ment of the interior; for, said he, you must remember, that beauty and grandeur are not to be obtained by occasional porticoes or arcades, not by continually varying the forms of your buildings, into circles, polygons, and squares to produce beauty of effect, consistency, harmony, and continuity of character must prevail through every part of the design.

The Professor now proceeded to observe, that in his last lecture he had noticed the neglected state of architecture in this country, with the apathy that prevailed in the public mind towards its beauties and advantages. This neglect, he said, arose not from a want of ability among the established members of the profession; neither was there any deficiency either of talent or taste among the students in architecture; and of this, our annual exhibitions, and the designs tendered for the gold medal of the Royal Academy, were solid evidences and convincing proofs. But, said he, the architectural students of England labour under great disadvantages compared with those of France, from there being no public schools where they may obtain the necessary instruction in the art. Had we such institutions, we should not so often see designs adapted to warm climates, with open porticoes and colonnades, transported into our cold and damp atmosphere: this, however, is but one of the numerous errors which might be obviated had we a public school of architecture.

Let me ask, said Mr. Soane, what would painting and sculpture be, without the advantages they derive from their schools, and the visitors who inspect them? Had the students in architecture equal opportunities, it would excite among them a yet more ardent emulation, and raise in their minds such a noble spirit for their art, as would make them pursue their studies with an unremitting ardour.

When his late Majesty graciously founded an academy of painting, sculpture, and architecture, for the advancement of art, it was intended that each should equally partake of the royal patronage. Professors were ap pointed to deliver lectures on the different branches of art, with a view to the improvement of the students. For this purpose a Professor was appointed in architecture also, whose office was to read six lectures annually, calculated to form the taste of the students from the purest sources, pointing out to them the beauties and defects of the various productions of the art, referring them to such works as might be most serviceable, and guarding them against the contagion of bad examples and false taste. Had we schools in the Royal Academy for architecture, as well as for painting and sculpture, provided with models of ancient buildings of an ample dimension, with casts from the parts at large, it would place the architectural student in a situation to pursue his studies with confidence and advantage.

When the young architect shall have such opportunities for study as those I have recommended, said the Professor, and a liberal patronage afterwards gives him employ, then, and not till then, will architecture flourish, and its beauties and advantages be properly appreciated in this country.

(To be continued in our next.)

ART. XVIII. SURRY INSTITUTION. Lectures on Architecture by MR. ELMES.

THE lectures delivered here during the last season, have been on the chemical phenomena of nature and art, by Mr. Accum: on the literature of the reign of Elizabeth, by Mr. Hazlitt: on music, by Dr. Crotch: and on

the elements of civil architecture, by Mr. Elmes. As the subject of the last course is more immediately connected with the nature of this work, we give the following abridged report of it. Mr. Elmes treated his subject chronologically; in his first lectures noticing the architecture of the early nations, such as the Egyptians, Hindoos, and Persians; then proceeding to the rise, progress, perfection, and decline of the art among the Greeks and Romans; after which he pursued the subject to the period when it was almost extinct in the dark ages, traced its revival among the Italians, and finally brought his review down to the present day, when he freely criticised the want of pure taste evinced in many of our recent public structures.

In his first lecture, Mr. Elmes observed to his audience, that it was his intention to render architecture as popular as the technical nature of the subject would admit, and he would endeavour to clear away some of the difficulties which deter many an admirer of the art from searching into its beauties.

Architecture, said the lecturer, has had its rise, progress, meridian, decay, and revival. Its rise took place in the earliest ages of the world: it made ample progress among the Egyptians and the early Greeks, reached its meridian in the age of Pericles; scintillated and declined among the Romans; became torpid in the middle ages; and was revived with literature and the other arts, by the great and illustrious people of modern Italy.

In England also, the art has gradually advanced towards perfection, and the new reign we have just commenced, has opened with the most auspicious omens. To our late revered Monarch the arts are deeply indebted for his personal exertion in their favour, during the clouded days of turbulence and warfare. This encouragement led to our present improved style, and paved the way for our future greatness. Richardson almost prophetically

said, many years since, "I am no prophet, nor the son of a prophet; but I will venture to predict, that if ever the ancient, great, and beautiful taste in painting," and I take leave to add, in architecture also, "revives, it will be in England." Our dearest wish should be, that it may be in our days, and that our eyes may witness it.

The last reign, including that of the Regency, first gave a large sum of money exclusively to the arts in the purchase of the Elgin and Phigalian marbles; and the government of George the Fourth have shewn the first instance in English history, where the public patronage of the arts, so essential to the fame of a great and enlightened nation, has been announced in parliament." As far as his Majesty," says the ostensible minister of the crown, in the lower house, at the first meeting of parliament in the new reign," had already presided over the councils of the nation, the result had been glorious. He trusted and was persuaded, that his Majesty would have the gratification of adding a new page of lustre to the English history; and, that as there was nothing of glory left to achieve, his Majesty would snatch the only remaining laurels, by cultivating the arts of peace."

May his Majesty's intentions be accomplished; and may the laurels of peace, and the ever-blooming flowers of painting, sculpture, and architecture; of literature, music, and of poetry, entwine his brows, and make the reign of George IV. the golden age of England. Happy will it be for us, if to the glorious names of Pericles, Julius II., and Leo X., we can add the name of George IV., as the most enlightened and liberal protector of the arts, since the great days of Grecian, Roman, or Italian splendour.

After various other observations, the lecturer proceeded to notice the earliest architectural works of which we have any record. The structures of the antediluvians, as mentioned in holy writ, were adduced as proofs, that

even in that early period they had attained a considerable knowledge of construction.

He then mentioned the earliest buildings of the descendants of Noah, among the principal of which were the tower of Babel, and the cities of Nineveh and Babylon. The structures of the early Egyptians were next noticed, and their pyramids, obelisks, labyrinths, and temples, were descanted upon and explained.

In the second lecture, after various prefatory observations, the lecturer proceeded to introduce to his auditors the excavated temples of the ancient Hindoos. Those temples carved out of the solid rock, in many instances display not only skill, but taste also. The elements of the Indian style, like those of the Egyptian, are derived from excavations, and are deserving of admiration for their vastness and peculiar character of beauty and decoration.

The excavations in the islands of Elephanta and Salsette, near Bombay, were instanced, and the yet more extensive excavated temples in the mountain of Ellora, near Dowlatabad, in the Deccan. From the excavations of the Hindoos, he proceeded to their erections, and traced the affinity which existed between them : he now finished his review of the architecture of Hindostan, with an examination of the style practised under the Mogul Emperors.

He next proceeded to notice the structures of the ancient Persians, Hebrews, and Chinese, which were severally explained and elucidated by various drawings of the different styles mentioned in the course of the evening.

The third lecture was upon the state of architecture in Greece, from the earliest periods to the founding of Athens by Cecrops; thence it was continued onwards till brought to its perfection in the time of Pericles.

The cabin or wooden hut of the Greeks, was adduced as