A. B.
CONTENTS.
| [I.1795-1817.EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION.] | |
|---|---|
| Object of the work—Birth of Charles Barry—His childhood, schooldays,and apprenticeship—His early efforts and amusements—Hisself-education and its effects on his character—His determinationto travel—His matrimonial engagement | [Page 1] |
| [II.1817-1820.TRAVELS IN FRANCE, ITALY, GREECE, EGYPT, AND THE EAST.] | |
| I. France and Italy.—General effects of travel—Study of classicalarchitecture—Observation of natural scenery—Universality andaccuracy of examination. II. Greece and Constantinople.—Growthof artistic power—Impressions of Athens and Constantinople—Contrastof the Turkish and Greek characters. III. Egyptand the East.—Great effect of Egyptian architecture upon him—MehemetAli’s government—Dendera, Esneh, Edfou, Philæ, Abousimbel,Thebes—Return to Cairo—Palestine—Jerash—Baalbec—Damascus—Palmyra.IV. Sicily and Italy.—Syracuse, Messina,Agrigentum, and Palermo—Return to Rome—Meeting with Mr.J. L. Wolfe—Systematic architectural study—Effects of Egyptianimpressions—Italian palaces at Rome, Florence, Vicenza, and Venice—Italianchurches—St. Peter’s, the Pantheon, the cathedrals atFlorence and Milan—The bridge of La Santa Trinita at Florence—Thegrowth of his architectural principles—Return to England | [15] |
| [III.1820-1829.EARLY PROFESSIONAL LIFE.] | |
| Early difficulties and failures—Thought of emigration—Non-publicationof his sketches—Holland House—Revival of Gothic—HisManchester churches, and their peculiarities—Marriage—Churchat Oldham—Alarm at Prestwich Church—Designs forKing’s College, Cambridge—Royal Institution at Manchester—Gradualrelinquishment of Greek architecture—St. Peter’s Church,Brighton—Sussex County Hospital—Petworth Church—Queen’sPark, Brighton, his first Italian design—Islington churches—Hisrelations to church architecture generally—Removal to Foley Place—Subsidiarywork—Travellers’ Club—General character of hislife at this period | [64] |
| [IV.CHIEF ITALIAN WORKS.] | |
| Plan of the Chapter. (A.) Original Buildings—Varieties of hisItalian style—First manner—Reform Club—Manchester Athenæum—Newwing at Trentham—Second manner—BridgewaterHouse—Third manner—Halifax Town Hall. (B.) Conversionsand Alterations—College of Surgeons—Walton House—HighclereHouse—Board of Trade—Architectural gardening—TrenthamHall—Duncombe Park—Harewood House—Shrubland Park—CliefdenHouse—Laying out of Trafalgar Square. (C.) Designscarried out by others—Keyham Factory—Ambassador’s Palaceat Constantinople—General remarks on his Italian architecture | [89] |
| [V.MINOR GOTHIC WORKS.] | |
| Progress of the Gothic revival—Birmingham Grammar School—Firstacquaintance with Mr. Pugin and Mr. Thomas—Alterations at DulwichCollege—Unitarian chapel at Manchester—Additions toUniversity College, Oxford—Hurstpierpoint Church—CanfordManor—Gawthorpe Hall—Designs for Dunrobin Castle | [128] |
| [VI.THE NEW PALACE AT WESTMINSTER.] | |
| Plan of the Chapter. Section I. History of the Competition—Burningof the old Houses of Parliament—Opening of the Competitionfor the New Building—Award of the Commissioners—Approvedby the Select Committee of the Houses—Protest of theadvocates of Classical Architecture—Critical controversy—Personalattacks on Mr. Barry—Meeting of unsuccessful Competitors—Presentationof Petition by Mr. Hume—Opposition quashed bySir Robert Peel—Protest against it by Professor Donaldson andothers. Section II. Progress of the Building—Difficulties as tothe Foundation—Commission of Inquiry as to the Stone to be used—FirstStone laid—Unavoidable delays—Committee of the Peers—Generoussupport of Earl of Lincoln—Committee of the Commons—Appointmentof New Palace Commissioners—Appointment ofDr. Reid—Difficulties arising therefrom, and arbitration of Mr.Gwilt—The Great Clock—Competition and success of Mr. Dent—ProfessorAiry and Mr. E. B. Denison referees—Mr. Denison thechief Director—His tone and method of controversy—The GreatBell and its disasters—The Fine Arts Commission—The Architect’sexclusion from it—His scheme for the Decoration of the Building—Thescheme of the Commissioners—Its ideal excellence and practicaldrawbacks—Connection with Mr. Pugin—Real nature of theaid given by him—Mr. Thomas and the stone carving—Mr. Meesonand the practical engineering—Other assistants in the work—Openingof the House of Peers—Opening and alteration of theHouse of Commons—The Architect knighted in 1852—The GreatTower hardly completed at his death. Section III. The RemunerationQuestion—Its points of public interest—General question ofarchitectural percentage—Its bearing on the particular work—Originalattempt at a bargain by Lord Bessborough—Acceptedunder protest—Re-opening of the question—First Minute of theTreasury, and reply—Mr. White acts for Sir C. Barry—SecondMinute of the Treasury—Counter statement—Third Minute of theTreasury—Submitted to by Sir C. Barry—Protest of the RoyalInstitute of British Architects, and reply—Practice of the Governmentafter Sir C. Barry’s death—General reference to the questionof expenditure—Summing up of the chief points of the controversy | [143] |
| [VII.The NEW PALACE AT WESTMINSTER.] | |
| I. History of the Growth of the Design.—Influence of externalcircumstances on the design—Lowness and irregularity of site—Limitationof choice to Elizabethan and Gothic styles—Choice ofPerpendicular style—Original conception of the Plan—Questionof restoration of St. Stephen’s Chapel—Use of Westminster Hall asthe grand Entrance to the building—Simplicity of plan—Principleof symmetry and regularity dominant—Enlargement of Plan afterits adoption—Conception of St. Stephen’s porch—The CentralHall—The Royal entrance and Royal Gallery—The House ofLords, its construction and decoration—The House of Commons,and its alteration—Great difficulty of the acoustic problem—Enlargementof public requirements—Alterations of design in theRiver Front—The Land Fronts—The Victoria Tower—The ClockTower—General inclination to increase the upward tendency of thedesign, and the amount of decoration. II. Brief Description ofthe Actual Building.—Its dimensions—Its main lines of approach;the public approach—The Royal approach—The private approachesof Peers and Commons—General character of the plan—The externalfronts—The towers—Criticisms on the building by independentauthorities | [236] |
| [VIII.CHIEF DESIGNS NOT EXECUTED.] | |
| Large number of designs not executed—Views of MetropolitanImprovement—Reasons for notice of such designs—Clumber Park—NewLaw Courts—National Gallery—Horse Guards—BritishMuseum—General scheme laid before the late Prince Consort—Designfor new Royal Academy—Crystal Palace—Alterations ofPiccadilly and the Green Park—Prolongation of Pall Mall into theGreen Park—Westminster Bridge—Extension of the New Palaceat Westminster round New Palace Yard—Great Scheme of MetropolitanImprovements—Plan and description—General remarksthereon | [266] |
| [IX.GENERAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC LIFE.] | |
| Public action—His natural dislike of publicity—His characteristics asa Commissioner—Royal Academy—Scheme for Architectural Education—RoyalInstitute of British Architects—Scientific Societies—RoyalCommission of 1851—Exposition Universelle of 1855—Professionalarbitrations at Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Leeds—St.Paul’s Cathedral Committee | [302] |
| [X.PRIVATE LIFE AND DEATH.] | |
| Leading events of his life—General habits of work—Domesticity andprivacy of life—Acquaintances and friendships—Distaste of publicity—Leadingfeatures of character—Personal appearance—Failureof health—Death—Funeral in Westminster Abbey—Erectionof Memorial Statue—Conclusion | [323] |
| APPENDIX. | |
| (A.) List of Architectural Designs | [355] |
| (B.) Letter to his Royal Highness the Prince Consort as to theSouth Kensington Scheme | [358] |
| (C.) Papers on the Remuneration Controversy | [369] |
| (D.) List of Subscribers to the Memorial Statue | [405] |
ERRATA.
(Corrections made by etext-transcriber.)
- Page [109], line 23, for “Berkshire” read “Hampshire.”
- Page [147], line 12, for “November” read “December.”
- Pages [195], [196], transpose paragraphs beginning “As soon as,” &c., and “The first aid,” &c.
- Page [259], line 32, for “twenty-five” read “twenty-nine,” and for “thirty” read “forty-three.”