Star.
London, England, 1817-03-28 00:00:00

110Y4L 411:AMIMY.

Thursday evening, Mr. Sonxe delivered his con-
cluding
Lecjure on Architecture, to a numerous au-
dience. The subject was that of Arches, the inven-
tion of which Was as great W pti:digy of the hornets
mind, as the discovery of the laws of gravitation or
the circulation of the blood. The incomparable uti.
lity of the arch might he observed, in a comparison
between Egyptian and Grecian temples. It was said
by some high authorities, that the Egyptians under.
stood the construction of arches, but this was erro-
neoui. Even the Romans did not understand the use
of arches till the time of Augustus. They were prin.
cipally applied in the construction of bridges, which
were efforts of wonderful sound judgment, extensive
taste, and intense study. Simple bridges formed of a
few planks, thrown across streams. appeared beanti-
fill and picturesque ; but a noble bridge across a rapid
and extensive fiver, had a most grand and imposing
effect. Among the most surprising bridges for size
and extent, Mr. Soane part ictilarly remarked one over
the D mute, into mile in er.tent. the bridge of Iseahoin.
but more especially those of China, some of which
were three mites long.
From arches the Professor proceeded to domes, and
exhibited a number of drawings of the most beautithl
ones of the ancient temples. There was a mean acrd
paltry custom among the nvid.ons. of placing at the
top of the domes a sort of little temples some with
-crosses at the top, as at St. PauPa. With respect to
the erection of steeple 4, s,itich were a m >dein inven-
tion, and now m••st universally applied, some sup.
posed that they had their origin in Gothic architee.
Lure, but they bear a strong resemblance to the Egyp-
tian pyramids. At a distance, their effect was grand
and beautiful; bur, upon a close examination, so
enormous a quantity of matter, upon so small a bur,
had an unpleasing appearance.
Staircases next occupied the attention of the Pro.
lessor. These, although little understood, or perhaps
totally unknown, among the ancients, formed a rrin-
cipal object of science, taste, and jitelgment am-mg
the moderns. The decorations of the exterior and
interior of buildings, formed no inconsiderable object
in architecture. There was a fake taste pre velent
among the moderns, of ornamenting Covrts ,:f Justice,
prisons, public and private houses, at:d bolettogs of
all descriptions, even to shops, with ancient ryinoofs,
applied without any regard to propriety of meaning.
There was. he said, also a false taste in raisine
on buildings is this metropolis, and he par siv..4-
Itrly contrasted the raised, circol tr, porticos of S:.
Paul's Cathedral with those or St. Paul's, Cevelt-
Garden. Before the Professor concluded his c•iurse,
be wished particularly to impress upon the asinds.of
all architects the difference between thsory and prac-
tice. The young architect, from contemrn sting the
Magnificent works of Greece: and Rome, in general
formed his early plans ups:n so extensive a scale, as to
go far beyond modern resource, ; but it was the
grand and principal object of the experienced archi-
ifect, to unite beauty And grandeur with economy ;
the Ephesians were so sensible of this, fr.rn some
difficulties they were drawn into, in consequence of
,the extravagaot Apeculations of their architects, that
they decreed that every one, upon engaging to erect
a building, should give up all his property in trust.
and, at the same time, an estimate of what the build-
ing would cost ; if it exceeded the estimate, by one-
fourth, he forfeited his property to the State. .
The six Lectures were not sufficient to develrape all
that the Professor wished. but he should 'Moue
thew in the course of the next year, upon the
of Companion, Construct iiiii , and Decorate
The New Exchange Bonding' in Liverpo
are allowed to be she finest commercial rtr,
.he kingdom, cost the sum of one hundre,
thousand, eight hundred and' forty eight
erecting.

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