On the stranger’s descent he is invited to see the whispering gallery, which will likewise cost two pence; he here beholds to advantage the beautiful pavement of the church, and from hence he has the most advantageous view of the fine paintings in the cupola. Here sounds are magnified to an astonishing degree; the least whisper is heard round the whole circumference; the voice of one person softly speaking against the wall on the other side, seems as if he stood at our ear on this, though the distance between them is no less than an hundred and forty feet: and the shutting of the door resounds through the place like thunder, or as if the whole fabric was falling asunder. To this gallery there is an easy ascent for persons of distinction, by a most beautiful flight of stairs.
The stranger is next invited to see the library, the books of which are neither numerous nor valuable; but the floor is artfully inlaid without either nails or pegs, and the wainscoting and book cases are not inelegant.
The next curiosity is the fine model Sir Christopher first caused to be made for building the new cathedral. It was not taken from St. Peter’s at Rome, as is pretended; but was Sir Christopher’s own invention, and the model on which he set the highest value; and it is a great pity, that what was performed as the utmost exertion of the abilities of this great architect, should be suffered to run to decay.
He is next shewn the great bell in the south tower, which weighs 84 c. weight. On this bell the hammer of the great clock strikes the hour, and on a smaller bell are struck the quarters.
The last thing shewn, are what are vulgarly called the geometry stairs, which are so artfully contrived as to hang together without visible support; but this kind of stairs, however curious in themselves, are neither new nor uncommon. Parentalia. Historical account of the curiosities of London, &c.
The cathedral church of St. Paul’s is deservedly esteemed the second in Europe, not for magnitude only but for beauty and grandeur. St. Peter’s at Rome is undoubtedly the first, but at the same time it is generally acknowledged by all travellers of taste, that the outside, and particularly the front of St. Paul’s, is much superior to St. Peter’s. The two towers at the west end, though faulty in some respects, are yet elegant, and the portico finely marks the principal entrance. The loggia, crowned with a pediment, with its alto relievo and statues, make in the whole a fine shape, whereas St. Peter’s is a straight line without any break. The dome is extremely magnificent, and by rising higher than that at Rome, is seen to more advantage on a near approach. The inside, though noble, falls short of St. Peter’s. The discontinuing the architrave of the great entablature over the arches in the middle of the isle, is a fault the architects can never forgive. Notwithstanding, without a critical examination, it appears very striking, especially on entering the north or south door. The side isles though small are very elegant, and if it does not equal St. Peter’s, there is much to be said in defence both of it and the architect, who was not permitted to decorate it as he intended, through a want of taste in the managers, who seemed to have forgot that it was intended a national ornament. St. Peter’s has all the advantages of painting and sculpture of the greatest masters, and is encrusted with a variety of the finest marbles, no cost being spared to make it exceed every thing of its kind. The great geometrical knowledge of the architect can never be sufficiently admired, but this can be come at only by a thorough inspection of the several parts.
For the farther satisfaction of the curious reader, we shall conclude this article with an account of the dimensions of St. Paul’s cathedral compared with those of St. Peter’s at Rome, from an account published some years ago: the measures of the latter being taken from the authentic dimensions of the best architects of Rome, reduced to English measure.
| Feet. | Feet. | |
|---|---|---|
| The Plan, or Length and Breadth. | St. Peter. | St. Paul. |
| The whole length of the church and porch | 729 | 500 |
| The breadth within the doors of the porticos | 510 | 250 |
| The breadth of the front with the turrets | 364 | 180 |
| The breadth of the front without the turrets | 318 | 110 |
| The breadth of the church and three naves | 255 | 130 |
| The breadth of the church and widest chapels | 364 | 180 |
| The length of the porch within | 218 | 50 |
| The breadth of the porch within | 40 | 20 |
| The length of the platea at the upper steps | 291 | 100 |
| The breadth of the nave at the door | 67 | 40 |
| The breadth of the nave at the third pillar and tribuna | 73 | 40 |
| The breadth of the side isles | 29 | 17 |
| The distance between the pillars of the nave | 44 | 25 |
| The breadth of the same double pillars at St. Peter’s | 29 | |
| The breadth of the same single pillars at St. Paul’s | 10 | |
| The two right sides of the great pilasters of the cupola | 65:7½ | 25:35 |
| The distance between the same pilasters | 72 | 40 |
| The outward diameter of the cupola | 189 | 145 |
| The inward diameter of the same | 138 | 100 |
| The breadth of the square by the cupola | 43 | |
| The length of the same | 328 | |
| From the door within the cupola | 313 | 190 |
| From the cupola to the end of the tribuna | 167 | 170 |
| The breadth of each of the turrets | 77 | 35 |
| The outward diameter of the lantern | 36 | 18 |
| The whole space, upon which one pillar stands | 5906 | 875 |
| The whole space, upon which all the pillars stand | 23625 | 7000 |
| Feet. | Feet. | |
|---|---|---|
| The HEIGHT. | St. Peter. | St. Paul. |
| From the ground without to the top of the cross | 437½ | 340 |
| The turrets as they were at St. Peter’s and are at St. Paul’s | 289½ | 222 |
| To the top of the highest statues on the front | 175 | 135 |
| The first pillars of the Corinthian order | 74 | 33 |
| The breadth of the same | 9 | 4 |
| Their basis and pedestals | 19 | 13 |
| Their capital | 10 | 5 |
| The architrave, frize, and cornice | 19 | 10 |
| The Composite pillars at St. Paul’s and Tuscan at St. Peter’s | 25½ | 25 |
| The ornaments of the same pillars above, and below | 14½ | 16 |
| The triangle of the mezzo relievo, with its cornice | 22½ | 18 |
| Wide | 92 | 74 |
| The basis of the cupola to the pedestals of the pillars | 36½ | 38 |
| The pillars of the cupola | 32 | 28 |
| Their basis and pedestals | 4 | 5 |
| Their capitals, architrave, frize, and cornice | 12 | 12 |
| From the cornice to the outward slope of the cupola | 25½ | 40 |
| The lantern from the cupola to the ball | 63 | 50 |
| The ball in diameter | 9 | 6 |
| The cross with its ornaments below | 14 | 6 |
| The statues upon the front with their pedestals | 25½ | 15 |
| The outward slope of the cupola | 89 | 50 |
| Cupola and lantern from the cornice of the front to the top of the cross | 280 | 240 |
| The height of the niches in the front | 20 | 14 |
| Wide | 9 | 5 |
| The first windows in the front | 20 | 13 |
| Wide | 10 | 7 |
The whole expence of erecting this edifice, on deducting the sums expended in fruitless attempts to repair the old cathedral, amounted to 736,752l. 2s. 3d.