The Portland daily press., 1873-11-05
Mechanic Association Lecture.

The library room of the Mechanics Associa-
ton was well filled last evening by very APP
preciative audience to listen to lecture from
ID. ID. lngraham, ESQ., who was gladly well
coined back to the lecture 1eld, after an
absence of ten years. The lecture was hand
somely delivered, and the tokens of applause
were frequent. 1t occupied about one hour
and quarter in its delivery.
Works of Architecture and their Assoca-
tons was the subject of the lecture. The ex-
tensve travel, of the lecturer and the keen OBJ
servation he bestowed upon all great works of
architecture while abroad, enabled him to fur
nlsh rich and interesting entertainment.
He began with a brief description of Abbots-
ford, the residence of Sir Walter Scott and de-
scribed with some mnutene IS Melrose Abbey
Gothic structure, six hundred years old, which
Scott, in his Last Lay of the Minstrel has
rendered so intensely interesting. The de-
scrlptlon of this Abbey, and of the land of
Bruce, Burns and Scott were vivid pictures.
Salisbury and Stafford Cathedrals, and West
minister Abbey were brifly touched upon, and
descriptions of their architecture were given
French architecture was alluded to and also
that on the Rhine. Nature was the model
in building these cathedrals.
Passing the snow summit of the
Alps, the Northern Gothic style does not so
much prevail. But there is the Mount Gems
Tunnel, through the centre of the Alps, seven
and half miles in length, which you can go
through in twenty-five minutes-an instance of
what mechanics have wrought. The great Ma
nolpOn climhal ha Inc nd dacoandad lya
an avalanche on the plains of Italy; the Sd
Napoleon lifts the Alps like an Atlas, and
goes under them with lightning speed.
Milan Cathedral, on which more than $780,,
100000 have been expended, is of Italian
Go THO, and the associations connected with il
are of intense interest. IT contains the tomb of
Saint Charles Boromeo, which was described by
the lecturer who also gave a brief but beauti-
full sketch of the life of this Saint.
Florence was the birthplace of many Illus
trious men, among whom was Michael Angelo.
The dome Of the Florence Cathedral is the iarg-
est in the world, and from it, Angelo modelled
that of st. Peters, in Rome. The lecturer was
very happy nj describing the architecture of
the Florence Cathedral as standing between the
ancient and the pointed. All styles lend it
charms. 1t is encased in a coating of red, white
and black marble.
Venice wasp articularly and wildly described
as the city floating the sea, with narrow lanes,
where any one can go on foot to any part of it;
but where the popular highway is her $50 cam
ais. spanned by some 800 bridges. The omnibus
glides swiftly over the canal. The merchant
steps into his gondoa at the door, and iveried
rowers take him to the bank or to dinuer. The
Venetian lady with rustliDg silks and jeweled
arms and neck, jumps into the gondola along
side her door, to make fashionable call or to
attend the opera. One has no use for legs here
For STYLE two gondoliers equal span of
horses; but amorous SWANS sometimes prefer
but outstanding aft of the little cabin, where
they sit concealed from the rover as Byron
says.
The lecturer deserted the church of St. Marks;
the palace of the Doges; the Bridge of Signs,
connecting the palace with the prison. The
palace is bnilt in the Moorish Gothic or Oren-
tai style, as are most of the Venetian architec-
tural works. They adorn their cheerful achi-
tectural works with the sister art of painting
and sculpture
Ancient Greece presents the purest archtec-
ture the world ever saw. We must go to the
Parthenon, one of the grandest edifices ever
built. The lecturer described the building in
detail. 1t is specimen of the purest Doric.
He was very severe upon the conduct of Lord
Elgin, who despoled the temple of some of its
most beautiful sculptures and carried them to
England, where they are exhibited as the Sci
gin marbles" in the British Museum. Byron
In his "Curse of Minerva" satirizes Elgn, and
alludes to it in Chil1e Harold. The Doric,
Ionic and Corinthian styles of architecture,
which have been introduced into all nations,
Have been copied from Greece. IN Boston,
New York, Philadelphia, Washington and 9TH
er cities the orders of the Greeks are used and
copied as nearly as our architects are able to
do it; while in our own city we see four beauti-
full marble columns supporting the entablature
over the Roman arches of our post office; and
in many streets what the laws of the Athen-
ians would not allow, columns of Doric on Ionic
or Corinthian in many private buildings.
The Greeks never used the arch which was
invented by the Romans, and is now to be seen
everywhere among their ruins, while the north
ern nations pointed it, and mede it bloom in
stone or marble tracery, as in the Gothic Cathe-
drals.
The Romans copied the Greeks styles
at least in architecture Rome was subdued by
Grecian srt, Greek columns are seen standing
there, or among fallen ruins, and in the Colos-
scum, covering six acres, supported by the three
different orders of columns in three tiers, while
the ruins of the Palace of the Caesars in the
still stand. and before st. Peters, the sublim
est temple ever erected, on which Michael An
gelo lavished his genius, immense Corinthian
columns support the entabature of the facade.
At the close of the lecture on motion of G.
P. Kimball, esq.,, vote of thanks was given to
Mr.. Ingraham for his able and instructive lee
ture.
The next lecture will be delivered on Tuesday
evening next by Dr. Walter r. johnson.