Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/344

 284- Sloan's Architectural Review and Builders' Journal. [October, teetural front, that once was the pride of its owner, would now be looked at by him with a feeling of surprise, to think how mean his ideas once were. The public buildings, too, have a due share of this growing vanity, this infla- tion of wealth. Churches are not, by any means, exempt from it. On the contrary, they show a greater desire for display than their cotemporary civil buildings. The once much-admired old sanctuary, where many and many a weaiy pilgrim laid down, for a time, his worldly load of care and turned to GOD ; and now, at last, " Sleeps the sleep that knows no waking ;" where many a song of heavenly sound went up ; and many a solemn prayer murmured through the vaulted nave — till the very walls and ceilings became baptized in blessedness — even this old abiding place of holy recollections is not exempt. Its day has gone by ; its hoary clock-tower has ceased to inton- ate the notes of passing time ; and its weary spire, that points to Heaven, seems to a younger and more thought- less generation as an ever-lifted finger raised in reproval. Yes, it must come down. Trade has no feeling in common with its celestialitj^. It is out of place. Its children, to whom it was once so dear, have either removed to a new region, more fashionable now ; or have left this life and sought their GOD. Nothing tarries but the cold tablets, that silently syllable the names of those whose dust lies there, without remem- brance and alone. Anon, the new church rises ; and lifts its pinnacled head in all the wealth of decorated architec- ture, sustained by massive buttresses, and pierced with many a flowered and mullioned casement, filled with glass, through which the light of day is led by gorgeously colored emblems, made to stimulate a flagging piety ; and towers, baptisteries, cloisters, canopies are pan- eled and fretted over, until the wearied skill, that designed it all, can devise no more. Every modern style is brought to bear on ecclesiastic architecture ; and whatever religion has gained, certainly art has progressed in the movement. The plain, square, rigid, Methodist meeting-house is a thing that was ; and the florid church structure occupies its humble place. And this is as it should be. GOD delights to be honored by his children. Then why not dedicate to Him the glorious offerings of architect- onic skill ; and endow His house with richer ornamentation than our own? If Fashion must be led by Ambition, it is something that GOD has his share. The secular buildings scarcely afford such a field, for our professional friends to try their pencils in, as that we have just reviewed. But, nevertheless, there is much to be done in its wide expanse. Much to be improved upon; and still more to be learned. The system of " competition" in de- signing public buildings is one, concern- ing the advantage of which old Sir Roger De Coverly might safely observe, "Much might be said on both sides;" and that we, here, in the United States, have not yet adopted either side, might be said to be evidenced in the fact, that the calls for architects to compete are few and far between. Reviewing those competitive displays, unbiased by the predetermined judg- ment of some persistent friend of one or other of the competitors, we look in vain for any thing to lead to the suppo- sition that genius had any business there. On the contrary, we see an undue straining to meet the peculiar requisi- tions of the subject in hand ; and as these requisitions are most generally too arbitrary, those who strictly adhere to them are sure to fail of satisfying either themselves or any one else. A positive injustice is done, too, in this matter of arbitrary rules, laid down for the strict guidance of competitors. As, for in- stance : All the competing plans, eleva- tions, sections, and perspectives are required to be drawn to one scale- and