The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 11, 1867.

many occasions did no more than supply the instruc- hall and Westminster-hall for the exercise of your
tions usually given to an architect by his client, and inventive genius."
confirm my statement that, " although the general On the 11th of August, 1851 :—" I approve your
drawings then and subsequently supplied comprised design and arrangement for the wall tiles, as well as
every portion of the building, Sir Charles was un- the floor tiles."
able to proceed whenever details were wanting." Con the 22d October, 1851 :—" I really forget the
Thus, with the general designs for the different pore arrangement of the tiles in the angle spaces of the
tions of the House of Lords in his possession, he central hall floor, but if you are satisfied with it, I
writes from Brighton in 1844 thus : have no doubt I shall be content with the design as
"DearPugin,—l am in a regularfix respecting the fittings it ie. Therefore, give your orders to Minton for the
and decorations for the House of Lords, which it is of vital new tiles, as it seemeth best to you."
importance to me should be finished with the utmost do- On the 7th November, 1851 :—" I approve the
spatch. lam induced to write to you that you may be
both able and willing to pass a week or ten days with mo principles of the rough sketches, which I return en-
for the purpose of working out the drawings in question, closed without alteration."
and of enabling me to consult you generally." On the Bth November, 1851, Sir Charles asks for
Further on the letter proceeds : a " sketch of the regalia, as symbols of the dignity
"But I think you will now have enough to do for acme of the house."
time to come, notwithstanding your fifty-horse power of On the 26th November, 1851 :—" lam much
creation."
obliged to you for the satisfactory accounts of your
From all this it may be plainly seen what Sir progress of all that is now in course of preparation
Charles Barry meant by " details,"--not some for the great work, as well as for your zealous and
minute ornament for one of his own designed fea-
unremitting exertions therein."
tures, but the " features" themselves—" not one of On the 18th December, 1851 :—" The drawings
which," Mr. Wolfe declares, " was ever designed by for badges for the Commons' gallery front will do
Pugin." On the 22d of October, 1836, Sir Charles very well, and Crace has orders to make use of them.
writes :—" Being from home yesterday, I could not The arrangement of them which you prose will, I
acknowledge by return of post the receipt of the draw- have no doubt, answer. With some of po
them I am
ings of the House of Lords, which came to hand last unacquainted; I shall therefore require instructions
night, and afforded me a rich treat." (May I ask, respecting them." (Here Sir Charles is again ask-
by the way, whether people generally have " a rich ing for explanations from my father; the positions
treat" in seeing merely enlarged copies of their own are reversed.)
designs ?) In the same letter, speaking of the King's On the 27th December, 1851, referring to the
and Record Tower entrance :--" This you may make heraldry in front of the houses, he says :—" I shall
of any design you may think proper ;" and of the be very glad, if it would not be bothering you too
King's stairs, " The design of this part should, I much, if you would give the subject your deliberate
think, be of a simple and massive character." If this attention, and favour me with your ideas."
is not an admission that my father actually designed On the 14th June (no year given) :-.4‘ I enclose a
these portions of the building, what is it ? Perhaps rough tracing of flying buttress of central tower
it may convince Messrs. Charles and Edward Barry (the designs for which I find, by reference to the
that so far from my father ever getting " unmerited diary, my father had made in 1835), and shall be
credit for his share in the designs of the New Palace," glad of your advice at your earliest convenience."
he never got a tithe of what was due to him. The foregoing extracts declare in actual words
There are a multitude of other entries of the that • from my father proceeded sketches, ideas,
same character in his diaries, all proving that be drawings, proposals, instructions, explanations, in-
was constantly supplying Sir Charles Barry with vention, arrangement, principles, advice, orders
every kind of design.
—and all for—" glory," which another en-
When Sir Charles had obtained what he considered joyed. More than this, Sir Charles was so
a sufficient supply he cut the cable by which he rode completely at fault, even in the smallest matters,
so long, and intrusted my father's designs to Mr. that he applied for sketches and designs for ink-
Thomas, a man whose practical education was due stands, blotting cases, umbrella :stands, paper
to his working according to my father's drawings holders, ventilating roses, tapestries, papers, stuffs,
and under his instructions at the Birmingham carpets, &c., for some of which he asks for full-sized
Grammar School. My father acutely felt this un- drawings. I have myself a distinct recollection of
generous treatment, and for many years refused all hearing my father constantly complain that without
intercourse with Sir Charles Barry—a fact quite him everything would come to a standstill, and the
contrary to the oft-repeated assertion that " their time he lost, and the journeys he took in come-
mutual friendship was continuous and uninterrupted." quence.
When my father again consented to design for Sir Now, first, will any one deny that the above ex-
Charles, he did so—as he himself constantly assured tracts disprove the statements signed (but not
me—solely on condition of having an official ap- written) by Mr. W. Wright, upon whom Mr. E.
pointmentunder Government, over which Sir Charles Barry called two days before my lawyer saw him,
should have no control ; n eor,,, he said, ~ as soon when he bluntly refused to give any evidence what-
as Barry has obtained what he requires from me he ever ?
will repeat 1837." The letter of 1845 was simply Secondly, do they not indicate in what sense my
the sequel to his having sold his brains in 1835. In father was subordinate to Sir Charles Barry ? The
that year he became a Catholic, and I have often latter was the appointed and publicly recognised
heard him say, " With that my chance for the Houses architect of the HOUS2S, and his decision was final.
vanished, and I made the best of the situation." He had the power of selecting and of refusing all
The Messrs. Barry ridicule this statement, and that my father submitted to him ; he had a great
speak of "an anonymous competition, the essence of plan in his head, and to carry out this plan he had
which was the concealment of the names of the to give instructions. What he wanted he had to ask
competitors ;" but, independent of the consideration for, and my father designed and supplied it. In
that his success, with an almost absolute certainty, what other way he was " subordinate" it would
might not have been followed by confirmation, lam puzzle any one to make out.
compelled to say that, while it is quite true that Thirdly, do they not fully explain the nature of
their drawings might pass without detection in the the "details" to which my father's work was con-
most limited competition, my father's touch was as fined ? The word " detail" has been so depreciated
conclusive as his autograph, whether shown on the in the minds of many people that it signifies to them
margin of a note or on the magnificent designs still no more than the crockets of a canopy or the mi-
existing, which he prepared for the Houses, manyof nutiaa of a finial. Setting aside, however, the
which I saw on Monday the 12th of August last, as above statements, which show that my father worked
well as drawings made by Sir Charles Barry from out masses as well as parts, of what are the
my father's designs. These designs can be produced, houses composed if not of " details?" Why, they iy,
as also a witness who saw them prepared. are all " detail." So that, by my opponents'
In addition to the emoluments of his office, I own showing
find on reference to his pass-book that in the , the whole is the work of my father.
Yet Mr. Edward Berry, after saying, with Mr. ,
space of one year, from July, 1811, to July, Wolfe, &c., that my father's share in the work was
1845, my father received diroctly from Sir Charles confined entirely to details, coolly indites words for
£906 2s. 6d. This must have been for work of the signature of Mr. Wright, declaring that "no one
some value, and surely not, as Mr. Talbot Bury de- portion of the Houses at all accords with any details
dares, for taking charge of wood carving works, or prepared by my father ; while Mr. Wolfe says that
for showing his " old friend" large detail drawings " not a single feature was designed by I'ugin ;" and
prepared by Sir Chas. Barry himself, which he was Mr. Bury writes that " Mr. Barry did all the sections
engaged to see properly executed. and elevations," and that my father " had nothing
Mr. Barry has told the whole story in one word. to do with the competition designs."
He says that between 1840 and 1818 the whole of In the name of wonder, then, and common con-
the designs for the great work which passed through sistency, for the sake of Sir Charles' sanity, will
his father's office were "finally" prepared by they inform ue what was the work for which my
Sir Charles alone. This may be true to the letter, father received from him 400 guineas and such com-
for as soon as he had obtained my father's designs paratively large sums afterwards, in addition to his
he invariably had them redrawn for use in his office. salary from Government? (Although, indeed, he
Mr. Barry does not, however, state by whom the has often assured me that Barry had received from
him drawings paid for in hundreds when thousands
previous designs were made, which " finally" became
were not sufficient remuneration.) Does any one in
Sir Charles's own compositions. Now, I was myself
pay on this scale for enlarged drawings,
engaged for many years together with another, his senses
whom I will not at present name, in assisting to
other ordinary employments of third-rate clerks ?
perspective views, details that were "set aside," and
draw out designs for the houses, which designs I
know emanated from my father alone, and were pre-
Mr. E. M. Barry may fairly plead ignorance of what
pared by him. I have seen my father on number-
occurred previous to the date he has selected (1850)
less occasions prepare every kind of design while Sir but it is unwarrantable that he should state what is
Charles himself stood by, but never on one single positively false with reference to events which took
occasion did Sir Charles put pencil to paper, and he place after that period. He says in his letter to the
generally left with large rolls of drawings. Sir
Pall Mall Gazette of Aug. 21, " I can state most
(Sir Charles)
Charles also in his letters constantly acknowledges positively that after 1850 every design for the West-
the receipt of designs and drawings. If, then, as my minster Palace emanated from himself
alone, and was fully worked out by his own hands."
opponents insinuate, none of them were ever seen
T
in Sir Charles Barry's office, what became of them ? Ten of the extracts given above are fromhis father's
Did Sir Charles pay large sums for their production
y
letters of 1851.
and take them away merely to destroy them ? Or, After this what reliance can be placed on an one
of the statements-made by himself or his witnesses?
rather, does not the very denial of their existence
prove that I was correctly informed by my father
I acquit them of all intentional misrepresentation
g
that Sir Charles traced all his (my father's) designs but it is evident there was somethin going on of
w
privately before they were submitted to " final" which they had no cognisance; a head and a hand
atheyr saw , neonte i
rwerecl n gt
thhi ne kbi
rnugw a
enfd a
nwuotrhkeirn
wg i
tohn
g,
Ide ar
yy
preparation? Some of these tracings, and the ori-
ginal sketch of the clock tower, I have now in my
and conceiving marvels of art, to be recompensed
possession. The above statements are somewhat
y, only by an equal balance of flattery and depreciation.
confirmed by Mr. Ferret' himself in his Biograph
page 247. " Pugin drew, and Barry suggested and
Fourthly—lf the nature of Sir Charles Barry's
correspondence is so fully betrayed in the few letters
digested, the parts in which the skill of Pugin was
,nightf om wnhoi ct hi 1 Ia
vhea
by ee
eqnuportoe
proved
e dt hfer
oamb o
tvhee
ierx
et rnatci
rt
es ,
nwuhma
_t
required."
In further confirmation of what I have advanced
I give a few other extracts from Sir Chas. Barry's ber ? And what wonder that Sir Charles destroyed
nced such agitation
a reply to a letter from my father, complaining w
letters. In one dated November 25, 1845, evidently
my father's letters, and evi
found that I was in possession of his own (the ownehen heof insufficient remuneration, he says : " I am
well aware that your remuneration has been ship of which forms no part of the present question),
and broke his faith with me in regard to their resti-
that the fat has yet to come. It shall not be
hitherto altogether inadequate to your deserts, and
tution ? I expect even yet to confirm the proofs I
my
now advance, by a further discovery of letters, &c.
fault if your remuneration ultimately is not all that My friends, I see, are doing their utmost to evade
you can wish ; but I will not do you the injustice
the apparent difficulty in the letter of 1845 ;but to
to believe that filthy lucre is the mainspring of all •
my mind, viewing it even in the light they do, this
your efforts on behalf of the great work ; but that, very letter is the most convincing and conclusive
like myself, you are prepared to make a sacrifice evidence yet advanced in confirmation of my state-
for the glory of making it the means of establishing
ments. Long before I could have had any influence
for the future what you believe the one and only
on the question, what I have now been claiming for
true style of art."
my father was generally believed.
On the 23d of October, 1848, speaking of metal Now, it is reasonable to imagine that unless there
work, screens, and fittings generally, required for
completing the House, he writes—" I shall be glad were some very great difficulty in preparing this
letter, it would not have been necessary for Sir
to receive sketches of your ideas at your earliest
Charles Barry and his confidential friend Mr. Wolfe
convenience." to meet my father in consultation, to see how they
In another letter, dated December 18, 1850 : could best crush a report to the truth of which the
" I should much like to see what you have done and work itself is the strongest testimony. Giants are
are doing for me before I see you on the 30th, in not to be met with every day, and their youth and
order that I may have time for lucubration, and growth, as well as their middle age, are generally
arrange every
thing with you finally when we meet known to those around them. The great results
on that day."
achieved by my father were foretold in his early
On the sth of January, 1851, in reference to childhood ; and his drawings , end his works all lead
designs received from my father :—" I have been
up and point to the greatest of them all, the Palace
overhauling the whole of them with a view to be- of Westminster. What, on the other hand, has Sir
come acquainted with them, in case any question,
Charles Barry got to show? Where is there one
whether of a critical or other character, should be
executed work of his which would induce the belief
put to me respecting them. The bulk of them I that he was, in very truth, the art architect of that
perfectly understand and approve ; the one which I noble pile?
enclose I confess lam at loss both to read and corn- The foregoing are some of my facts and my evi-
prehend perfectly. Pray enlighten me with respect dente for them, but should I again be met by the
to it." In this instance the drawings are so tho-
roughly my father's own that Sir Charles requires empty assertions of Mr. E. M. Barry and his friends,
although reluctant to call unwilling witnesses, I
an explanation of them to give to higher au- shall not hesitate to produce men who can prove
thorities.
everything by a word.
On the 10th of January, 1851, he writes :---c I In conclusion, allow me to add, that from the
like the idea of the heraldic illustrations of the his- emphatic denials contained in Mr. E. M. Barry's
tory of the Black Prince for the polygonal stairs,
former letter, we had a right to expect proofs that
and I should like to have a little time to think over
remark-
the details." This proves what Mr. Wolfe states , would have exhausted the subject ; but his
able assertions have been followed by no proof
that "my father's suggestions led occasionally to whatever. Had he any affirmatory evidence beyond
Sir Charles's ideas." a few letters which nullify each other, he would at
On the 25th of January, 1851:--" I enclose once have met the question by the production of the
tracings of windows of the central hal, St. Stephen's- original drawings, which mug yet be iu exigence.