room, the first shewing the eastern

side and part of the gallery above; and the second, the northern and western ends. The latter is coloured in imitation of the effect of the scene itself, and displays many objects of antique art, a model of one side of the Bank, &c.

PLATE XV. View of the Egyptian Sarcophagus. PLATE XVI. Elevations of the two sides, interior and exterior, and of the two ends, with a view of the interior surface of the bottom. PLATE XVII. Six antique marble Cinerary Urns, adorned with beautiful specimens of sculp

ture.

PLATE XVIII. Eight antique marble Cinerary Urns, with inscriptions, &c.

WOOD CUTS.

No. I. Views of antique fictile Vases, grouped, in title-page.

No. II. View of a piece of Roman sculpture, on
one side of a Sarcophagus, p. 1.
No. III. Representation of an antient Grecian
Sepulchre, or funeral chamber, p. 25.

No. IV. Small bronze Idols, of Egyptian and other nations, p. 32.

No. V. View of a Sepulchral Monument, designed

by Mr. Soane, and raised to the memory of Mrs. Soane, in a burial-ground near the Old Church of St. Pancras, Middlesex, end of volume.

Illustrations of The National Debt Redemption Office, Old Jewry; and of Royal Gallery to the House of Lords, Designs by Mr. Soane, and introduced into this Volume to exemplify and confirm the opinions and comments that have been made in some of its pages.

NATIONAL DEBT OFFICE.

PLATE I. Ground Plan, No. I., and plans of the Dome-room, Nos. II. and III. A. and R. Porch and area; B. Hall and outer office; c. Domeroom; D. E. F. Offices; G. Lobby; H. Stairs; I. Closet; a. a. Stairs and hall to dwellinghouse; b. Court; c. Office.

PLATE II. Section through dome-room, c; lobby,
G; office, B; and porch, A.
PLATE III. View of Dome-room, looking to office.

ROYAL GALLERY, HOUSE OF LORDS.

PLATE I. Section from north to south, shewing

the western side, also the forms of the lanthorn-lights, the highly enriched ceiling &c. PLATE II. Perspective view of the interior, looking towards the north.

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