Street Architecture Of London.*

present moment the greatest bane of our street architecture , every integral part destroying its neighbours as far as it can , whereas the study should be to make the whole as perfect , as a whole , as possible . Now , far be it from me to recommend that public censors should be established in matters of art , or that there should be any additional legislation in such matters ; still I do think that some general rules might be laid down applicable to our main thoroughfares , and which would injure

no one , interfere with no xa'ivate rights , and which would succeed in reforming to some extent the present state of chaos . _ Por example , just as a certain line of front is established , let certain main lines of elevation he fixed , which shall not he departed from ; let the height ofthe ground-floor stories be fixed , the line of the top of the one-pair windows , the line , say , of the coping or finishing gutter , leaving all above that free . Now , this would only so far control designs as to enable the architect

to show his talent , which ivould enable him to keep these main lines as boundaries , while he would fill up between them as suited the requirements of the work in hand . He might in the interval have fewer or more stories than his neighbour , he might divide them differently , and an absence of all sameness would be secured ; but there would be just so much control over the ensemble as would tend to promote a general harmony of effect . And ifinstead of every man cutting off his projections ruthlessly

, just where the centre of his party-wall may come , he . was compelled , in a give-and-take way , to return and finish them properly , while tbe lines of one composition were wade either to lead out of those already established or else to be made properly distinct , I can believe that a great gain in our architecture would be accomplished , while there ivould he as much freedom as there is now . A government or a , municipal body lias something to answer for in this respect . What shall be said if the

rearrangement of the new Government offices at Whitehall is not complete as a whole , every part helping every other part ? How admirable is this carried out in the capital to which we have before referred . I think it is a disgrace to our " local management" that the beauty of our city is not eared for in its several districts as well as the cleanliness , and I believe it might practically be done . Many new streets and approaches are now being laid out

some of tlie most important relating to the Thames' embankment , and now is the time for making some effort in this direction . The present Chief Commissioner , Mr . Cowper , I am able to say , is most ready to listen to suggestions ; and when a deputation waited upon him some weeks back to point out the desirability ol laying out the new streets so as to lead off to many points , and lo gain the best advantage for existing buildings , as well as to open the view to new buildings in the best

way , he requested the Institute of Architects to appoint a small committee to bring into form and to discuss these very questions , with a view to insuring the best attention to them . And this state of things—the representative of the Government , working with the representatives of the lovers of art in carrying out great public improvements—is an encouraging guarantee that wisely-directed efforts will not be made in vain . London is not a " show city" —not a place of European resort

for pleasure and gaiety—but the great banking-house of tlie wide world , the busy mart of the universe , too much taken up hitherto with contemplation of its own growing prosperity , with very little care of external appearances , like a rich merchant , who , well knowing the filled coffers at his banking-house , cares little for the threadbare appearance of his outward garb ; yet there are spots which the busy citizen daily treads without

observation , hut ivhich may well arrest the stranger , and must not he passed without remark . What can be more striking than the views of the great city from some of the bridges as you approach from the southward , especially London and Blackfriars bridges ? "Walk up Ludgate-_____] , stand at almost any point about the Exchange , or in Holborn , where you can take in the view of the rising hill and some

part of the broad roadway beyond ; stand where the several great thoroughfares meet at the northern end of " London-bridge , or look upward from the lower ground as you approach its southern end ; and while from many of these positions you will see examples of architecture of which any country might be proud , mixed with buildings of the commonest character , and in the worst taste ; you will , if you can look with the unaccustomed

eye of the stranger , forgetting for the moment how constantly you tread these spots intent upon anything rather than giving them the least attention , yon will see much to admire , much to be struck with as a whole ; you will be conscious of a general

Street Architecture Of London.*

impression as powerful as any you ever experienced when looking for the first time on great cities in other lands , and the imagination of the artist will find ideas tlie most suggestive and varied , I might single out many buildings recently erected , and which go very far to redeem our streets from the architectural barrenness of which I have complained , but I feel it would be somewhat presumptuous for me to do so , and that the task is better left in the hands of a non-professional critic . You have

heard the treatment which I advocate , and doubtless several examples of it will have occurred to you during my observations . If you should not agree with me , you will at least judge and compare as you have opportunity , and you will arrive at a determination , one way or other , in your own minds . If architecture does not progress as it should , it is because there is a public apathy and want of interest , arising from a lack of

knowledge upon the subject not credible to us as a nation , and which , of course , begets a lack of taste , or , perhaps , a bad taste founded on no principles and guided by no rules ; so that we occasionally hear in high places most extraordinary reasoning upon this subject when some great occasion brings it to notice—or we find an individual absolutely appointed to foster , encourage , and promulgate art , able to convince himself that architecture is a mere mechanical effort , not exactly of

heavenborn genius , because any one may perform it , nor yet of mental training , because , says an authority , there have been great architects who , it seems , have had little of this ; so that careful loving study of the suhject , with toilsome experience in it , _ go for nothing . All very unworthy , mistaken , and contemptible fallacies , which , if they could have any weight at all , wouldt end to undo every good that has been of late years effected , and would end by extinguishing one of the three fine arts entirely .

Such mistaken statements stand rebuked hy the great monuments of past ages as well as by a thousand efforts in more modern times , and , I may add , stand exposed in their absurdity by every effort to act upon , or to give any practical effect to , them . I ask the members of the society to guard with a jealous care any attempt to lower the standard of art , or to introduce meretricious views with respect to it . It may he false taste in

sculpture , or wrong principles in painting , or a benumbing influence , a cold shade , a cruel detraction thrown over the noble art of architecture , which , if it were possible , would destroy all that has been done this twenty years and upwards to excite higher aspirations and truer feelings , but which shall not prevail , but shall be once for all condemned by an enlightened public opinion , true to itself and to what is clue to the national honour in these respects .

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART .

Mr , George Thomas Lloyd in Thirty-three years in Tasmania and Victoria , thus describes the result of an expedition undertaken against the native tribes : — " But sorrow for the fallacy of poor Colonel Arthur ' s hopes ! A few days subsequent to the capture of the two natives , beheld the noble army of tattered volunteers , surrounding , not the murderous tribes of artful but the well-stored dep & t of the commissariat

departsavages , ment , established for the occasion at the afore-mentioned rendezvous , in charge of the much-esteemed and efficient officer Mr . Lempriere . Party after party arrived , all eagerly asking the question , 'Have the natives passed over the Neck ? ' Each inquiry , however , was met with a jeering negative ; nor had a single black been seen—with the exceptionofthetwo captured by Mr . Walpole , and the lucky savage who gave me the slip—by any

of the troops who reached the final destination on the first day . On the morning of the second , however , the remnant of my original detachment made their appearance , and set all further doubt at rest hy informing His Excellency that the Oyster Bay tribe of savages must have effected their escape through the ranks of the line , on the second night previous to their arrival ; leaving a spear in the pea-jacket of 'Mikey O'Brien , numberr

tin , ' as a parting testimonial . East Bay Neck now presented a most animated scene . The requisite supplies of clothes and pro-! visions for the homeward route were issued with a liberal hand , and the hundreds of weary pilgrims returned as wise and as bootless as they first set out . Singular to say , the only man who received a wound during the whole campaign , was my clever friend Walpole ; and that too at my hands . * * * My wounded