Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/575

 1869.] Places of Amusement. 465 prove ment of the means to build : but we have lost the genius and spirit, that fired the souls of the architects of Greece and Rome ; and now — gazing upon the smouldering ashes of the past — we await the moment of inspiration. Is it dawn- ing upon us in this Nineteenth century ? Intending onty to have written a short sketch, I find it is impossible to be very brief upon so fertile a subject; and shall continue my remarks in a following num- ber, with some practical ideas, upon Modern House-Building. Builder. PLACES OF AMUSEMENT. A TIME there was, when our best Theatres were content to bestow all attention on the interior, without any reference to the exterior. Hence the usage, which so generally prevails, of occupying the street-front with business stores, leaving an entrance to the Thea- tre between these. In fact, this mode of proceeding, viewed in an economic light, was decidedly advantageous, as it gave all the revenue of rents to the Theatre, as an equivalent for the ab- sence of Architectural frontispiece. But Architecture is beginning to as- sert itself in this matter ; and we find to-day a rapidly-growing desire to bring fair Thespia to the front. Mr Pike — a gentleman of taste, enterprise, and public spirit — is foremost amongst the friends of Architecture, having erected a very tasteful structure at Cincinnati, since burnt down, and having just now completed, at New York, an Opera House, which is creditable to his liberal- ity and energy. Tried by the test of Architectural rule, however, we should be inclined to raise some questions, as to the correctness of the building, as a design. We allude now particularly to the exterior. The two facades (that on Twenty- Third street as well as that on Eighth avenue) are to say the least, common- place ; and most unnecessarily so ; for the openings are the only features in either front, if we except the centre on Eighth avenue, where two Corinthian col- umns are used, the design being Greco- Italian. Triplet windows are intro- duced at this centre, the windows in the main being square-headed. These are distinguished by being semi-circular ; and here the great difficult}^ exists. In- stead of springing the arches over these triplets, on a range with the square heads of the flank -windows, the Architect has thought fit to keep the top of the arches aforesaid on that range. The effect is evident. These centre triplet windows, which ought to have been made the fea- ture, by peering up above the square- headed windows on either side, appear to be actually dwarfed instead. ' But this is not the only defect to be found in the design in question. The Statuary group, crowning the centre, is entirely too small ; and presents a rather insignificant appearance, on a front of such dimensions. And, to add to the meanness of effect, the urns, at either side, are rather too large. The Mansard Roof looks entirely too blank; and we are somewhat surprised at the Architect's neglecting to intro- duce windows, or any thing whatever to break up the sameness. We, of course, find no fault with Mr. Pike, in these remarks ; but merely sug- gest to his Architect some of our own ideas, which may or may not be of value. Perhaps he may differ with us — Chacun a son gout. We offer him, as we do every one, a fair field for the defence of his design ; and shall be glad to see him enter upon it, backed by those, who agree with his views. Our chief aim is the dissemina- tion of true principles ; and if, in the at-