On searching for the natural ground, Dr. Wren perceived that the foundation of the old church stood upon a layer of very close and hard pot earth, on the north side about six feet deep, but gradually thinning towards the south, till on the declivity of the hill, it was scarce four feet; yet he concluded that the same ground which had borne so weighty a building before, might reasonably be trusted again. However, boring beneath this, he found a stratum of loose sand; and lower still, at low water mark, water and sand mixed with periwinkles and other sea shells; under this, a hard beach; and below all the natural bed of clay that extends far and wide, under the city, country, and river.
The foundations appeared to be those originally laid, consisting of Kentish rubble stone, artfully worked and consolidated with exceeding hard mortar, after the Roman manner, much excelling what he found in the superstructure. What induced him to change the scite of the church, and eraze the old foundations which were so firm, was the desire of giving the new structure a more free and graceful aspect; yet after all, he found himself too much confined; and unable to bring his front to lie exactly from Ludgate. However, in his progress he met with one misfortune that made him almost repent of the alteration he had made; he began the foundation from the west to the east, and then extending his line to the north east, where he expected no interruption, he fell upon a pit, where the hard crust of pot earth, already mentioned, had been taken away, and to his unspeakable mortification, filled up with rubbish: he wanted but six or seven feet to complete his design, yet there was no other remedy but digging thro’ the sand, and building from the solid earth, that was at least forty feet deep. He therefore sunk a pit eighteen feet wide, tho’ he wanted at most but seven, thro’ all the strata, that has been already mentioned, and laid the foundations of a square pier of solid good masonry, which he carried up till he came within fifteen feet of the present surface; and then turned a short arch under ground to the level of the stratum of hard pot-earth, upon which arch the north east coin of the choir now stands.
This difficulty being surmounted, and the foundations laid, he for several reasons made choice of Portland stone for the superstructure; but chiefly as the largest scantlings were to be procured from thence: however, as these could not be depended upon for columns exceeding four feet in diameter, this determined this great architect to make choice of two orders instead of one, and an Attic story, as at St. Peter’s at Rome, in order to preserve the just proportions of his cornice, otherwise the edifice must have fallen short of its intended height. Bramante in building St. Peter’s, though he had the quarries of Tivoli at hand, where he could have blocks large enough for his columns of nine feet diameter, yet for want of stones of suitable dimensions, was obliged to diminish the proportions of the proper members of his cornice; a fault against which Dr. Wren resolved to guard. On these principles he therefore proceeded, in raising the present magnificent edifice.
The general form of St. Paul’s cathedral is a long cross: the walls are wrought in rustic, and strengthened as well as adorned by two rows of coupled pilasters, one over the other; the lower Corinthian, and the upper Composite. The spaces between the arches of the windows, and the architrave of the lower order, are filled with a great variety of curious enrichments, as are those above.
The west front is graced with a most magnificent portico, a noble pediment, and two stately turrets, and when one advances towards the church from Ludgate, the elegant construction of this front, the fine turrets over each corner, and the vast dome behind, fill the mind with a pleasing astonishment.
At this end, there is a noble flight of steps of black marble, that extend the whole length of the portico, which consists of twelve lofty Corinthian columns below, and eight of the Composite order above; these are all coupled and fluted. The upper series supports a noble pediment crowned with its acroteria. In this pediment is a very elegant representation in bas relief, of the conversion of St. Paul, which was executed by Mr. Bird, an artist, who, by this piece, has deserved to have his name transmitted to posterity. Nothing could have been conceived more difficult to represent in bas relief than this conversion; the most striking object being naturally the irradiation of light, but even this is well expressed, and the figures are excellently performed. The magnificent figure of St. Paul, also on the apex of the pediment, with St. Peter on his right and St. James on his left, have a fine effect. The four Evangelists with their proper emblems on the front of the towers, are also very judiciously disposed, and well executed: St. Matthew is distinguished by an angel: St. Mark, by a lion; St. Luke, by an ox; and St. John, by an eagle.
To the north portico, there is an ascent by twelve circular steps of black marble; and its dome is supported by six large Corinthian columns, forty-eight inches in diameter. Upon the dome is a large and well proportioned urn, finely ornamented with festoons; and over this is a pediment supported by pilasters in the wall, in the face of which is the royal arms, with the regalia, supported by angels. And lest this view of the cathedral should appear void of sufficient ornament, the statues of five of the Apostles are placed on the top at proper distances.
The south portico answers to the north, and is placed directly opposite to it. This, like the other, is a dome supported by six noble Corinthian columns: but, as the ground is considerably lower on this, than on the other side of the church, the ascent is by a flight of twenty-five steps. This portico has also a pediment above, in which is a phœnix rising out of the flames with the motto RESURGAM underneath it, as an emblem of the rebuilding the church after the fire. This device had perhaps its origin from an incident, which happened at the beginning of the work, and was particularly remarked by the architect as a favourable omen. When Dr. Wren himself had set out upon the place the dimensions of the building, and fixed upon the center of the great dome, a common labourer was ordered to bring him a flat stone, the first he found among the rubbish, to leave as a mark of direction to the masons; the stone which the fellow brought for this purpose, happened to be a piece of a grave stone with nothing remaining of the inscription but this single word in large capitals, RESURGAM; a circumstance which Dr. Wren never forgot. On this side of the building are likewise five statues, which take their situation from that of St. Andrew on the apex of the last mentioned pediment.
At the cast end of the church is a sweep or circular projection for the altar, finely ornamented with the orders, and with sculpture, particularly a noble piece in honour of his Majesty King William III.
The dome which rises in the center of the whole, appears extremely grand. Twenty feet above the roof of the church is a circular range of thirty-two columns, with niches placed exactly against others within. These are terminated by their entablature, which supports a handsome gallery adorned with a balustrade. Above these columns is a range of pilasters, with windows between; and from the entablature of these the diameter decreases very considerably; and two feet above that it is again contracted. From this part the external sweep of the dome begins, and the arches meet at fifty-two feet above. On the summit of the dome is an elegant balcony; and from its center rises the lanthorn adorned with Corinthian columns; and the whole is terminated by a ball, from which rises a cross, both elegantly gilt. These parts, which appear from below of a very moderate size, are extremely large.