Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 7.djvu/520

500 500 DUBLIN Grattan, Flood, Yelverton, Lord Ross, Lord Kilvarden, and other famous Irishmen. In the centre of the court stands a beautiful campanile. The library contains a gallery 2 1C feet in length, 41 in breadth, and 40 in height. There are also new buildings in the inner court, in character with the general splendour of the place. The provost s house close by is one of the finest in the city. Dublin Castle presents a rather motley appearance. The greater portion of it is dingy, being built of brick ; but the chapel and tower are very handsome. The castle stands on ten acres, but the apartments are small, with the exception of St Patrick s Hall, which is used on the occasion of invest ing knights of the order of St Patrick. The custom-house is considered one of the chief ornaments of the city. It was erected at a cost of about 400,000, and opened in 1791. It stands on the north side of the river below Carlisle Bridge, and presents four fronts, three of which may be seen to advantage. The south front, facing the river, 375 feet in length, is built of Portland stone, finished in the Doric order, with an entablature and bold projecting cornice. The other three fronts are composed of granite, and from the centre rises a dome to the height of 125 feet, surmounted by a figure of Hope. The Four Courts, in which the superior courts are held, stands on the site of the ancient Dominican monastery of St Saviour, on King s Inn Quay. It is an extensive and imposing structure, erected between the years 1786 and 1800, at a cost of 200,000. The city hall, formerly the royal exchange, is a handsome building. It is in possession of the corporation, and is used for municipal purposes. The centre hall contains statues of George III., of Grattan by Chantrey (a superb work), of O Connell by Hogan, of Lucas, and of Drummond. The post-office stands in Sackville Street. It is built of granite, and is about 120 feet high, 225 in length, and 150 in depth. The centre of the front consists of a boldly project ing portico of six fluted Ionic columns, supporting an entablature and cornice ; on the apex is a figure of Hibernia, and Mercury and Fidelity at the sides. The first stone was laid in 1815, and the cost of the pile was 50,000. Churches. St Patrick s Cathedral, a noble edifice, was restored by the late Sir Benjamin L. Guinness, Bart., at a cost of 130,000; Christ Church Cathedral is now in course of restoration by Mr Henry Roe, and the estimated cost is much over 100,000; Mr Roe has also presented a synod house to the Church of Ireland at a cost of 27,000 ; the late Mr Findlater gave the Presbyterian body a beautiful church which he erected at a cost of 16,000 ; the Roman Catholics have raised about 16 mag nificent edifices in the last twenty years ; most of the Protestant parish churches have been either rebuilt or re stored ; the Unitarians have two houses, one of them of noble aspect; and the Methodists, the Moravians, the Friends, the Baptists, and the Jews have all provided themselves with suitable places of worship. There are no less than 93 churches of all denominations and a syna gogue in Dublin, and at least 70 of these are beautiful modern buildings. The two cathedral churches of St Patrick and Christ Church are superior to all other edifices in character and interest. The foundation of Christ Church, the older build ing of the two, is attributed to the Danes in 1038; but it dates its elevation to a deanery and chapter from 1541. The entire length of the nave and choir is 260 feet, that of the transept 110 feet, and the extreme breadth of either 80 feet. Christ Church does not contain many monuments. Among the most interesting is that of Strongbow, the invader of Ire land, whose tomb was long the place at which the tenants of the church lands were accustomed to pay their rents. The monument was injured by the fall of one of the cathedral walls ; but it was afterwards repaired, and is still to be seen in good preservation, with a smaller tomb by its side, sup posed to be that of Strongbow s son, who was killed by his father. Synods were occasionally held in this church, and parliaments also, before the Commons Hall was destroyed in 1566 by the accidental explosion of 144 barrels of gun powder in a neighbouring street. Here also the impostor Lambert Simnel was crowned. The cathedral of St Patrick was founded in 1190 by John Comyn, archbishop of Dublin. It was burnt about a hundred years after its first erection, but was again raised from its ruins in increased splendour. At the Reformation it was dissolved, and the building was used for some of the purposes of the courts of justice. Edward VI. con templated its change into a university, but the project was defeated and a university established elsewhere. In the succeeding reign of Mary, St Patrick s Cathedral was restored to its primary destination. The installations of the knights of St Patrick, the first of which took place in 1783, were originally held here. This cathedral contains the monuments of several illustrious persons, among which the most celebrated are those of Dean Swift ; of Mrs Hester Johnson, immortalized under the name of &quot; Stella ; &quot; of Archbishop Marsh ; of the first earl of Cork ; and of Duke Schomberg, who fell at the battle of the Boyne. The tablet over Schomberg s grave contains what Lord Macaulay calls a &quot; furious libel.&quot; In the cathedral may be seen the chain ball which killed St Ruth at the battle of Aughrim, and the spurs which he wore when shot. A fine statue of Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, Bart., the restorer of the cathedral, stands in the aisle. The Roman Catholic churches are for the most part old and in poor localities. The new churches are, however, of greater proportions and of considerable beauty. The prin cipal is the church of the Augustinians in Thomas Street. This is perhaps the loftiest building in the city. The pro- cathedral in Maryborough Street is a building of great dimensions, highly ornamented internally in the Grecian style, and having a fine Doric portico forming the principal front. The building was commenced in 1816, at an estimated cost of 52,000. St Paul s, on Arran Quay, is an elegant building in the Ionic style. The church of St Francis Xavier was erected at a cost of 18,000, from a Roman Ionic design. Places of Amusement, &c. Dublin has a winter palace, on the plan of the London Crystal Palace. The scheme advancing public entertainment failed, and Sir Arthur Guinness, Bart., purchased it from the shareholders for 13,000. It is used now for various purposes. There are three theatres the Royal (second in size only to Drury Lane and Covent Garden), the Gaiety, and the Queen s Theatre. There are two or three musical societies, which are supported by the middle classes ; but very little music of a superior character is afforded to the citizens at large. The Phoenix Park, just touching the north-west boundary, is seven miles in circumference, and includes an area of 1759 acres. The park is in itself beautiful, and the near ness of the Dublin and Wicklow mountains adds greatly to its attractions. The Viceregal Lodge and the Chief Secretary s Lodge are the only buildings inside the gates. They have little pretension beyond their size. Monuments. There are nine of Foley s best statues in Dublin the Prince Consort, Grattan, Burke, Goldsmith, Guinness, Stokes, Corrigan, and Lord Carlisle ; and that to O Connell may be added. Three of the Georges have memorials ; Wellington s monument stands in the Phoenix Park, an obelisk 200 feet high, bearing on the sides the names of his victories, and scenes in relief from the greater battles on the pedestal. There are statues to King William,