Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/193

 1868.] Monthly Heview. 165 does not spring smoothly from the verti- cal sides of the aperture, but from the projecting interposed capitals of the two, or more, pillars, or pilasters. The meth- od of Sir John Soane is much more ana- logical. The mouldings spring perpen- dicularly from the sills, continue along up the jambs, on one side; run imper- ceptibly into, and throughout, the semi- circular architraves, and descend smooth- ly along clown the opposite jambs, to the sills again. An adherence to this, throughout a building, impresses the beholder, or the inmate, with the idea of superior neatness and grace. The only thing, yet to desire, is not to stop with this management of semi-circular arches; but to vary the arch heads, mainly by elliptical curves struck indefinitely be- tween the semi-circular architrave and the absolutely flat lintel; although the various arcs, meeting the jambs at an angle, but with continuous mouldings, are agreeable to a critical eye. Yet what we wish to insist upon is, that ex- ceeding elegance, at minimum cost, resides in the variously curved archi- traves, commencing with the true half circle, in the first story; and passing through more and more depressed curves, with each succeeding higher story, until, at the top, we either absolutely reach, or approximate, the horizontal lintel. Another advantage of this mode is — that, with the doors and windows kept properly, one beneath another, so as to insure the integrity of the piers — it gives the maximum amount of strength to the walls. This will equally apply to the management of arches formed by arcs. The Italians discarded the Greek principle of the parallelogramatic ground plan, adopting instead the square plan for their public buildings. Consequently there was no opportunity for reproduc- ing the Pagan temple, with its Doric style portico, either in their churches, palaces, theatres, or halls ; so they took the portico from the temple and placed it against the front wall of their edifice, whatever that might be; and whether appropriate or not. If they could not draw in the portico, another misapplica- tion of their drag-net hauled up the pseu- doprostyle or architectural mask, and fairly — or foully ? — stuck it against the wall, where, while it might have cohe- sion, it could have no more coherence, than an antique alto rilievo hung upon the wall of the club house finished last. With Sir John Soane consistent imita- tion of the ancients was a passion. For instance, he himself stated that when in Italy he resorted to the Temple of Vesta, at Tivoli, for six successive weeks, measuring and drawing its details. He was veiy partial to the insensible re- solvement of the Avails of quadrangular apartments into circular flat-domed ceilings; and also, as in the Bank of England, for quadrant-planned, columnar mergements of fronts into flanks. We have styled the Soanean the Pal- ladian, and, taking a comprehensive view, it can scarcely be regarded other- wise. Though good authorities class it, indifferently, as Greco-Roman, Roino- Grecian, and Anglo-Grecian, yet either of the first two of these appellatives would be a good synonyme for that style, which we shall also venture to name the Vicenzan or the Vicentine, from its founder's birth-place. Sir John Soane's reputation is sup- ported by his magnificent designs for aristocratic mansions, municipal halls, courts of justice, senate houses and royal palaces. No professor's mind ever went less in what Shakespeare calls* "the roadway." He was consequently pretty sharply handled by the critics of his clay, but has since been highly com- plimented. Some professional critics hold Sir John's aim to have been the fusion of the classic delicacies of Greek and Roman composition, with the play- fulness of Gothic, not by the use of the pointed arch ; but, through " the princi- King Henry the Fourth.
 * Consult Prince Henry to Poins, in the 2d Part of