Architectural Study And Architectural Progress.

the drawing and designing of painted decorations , with and without figures and animals ; the designing of mosaic work , pavements , and inlaying ; the designing of metal-work in maimers suited to the different metals and differing modes of treating them ; and lastly , modelling , and the actual execution of any of these works . These are jtist the things which have been most neglected by architects , and the neglect of which has done most to damage our art . And , I fancy , a society such as yours could do much to

promote them ; indeed , I should greatly desire to see systematic schools for them , at which architects of any age need not scruple to become students ,. nor need there be any difficulty in any architect or student limiting his studies to the particular style or phase of art to which lie desires especially to devote himself . I cannot but regret the custom of young architects striving too directly at originality . Oriinality should arise spontaneously from the overflowings of

g tlie heart and the imagination , and should follow , not precede , a perfect knowledge of more customary forms ; but too often we see designs which most clearly show that the striving after new forms is indulged in close consort with ignoronce of old ones . I remain , my dear sir , with many apologies for the liberty I am taking , very faithfully yours , GEOEGE GILEEET SCOTT . Arthur TV . Blomfield , Esq /'

To enlarge any more on the subjects of Mr . Scott ' s valuable remarks would be superfluous on my part , and I believe enough has already been said to show you the kind of spirit which I should like to see infused more generally into our discussions and into our practice , —a spirit that should make us love our work and reverence our models , —love our work , because we should find nothiuar in it to desnise or be

ashamed of , and reverence our models because each day ' s study would reveal new beauties hidden from every one but the true worker . By this means we might hope in time to be instrumental in really raising the standard of the profession , and giving it a higher position in the estimation of the public . That its present position is not as high as it ought to be , is painfully evident from the unmerited slight which

has during this year been passed upon it . As we all know , the monster which is now rapidly developing its vast anatomy at Brompton was hatched as it were by magic , without the decency of even a nominal architectui-al incubation . The defence of the course pursued which has been attempted by some of the daily papers , viz ., that architects had forfeited all claim to consideration by not having produced the

successful design for the exhibition building of 1851 , is transparent and futile in the extreme . That building was temporary , and there was a competition in which numerous designs were received for it . Much of this building is to be permanent , and there has been no competition : none the less surely on that account , however , will it shed lasting credit or lasting disgrace ( as the case may be ) on the

architectural taste of the country , and so on the architects . It would perhaps be premature at the present time to offer any criticisms on the building , more especially as , from the latest published views , it is evident that some embellishing hand has been touching up many of the details since the first perspective burst upon the astonished world in all its breadth itiiu uaiuuess iias 10 deco

. xne uumuuijiuiiei- aixoaay uegun - rate the cake . If criticism , however , holds her tongue and bides her time , predictions of the most laudatory character are not wanting . When we are told , for instance , that " the entrance to the principal picture-gallery in Cromwell-road will be through three noble recessed arcades , " that " they are each 20 ft . wide and 50 ft . high , and will look as imposing in their quantities as the principal facade of St . John Lateran

, at Eome , and other Renaissance porticos of Italy , " the mind is awe-struck at once , and we begin to get up our enthusiasm ; but the effect of this high-flown language is rather impaired , perhaps , when we read of another portion of the building— " How this part may best be decorated time will show ;"—time thus taking the place of " the architect" quite naturally . After bathos such as this , wo cannot

do bettor than take refuge in the number of girders , shoes , bolts , & c , which will be used ; the quantity of putty ; how far the iron columns would reach if placed end to end , and details of this kind which are given in endless variety , and are believed , I suppose , to convey some definite notion of the size of the building to the vulgar mind . But , after all , when finished and in operation , it will not be the beauty or ugliness of the building which we shall care for ; we

shall not bo looking at the casket , but the gems which it contains . So let it pass ; if it answers its purposes of light , accommodation , and so forth , it will do more than many other buildings of higher pretensions , and we must not grumble . We shall have plenty to do in the various departments connected with our art , and more particularly in comparing the architectural progress of other

nations witb that of our own . It may fairly be presumed that with the comparatively speaking small space at their disposal , the Architectural Committee will reject all but works of real interest and importance , so that every drawing will be worthy of attentive examination .

It is truly refreshing to turn from all this bustle of preparation and excitement to the quiet contemplation of a most remarkable and beautiful building which has been completed within the last year , Time warns me that , instead of reviewing the architecture of the year , I must confiue myself to the notice of this one building ; but I feel no scruple in mentioning the church of St . James-the-Less ,

in Garden-street , alone , as in many respects it stands preeminent among modern churches , and , moreover , it exactly illustrates the principles to which I have so briefly and imperfectly alluded to-night . It would be an impertinence on my part to offer any criticism , or to speak in any ordinary terms of admiration of this church . Therefore , I can only say to all lovers of Christian art— " Go and judge

for yourselves ; you will there find real originality—that originality most to be desired—the result of a man having all his life continued diligently to collect materials for the exercise of bis genius . You will find all in harmony , for each part , and every detail has been thought over and worked out with a loving hand and an artist ' s eye . The whole of the building and its decorations ( with , perhaps , one

exception ) bears the impress of one powerful mind . You see at a glance that the building was not , as is too often the case , planned so as to be carried out with least bother and trouble to the architect , and then handed over to the tender mercies of the ecclesiastical decorator and upholsterer , to make the best they could of the fri gid carcase , but the design of the smallest detail forms an essential part of the whole . I will

say no more of it than to recommend the eager student to go there to admire and learn ; and the lukewarm to have his wavering fancies fixed , his enthusiasm stirred , and his energies braced to the work before him . Such a work as this places the fact beyond any dispute that real-progress

has been made in architecture in the last few years . Fourteen or fifteen years ago , when Mr . Ruskin wrote that beautiful simile of the Mountain Ridge , the culminating point of Gothic art , up to which all had been progress , and after which all was decline , he expressed a doubt whether the stir he saw going on was a real awakening or only a movement among dry bones . Since that day something

more tangible has been done ; his call has been answered by some at least . A band , earnest , if small , and though small , ever increasing , have girded themselves for the work and are again pressing steadily onwards . After the long night in the trampled plain , they are again climbing the mountain side ; the mists are rising , they see clearly before them the point where travellers of another day began to

descend , and to their upward gaze a new morning is already gilding the summits of more distant and more glorious heights . Their paths may not be , cannot yet be , identical ; but though they work apart now , if all have the common end of truth in view , then jtist as the different schools of architecture in France , isolated but working for one- common end , ultimately united to produce-the matchless

buildings of the thirteenth century , so the true workers of to-day , or rather perhaps their successors of a future generation , must at length meet in a more glorious noon of art than the world has ever yet seen . Meanwhile , let us each and all endeavour to take our part honestly and earnestl y in the onward movement , jealously guarding each upward step , but careful that each step be upward ; and , above alllet our

, march be temperate , without extravagant sallies , or attempted short-cuts , for we have no valley of rest before us , no halting p lace half mountain high ; no , nor even the old ridge of the lowlier pass ; what we seek must be the snowy peaks and the cloudless mountain top , and as in life , so hi art , our watchword must be " Excelsior . "