No. 11.

## CHAPTER II.
DESCRIPTION OF THE GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE HOUSE, WITH BRIEF REMARKS ON THE DIFFERENT APARTMENTS, REFERRING TO THE ACCOMPANYING ENGRAVED PLANS.

"He gains all points who pleasingly confounds,
Surprises, varies, and conceals the bounds."

POPE.

HAVING pointed out in the preceding chapter, as far as our limits would permit, some of the principal desiderata in domestic architecture and interior decoration; and having briefly shown the varied effects of which they are susceptible, and the extensive and diversified field they present to architectural talent, we now proceed to notice, briefly, the arrangement of the rooms, as indicated in the ground plan; reserving, for the next chapter, more particular descriptions of the respective apartments.

This residence, which was built by Mr. Soane in the year 1792, and has been occupied by him ever since that time, has undergone many successive changes and embellishments that have rendered it, independently of the numerous works of art it contains, a house of peculiar interest to the architect, antiquary, and artist. The elevation towards Lincoln's Inn Square, although too small to form a prominent object, and although rather fanciful for street architecture, must be admitted to exhibit a novelty which at once attracts attention and excites comment. It is,

however, to be regretted that merely the galleries, or screen, is of stone; and that the entire front is not of the same material. This screen consists of three arches below, one forming the doorway, and three above: the latter are divided by narrow pilasters, decorated with square flutings, terminating at top in an angular fret. Before the second story, the screen occupies the space of the centre window only; and above each of the extreme pilasters, of the lower part, is placed a female status*. We need hardly remark how much more preferable this mode of disposing statues is, so as to have their shadow fall upon the building itself, to that of fixing them on the upper cornice or balustrade of an edifice, where they always have an insecure appearance, and where, if they be numerous, as is the case in many Italian edifices, they look like a row of pinnacles, the effect of which is any thing but pleasing to the eye. It is not, however, on the external appearance of the house that we need dwell, when there is so much more originality and invention displayed in every part of the interior. This we purpose to notice, and shall endeavour to characterise by a few general observations, in passing from one apartment to another, through the whole; and in the subsequent chapter shall enter more into detail, by describing some of the choicest objects of art and virtù which are here preserved. By referring to and studying the annexed PLAN, the reader will be able to obtain an accurate idea of the forms and arrangement of the ground floor; and will not fail to remark how ingeniously every portion of the space has been occupied and rendered beautiful: and how every irregularity of form is made to contribute to variety, and to produce picturesque effects.

The PLAN includes the ground floors of the three houses, Nos. 12, 13, and 14, Lincoln's Inn fields, the whole being the freehold property of Mr. Soane. That marked No. 13 is, however, the subject of the present essay, and is contradistin-

* The original erection of this gallery created inveterate and pertinacious opposition from the district surveyor, who proclaimed it a nuisance, and in opposition to the provisions of the Building Act: he accordingly indicted the architect in October, 1812. The case was argued before the Bow Street magistrates, and decided against the surveyor. The latter, however, appealed to the quarter sessions, where the case was not received. The district surveyor next carried it into the Court of King's Bench, when Lord Ellenborough again referred it back to two magistrates: after being once more discussed by counsel on both sides, and by the magistrates, the projection was decided not to be a nuisance, and not to come under the cognizance of any Building Act. The consideration of this case, and the pertinacious litigation it occasioned, convinces us of the danger of investing undefined power in certain public offices. In the same Square, a similar case had been previously decided: and the portico of the Surgeons' Hall was raised without opposition from the district surveyor. The Metropolitan Building as well as the Parving Acts require careful revisal, and specific adaptation to the present times.

HOUSE AND MUSEUM OF JOHN SOANE.

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