The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-10-12 00:00:00

THE NEW 'REE LIIiRARY
AND MUSEUM.

We, are sure that at the present time we cannot

perform a more acceptable task for our readers than to
attempt a popular and familiar description of the noble
building whose inauguration next week is to be the
occasion of so much rejoicing and public display. This
is a duty which we have for some time had in contem-
plation, but it never could be more opportune than at
present. The new Free Library, apart from all consi-
deration of the princely munificence to which it owes its
erection, and the enlightened purpose for which it has
been generously designed, possesses high architectural
claims to critical attention, ranking certainly amongst

our public buildings as one of the leading ornaments of
the town. Within a few years old ricketty Shaw's-

brow has vanished as by the stroke of a talisman, and
the neighbourhood is now classical in more respects than

one. It affords a carious contrast and a pleasing proof

of progress that during the erection of the library and
the clearance of the adjoining land an old cock-pit
should have been exhumed. The latter may be taken as
beautifully typical of. the popular taste in the eighteenth
century; the library, of the advancement in popular
enlightenment which characterises the nineteenth.
We may state that for some time past the most
strenuous exertions have been made to have the building
rendered as complete as possible for the formal opening
on the 18th ; with this view the work, wherever it
could, has been pushed on by night as well as day ;
and the building is in such an extraordinary state of
advancement, that yesterday the removal of the books
from the library in Mice-street was commenced, and
the contents of the Derby Museum are at the same time
in course of transfer.

The Liverpool Free Library and Museum may be
described as an oblong building, in the Corinthian style
of architecture, having in the centre a projecting portico,
supported by ten columns, six in front, and four imme-
diately in advance of the grand doorway. It shows a
frontage to Shaw's-brow. of 230 feet, and runs back
from the portico to Clayton-street, a depth of 200 feet.
The facade is of white stone, partly from Yorkshire,
but principally from Cefn, whilst the beautiful columns
were obtained from the celebrated quarry of Barley
Dale. The sides and body of the building are of the
yellow brick manufactured in the neighbourhood of
Rugby. Several counties have thus been laid under
contribution in the erection of the edifice.

In attempting •a popular description of the building,
we glance, of course; first at the front presented to
Shaves-brow. Here we observe, as the principal feature,
next to the portico, a double row of pilasters at each
end of the building, two on each side, with a niche in
the centre—an arrangement which tends much to enliven
the general effect. There are five windows on each side
of the portico on the ground floor, with wreaths in
tablets above; and immediately under the roof runs a
block cornice, with lions' heads at intervals,—the cornice
being heavier at each end than above the portico, and
resting upon the pilasters . already referred to, which
are decorated with Corinthian capitals:
The noble portico itself, which proj elite dLout allay feet,
and extends, eichisiVe of its approaches, seventy-eight
feet, is surmounted by a pediment, and flanked above
with two towers which form a beautiful attic wall ; and it
is approached by a flight of steps, which leads the visitor
immediately into au extensive entrance hall, about thirty
feet in length by twenty-three feet wide. A second and
still shorter treble flight of steps, with columns on each
side, conducts him into the large central hall, which
forms one of the handsomest and most distinctive
features of the edifice.

Indeed it is only V:hcii. we get into the interior of the
'building that we can judge of its immense extent and
capacity of accommodation. The size of the apartments
on every floor set aside for museum purposes especially
strikes the visitor. 'One of them alone would swallow
up the Derby Museum; and what is more, there is
capacity for the most indefinite enlargement.
When the central hall has been reached, the visitor is
apt to suppose that he is in the library probers brit this
is a mistake. This majestic central hall is intended for li
the exhibition of statuary and paintings ; and let; us
hope—for its very presence is suggestive of the
thought—that it may form the nucleus in Liverpool
of a permanent gallery of art. The proprietors of the
Royal Institution, whose treasures of historical art
remain hidden from the masses, have here a glorious
temple for their display; and the nucleus formed, we
might feel confident that private benefaction or public
spirit would soon still further etiriCh the Colleetion, till
we should at length possess a perpetual Art Treasures
Exhibition •Worthy of the town of Roscoe. With the
facilities here placed at disposal, it. behoves us to con-
sider the advantages which we possess in such an effort
over those which Manchester is at present so nobly
striving to obtain. It must not be supposed, in reference to
statuary at least, that abeginning cannot at once be made.
With the exception of the statues of Mr. Wm. Brown,
of the late Archdeacon Brookes, Mr. George Stephen-
son, and Sir Robert Peel, the whole of the figures which
at present adorn the niches in St. George's Hall are the
property of the Library and Museum Committee. The
whole of these we may expect will be removed; indeed
a place for Herculea has already been pointed out on
the landing over the entrance hall.
This grand'eentral hall, exclusive of a corridor which
runs all round the upper and lower stories to a width of
ten feet, is 70 feet long by 30 feet wide, and is open
from the floor to the roof, which, with a glared covering,
sheds a flood of light into the interior. The upper corridor,
supported on semi-circular arches, with moulded pilas-
ters between, is adorned on each side by a row of twenty
stone columns, and the intervals filled in with beautiful
balustrading. There is a like corridor below. With
this exception, the .hall is practically cat off from the
reading-room and museums on each side ; and its floor
is diamond-flagged, with white stone from the Craig-
leith quarries, near Edinburgh, inlaid with small black
marble squares. When complete, this will have a
beautiful effect. The upper corridor is diamond-flagged,
but with white stone alone; and the staircases are of the
same material. The ground storey will not be quite
completed on the day of opening, so far as 'the plaster
work is concerned, but the ceiling has been finished,
and the columns have been cleaned down,—the
whole work being now sufficiently advanced to enable
us to judge of the beautiful tout enseinble which it will
be sure to present.
Standing in this hall, it may be well for clearness'
sake to regard-all that part of the building lying on our
right as the library apartments; all on our left. as the
museum,—and although some of the former "may tem-
porarily be used for museum purposes,
.we believe it is
a condition in the deed of gift, that as the library
extends it shall have a precedent right to accommodation.
Upon the left side of the hall, and' still upon the
ground storey, we have on the south front a museum
room, 50 feet by 27 feet ; on the west, one 40 feet by-
-28 feet, another 70 feet by 26 feet ; and there is also
one of equal dimensions on the north. The fitting up
of these rooms, with cases and cabinets, is in active
progress, and two of them, indeed, are-shelved, finished,
and ready for the reception of specimens.

We now turn to our right. An immense reading-
room, 110 feet in length by about 50 feet wide, and
which, like the hall itself, is open to the roof, is situated
on the east side, where space is likewise found for the
reference library, students' reading.room, and class-
rooms, as also a spacious board-room for the meetings.
of the trustees. The reading-room, as will be readily
conceived, from the dimensions given, is a majestic
apartment, and it is brilliantly illuminated in an even-
ing with three sun-burners of the most beautiful and
elegant design. By day sufficient light is afforded by
the domed roof. What we have called the reference
library, and which is 73 feet in length by 23 feet wide,
is the place where the books are to he deposited. It is
already shelved, and access to the various tiers is afforded
by means of a light iron gallery of• elegant design. A
room similar in size is situated immediately overhead :
this will also be used for the storage of books, and
access to it will be given from the room below by a
spiral staircase, but which has not yet been broken
through. The students' room, which immediately adjoins
the lower reference library, is a fine spacious apartment,
and it has been furnished already with a magnificent
glass and mahogany case fur the security and display of
the more valuable class of books.

The upper storey is approached by a grand staircase
from the north, or Clayton-street, end of the building,
and contains upon the east side the second library-room,
to which we have referred. This storey also affords space
for a small lecture-room, and small museum ; whilst at
the north side there is a spacious lecture-hall, in the
form of an amphitheatre, capable of containing from ,
400 to 500 persons. It is lighted from above by four
sun-burners, and is now so far complete that only a few
seats remain to be laid down.
There are lavatories,
.water-closets, and every con-
venience upon each storey, and the basement of the
building has already been turned to extensive account.
This contains, upon the east side, (111Pacidng,
sorting, and arranging .rooms ; on the west, the lower
museum, with residence for the keeper, &c., for whom
fine lofty apartments have been provided, with ceilings
from sixteen. to seventeen feet high, and which will be
fitted up with every modern convenience. On the west
side of the basement there is a large space, which has
just been appropriated to the use of the five principal
learned societies of the town, and which will be devoted
to the exhibition of new inventions, models, and draw-
ings,—each of the societies having a portion assigned to
them for the purpose. The work here is in an advanced
state of progress ; the columns are up, and the roof
about to be put on. The furnace-room and heating
apparatus are located at the north end.

-7The erection of the Free Library was commenced in
March, 1858; and we certainly never knew any public
building which has progressed so rapidly in its erection.
Mr. Weightman, the. Corporation surveyor, has the
honour of having been the architect of this noble struc-
ture ; and his magnificent design and able plans have
been most carefully and efficiently carried out under the
superintendence of Mr. Crierie, as clerk of the works.
Messrs. Holme and Nicol were the contractors, and Mr.