appears to have been perpetually fumbling, without being able at last to make any thing tolerable of them. Not a few of them, particularly those for churches, are of the most patchwork and piebald character-heterogeneous compounds, salmagundies of all styles, brought into harsh conflict with each other, He certainly did something in being the first to venture upon a practical application of the Tivoli-Corinthian, but of Grecian architecture he appears not to have had the slightest apprehension, otherwise hardly would he have fallen into such caricatures of it as heavy Doric columns, mixed up with mean-looking fluted pilasters, light segmental arches, and fan-work dome ceilings, like that in his own breakfast-room; or given us such vile sophistications of the Grecian-Ionic as that in the King's Gallery at the late House of Lords; where the likeness of that order was confined to the capitals of the columns alone. Even his magnum opus, the Bank --the study of thirty years-contains merely some good bits here and there; the order itself, except in the part at the north-west angles, is defrauded of its original character by the frieze being left blank, and so occasioning the capitals to look squat and heavy and the centre of the principal or south front, is a most egregious falling off, and a decided failure in itself, not taking into account the miserable solecistical conceit of making the chimneyshafts resemble small Doric columns. Another most indefensible impropriety, quite counter to every sound principle of architecture, and even construction, was that of putting, as he has done, both in this part of the Bank and at the Board of Trade, a row of columns and their entablature, forming a mere sham erection, placed against the building and only partially attached to it, so as to discover that there are mezzanine windows behind the entablature, quite blocked up and obstructed by it.*

* Were it not that our list is likely to be considered long enough already, we could enumerate many other instances of architectural freaks and absurdities indulged in by the late professor, such as those ugly horizontal stripes and scorings of external walls, in which others have since followed him, and the rusticating internal walls; unmeaning and tasteless zigzag flourishes of sunk lines around arches; and the aiming at sundry little peep-show effects, which, although they might be all very well in such a mere little show-box as his own house and museum, produced an air of insignificance and paltriness elsewhere. In short, the professor's taste in his art may justly be affirmed to have been at once dull and capricious-whimsically bigoted to precedent in some things, in others setting both precedent, principles, and common sense at utter defiance; and far more instructive from the warnings it still holds out to others, than in the exemplars it has left. Thus much must suffice here, as we have no room for entering into such systematic and detailed criticism of his works and designs as would serve to confirm the opinion we have passed upon them. In saying what we have done, we shall probably be considered ungenerously harsh, if not absolutely unjust, towards one over whom the grave has so recently closed, and who has bequeathed-not, indeed, unincumbered with restrictions--his museum and its contents to the public. And if so, we should be thought still more unjustifiably severe-even

At the very best, Soane can be allowed to have done no more than to have made some beginnings towards a style which he wanted either the leisure or the ability to reduce to any tolerably consistent system. Even Schinkel himself is by no means uniformly happy, when, deserting both the antique and every later style, he trusts almost exclusively to his own resources, as is the case, we are concerned to say, of the buildings attached to the new barriers at the extremity of the Wilhelm's Strasse, in Berlin. His originality displays itself most advantageously in bestowing copiousness and variety to Greek architecture, infusing into it a fresh spirit, pliancy, and grace, not less than in purifying it from not a few adulterations ingrafted upon it by mere copyists. However it may please Dr. Ritgen to make light of it, it is a point of very formidable difficulty to find out how we are, in consequence of the more general and undisguised use of metal and wood, to obtain such numerous and characteristic forms and details as will fully supply the place of those which, if newer ones

to uncharitableness, were we to give utterance to our estimate of the man as well as the architect; in doing which we should be tempted to set at nought the maxim— De mortuis nil nisi bonum,-a time-honoured one with most, yet, in our opinion, "more honoured in the breach than in the observance," since, by promising posthumous impunity, it tends to do away the wholesome awe of posthumous disgrace,-~ the last remaining check upon many, who

"Safe from the bar, the pulpit, and the throne,
Are awed by dread of infamy alone."

We do not speak rashly and unadvisedly when we say that, however much public opinion may be dazzled by certain acts of munificence, the motives for which might be traced to not the most laudable source, it will be difficult even for those most eager to vindicate Sir John Soane's memory to exculpate him from the charge of having been the reverse of amiable in his private character. That he was a singular compound of sordid meanness and ostentatious prodigality, those who knew him will hardly pretend to deny. That he was a man of egregious vanity and overweening self-conceit is perfectly notorious; though the full extent of that vanity may not be so generally known-a vanity that led him to relish the most fulsome, outrageous, and barefaced flattery from sycophants, parasites, and legacy-hunters, whom, all the while, he despised, if not actually detested, being aware that they looked upon him as their dupe. In his disposition he was ungenerous, unfeeling, obdurate, tyrannical; in his capricious resentments, implacable even to oppression and persecution. His enmities, once avowed, were most deadly; and, besides various acts of direct malevolence, he could stoop to the most paltry and shuffling duplicity in matters which, although not always important in themselves, plainly marked the natural disposition of the man. Numerous are the anecdotes related of him on the most unquestionable anthority, which would corroborate all this beyond the possibility of doubt; and although they have hitherto been allowed to circulate only in whispers, the time is now arrived when many of them will, perhaps, court the publicity they before shunned. Whether Mr. Smith's Life of Sir John, a prospectus of which made some noise in certain circles not long ago, will now see the light, is somewhat doubtful, but if it ever should, it will portray him more à la Fraser, or as we ourselves have delineated him,than in emulation of the flattering pencil of Sir Thomas, or the more servile pen of one, whose unctuous memoir of Sir John has, perhaps, by this time, been rewarded by a fat legacy.

be adopted, must be abandoned, because it would be still more difficult to reconcile the two together. It is not for mere economy and facilities of execution that the use of metal is recommended: it is already employed for cast-iron columns and other things that mimic stone: on the contrary, it remains to be devised how we can escape from such mimicry, and show the actual materials as they really are, and as they enter into the construction of the fabric, without counterfeit. To effect this, we must," at one fell swoop," dismiss the Greek orders-columns, and entablatures of every kind, which, even now for the most part ostentatious embellishment, would become too palpably and offensively incongruous when attached to what would be made to display totally different materials and mode of construction. This would be all the more requisite, because, otherwise, the main building itself, however durable and strong it might be, would appear almost flimsy patchwork in comparison with the solid and more massive columns of uniform stone. Could we, in fact, obtain any substitute for the orders-external columns of any kind in lieu of those we should thus be interdicted from making use of? we apprehend not.

The utmost, in all probability, that we could do, if metal or wooden pillars are to be employed, of such forms and proportions as the mechanical constructive principles would require, would be to introduce them in virandas or open viranda-galleries; which would of course lead to the adoption of a light style altogether different from the Grecian or any of its derivatives, and with not much that would be nearly akin to the Gothic. Independently of pillars for such purposes, there would, we imagine, be very little opportunity for having recourse to metal-work in the exterior, which would thus be reduced to little more than mere wall and windows-the latter of simple unvaried outline, since there would be nothing to occasion any great departure from the forms now generally in use. Timber, again, it is to be presumed, could be made to show itself to any extent, or with any degree of effect, by merely resorting to something analogous to that species of construction once in vogue for domestic buildings, in what are styled half-timbered houses, that is, those in which a frame-work of timber, often richly carved on some of its external surfaces, was filled up either with brick or plaster. Adopting this species of construction, it would be very possible for us to re-fashion it soas to bestow on it that finished elegance and uniform richness in which it was generally deficient; since, owing in many instances, perhaps, to subsequent repairs and alterations, in which economy alone has been consulted, few examples are to be met with of uniform character throughout; spirited and beautiful as many of the

details are, taken separately, the general effect is, for the most part, of that quaint uncouth kind, which pleases chiefly by its singularity, and in consequence of the associations attached to the buildings as reliques of former periods and of their taste; or else interesting as studies from which valuable hints may be derived.

As a series of specimens and studies of ornamental forms and details suitable to such mode of construction, we can, in all sincerity, most strongly recommend Bötticher's work, entitled " Die Holzarchitektur des Mittelalters," not only for the intrinsic beauty of most of the subjects themselves, which exhibit a very superior style of design to any thing of a similar kind in this country, but also for the masterly execution of the plates themselves, and the free, artist-like spirit with which the respective details are delineated. Notwithstanding the fancifulness of some of them, and though they are equally remote from Grecian and Gothic, they evince a certain refinement and delicacy of taste and happiness of composition, that are almost fascinating; which is particularly the case with some of the examples from Halberstadt. In this respect, these details are, although equally " nondescript," if we may venture to apply to them an epithet universally taken in an unfavourable sense, immeasurably superior to any thing in what is termed Elizabethan architecture, including that of James the First; since, compared with these, the details of the latter appear coarse and tasteless, even to unmeaning clumsiness. It is to be regretted, however, that the work itself proceeds exceedingly slowly, only two numbers having as yet appeared, although it is now more than a twelvemonth since its publication commenced; which tardiness is all the more displeasing, because, besides supplying much historical and technical information, the text is to be further elucidated by additional engravings, showing plans and modes of construction; and this portion is reserved for the concluding Lieferung. This" Holzarchitektur" is calculated to prove very serviceable in suggesting ideas applicable to various purposes of construction and ornament both in wood and metal, should any of our architects have confidence enough to venture upon the course so strongly urged by our German theorist, as one of imperative necessity, and to which they must come at last.

At all events, it is likely that professional men will be led to bestow some consideration on the matter, and inquire into its practicability, the Institute of British Architects having proposed it as the subject of one of their next prize essays: they would do well also to offer a premium for some design that should exemplify some such mode of construction, and show what rudiments at least of an appropriate ornamental style might be elicited from

VOL. XIX.-NO. XXXVII.

G

it. Otherwise, we apprehend that it will not have a fair trial either way, but that either the difficulties attending it will be pronounced insurmountable, or its feasibility taken for granted, without the slightest proof, or any attempt being made to point out a beginning and a starting-place for such new career. For our own part, we very much question whether the more extensive application of iron to building could be made at all to affect design, or conduce to any decided change in that respect, either internally or externally. Supposing it to become in time almost universally adopted for the framing both of floors and roofs, those are parts not exposed to view, consequently, could not very well influence or produce any modification in those which are visible. Hardly, too, could iron or other metal be employed to any extent for the outside of a building, except in the particular way we have already instanced, which, after all, would be suitable for dwellinghouses alone. In regard to wood, again, that would be far more likely to be exploded, nearly altogether, in consequence of metal being substituted for the principal purposes for which timber has hitherto been employed, than to be brought into use afresh for constructions whence it has been discarded, and for which it would now be considered objectionable on account of its dangerousness in case of fire.

One point, by far too important to be overlooked, perhaps fatal to what might otherwise seem a very rational and wellfounded hope on the part of those who advocate innovation on or renovation of architecture, is that, contrary to the process by which all the styles we are now acquainted with were gradually reared up to maturity, we should be compelled to lay the foundations of ours upon too humble and contracted a basis. We should be compelled, in the first instance, to begin with it, and consequently, adapt it to private buildings, or such as would be comparatively unimportant, so that, even if we succeeded in giving it some determinate character, while a certain prejudice would thus be excited against it, such character itself would be accommodated not to stateliness and grandeur, nor be in anywise capable of rising to them, but be confined within exceedingly contracted limits. Never would the pointed style have been able to develop its full powers, and attain to that wonderful variety and those various excellences which claim our admiration, had it not found an open field for its exertions in the lofty and spacious interiors of cathedrals and other ecclesiastical structures; whereas, hardly any one class of our public buildings, not excepting even our churches, affords scope for the manifestation of internal construction, upon such a scale as might conduct to an impressive degree of grandeur. Excepting churches, all the rest are par