BEDWELL'S Rambles in New Zealand. liever's Companion in Solitude. 12mo. 78.

Illustrations of Windsor Castle. By SIR J. WYATVILLE. Folio. 87. 88. Edited by H. Ashton, Esq.

PUGIN'S True Principles of Pointed or

CLISSOLD'S Illustrations of the End of Christian Architecture. 4to. 15s.

INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS.

June 7. A paper was read by the Rev. R. Burgess, Hon. Member, on the Roman temples. Mr. Burgess traced, in a most interesting and entertaining narra. tive, the history of the temples of antiquity, from the rays encircling the heads of the heathen deities, originally applied

as a protection to the heads of their statues, and the niches in which they were subsequently ensconced, down to the gorgeous edifices of the Roman empire.

June 21. Read, a report, by Mons. Vaudoyer, Hon. and Corresponding Mem. ber, on the Column erected at St. Petersburgh by Mons. de Montferrand, in honour of the late Emperor Alexander. The construction of this monument rivals that of the best ages of antiquity. The shaft is monolithic, of polished granite, 84 feet in length. The pedestal is also a a single block of the same material, and so carefully has the durability of the work been considered, that two vast masses were successively rejected after they had been extricated from the quarry as not being sufficiently perfect. Possessed as we are in Great Britain of granite quarries capable of supplying stones of almost unlimited dimensions, it is to be regretted that such an example should be lost upon the directors of our public works. Unfortunately the example is likely to excite nothing but feelings of horror and contempt for so outrageous a dereliction of the principles of economy!

A paper was afterwards read on the open roofs of the middle ages, by T. Morris, esq.-many examples were exhibited and described. It appeared to be the general opinion of the meeting, that the scientific skill displayed in these beautiful and picturesque combinations of timberwork has been greatly over-rated. Some have signally failed, as at Eltham; while in others, as at Westminster Hall, the principle resolves itself, on examination

into the simplest elements of roofing. The durability of these structures seems rather due to the mechanical construction of the carpentry, in which they are worthy of the greatest admiration.

July 5. A paper by the Rev. Professor Willis, "On the system followed by the Architects of the middle ages in the construction of their Vaults." The principles of vaulting and the mode of setting out the arch stones were first laid down in the well-known treatise of Philibert de l'Orme; but it is evident that his predecessors, the architects who practised the Gothic style, must have been in possession of a geometrical system, though it was probably very simple as compared with the complicated problems of P. de l'Orme. To investigate the system of the Gothic architects by a close observation of their works, was the subject of Professor Willis's paper. The mode of construction adopted by the Gothic architects in their vaulting, differs widely from that of classical architecture both ancient and mo

dern, inasmuch as in the latter the vaults are formed of regular courses of cut stone, whereas Gothic vaultings consist of a series of ribs, each rib constituting a separate and independent arch, the interstices filled in with lighter materials to complete the vault. In the early Norman work of our English edifices, these vaultings are often very rude and irregular, and the several arches so far from coinciding that it is requisite to fill up the backs of the ribs to a considerable extent, in order to level the intermediate spandrils. Yet, even in vaults like these, some geometrical system must have been necessary. The change of style in the architecture of the thirteenth century necessitated a more careful construction, since the rib mouldings became more numerous and complicated as the capitals from which they sprung were diminished in their capacity to receive them. This difficulty was met by the construction of a stool of solid masonry in level courses from the springing up to the point where the ribs spread sufficiently to disengage the mouldings from each other, and then they are carried over separately, and filled in as before. The mode in which the difficulties arising from the various levels at which it was sometimes necessary to spring the ribs in Gothic vaultings of this period, as, for example, in raising the lateral arches of the vaults of a church to make room for the clerestory windows, producing a great variety of curvatures in the same vaulting, all to be reconciled in the filling in, were illustrated by diagrams, without the aid of which it is useless to pursue the details. With regard to the curvature of the diagonal ribs, they were

never projected according to the modern practice, to which may be attributed the want of character which marks most of the imitations of Gothic vaulting. Actual measurement has proved the diagonals of early Gothic vaulting to be arcs of circles, the centres being below the springing of the cross ribs, and the problem called by Philibert de l'Orme the trois points perdus, was probably that upon which they were laid down; and it may be observed, that both the classical and the Gothic systems of vaulting were in operation in different parts of Europe at the same time, and that P. de l'Orme must have had the opportunity of being acquainted with both. The introduction of the fourcentered arch simplified the vaulting in one respect, by bringing the centres of all the curves to a uniform level, but the effect of vaulting in this form is consequently extremely flat and poor compared with the lightness and freedom of that in the earlier period. New complexity, however, had arisen with the introduction of cross lines from one main rib to another. These short ribs meet upon bosses, worked together with a portion of the divergent ribs, in solid stone, but the principle of setting up the ribs and filling in is still followed, notwithstanding the complicated form of the frame-work. These intricate patterns, which form a link between the simple early groins and the last phase of Gothic vaulting in fantracery, exhibit various degrees of success in the design, dependent upon the skill of the architect. In most of the vaults of this description, the centre compartments fall into the shape of a star. In some examples this form has been clearly laid down on the plan, but is lost in the execution through the distortion occasioned by the dip of the ribs or other causes, while in other instances it is unexpectedly brought out by combinations evincing consummate ingenuity and knowledge of the resources of geometry and perspective. In fan-vaulting we return to real masonry, the ribs and panels being carved out of stones fitted together. Complicated as this mode of construction may be, it is less so in reality than in appearance, being greatly simplified by uniform curvatures, and uniform levels in the springings; and the system of setting out the stones seems to have been so well understood, that it is found to be invariably the same throughout all our great fan-vaults. This system Professor Willis explained to be dependent upon certain horizontal beds on the upper surfaces of the intersecting stones, which it would be impossible to render intelligible without the models to which his observations referred.

ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY.

June 1. William Tite, esq. President, in the chair.

After the report of the proceedings of the Society during the session was read, the President delivered a very interesting lecture, "On the researches made in Egypt, at the expense and under the authority of the Tuscan Government, by Signor Rossilini." The lecture was illustrated by a variety of drawings, models, and valuable engravings, which very considerably enhanced its interest.

At the completion of the lecture the President announced the agreeable duty which he had to perform, in the distribution of the prizes which had been awarded by the Society for competition during the past session; at the same time he expressed his regret that the students had not been more active in the other classes of competition, and stated that, although prizes had been offered by the Society for competition in the class of original design, in the class of measured drawings from a public building, and also for the best fairly transcribed notes of the Professors' lectures, yet it became his painful duty to state that no competition whatever had been attempted in either of these classes; neither was there any competition for the prize offered for the best drawing of the human figure from a plaster cast in the possession of the Society. Having made these observations, the President proceeded to the distribution of the two prizes which had been awarded, viz. to Mr. Arthur Johnson, for the greatest number of the most approved sketches from subjects given by the Architectural Society during the session 1840 and 1841 and to Mr. Frederick Johnstone, for having produced the best drawing from a (architectural) plaster cast in the possession of the Society, session 1840-41. The President called the attention of the meeting to some specimens of a patent which had been obtained for uniting lead and other metals without solder, which he was of opinion was worth the consideration of persons connected with building. He then announced that the business of the meeting and of the session was concluded, and in so doing directed the attention of the visitors and other gentlemen present, to the various specimens of art contributed for the evening's entertainment; among which was a very beautiful drawing, being a representation of the shield to be presented to Lord Eglinton, in commemoration of the late tournament held under his superintendance; both the design and drawing were by Mr. Henry Nixon. Also a newly invented ball-cock, patented by Mr. Henry Abraham, the architect; a cast in

days of the week, from ten to four o'clock in the winter, and to six o'clock in the summer, and on Sundays after two o'clock the number of visitors has greatly increased. The number of visitors in 1839 was 116,000, in 1840, 122,339. The admission of the public on Sunday afternoons, sometimes to the number of 3,000 persons, and their exemplary conduct in the Palace and Gardens, is a peculiar and important feature.

Greenwich Hospital. The Painted Hall and Chapel at Greenwich Hospital, are exhibited on week-days from seven in the morning to sunset, and on Sunday afternoons after one o'clock, to the pub lic, on payment of 3d. by each person to each place. The Painted Hall, decorated by Sir James Thornhill, contains a collection of paintings consisting of representations of naval actions, and portraits of admirals and naval men, some sculpture, and other objects interesting to the public, and chiefly to persons in the naval service. Soldiers have been admitted to see the Hall free of charge for many years; and, since the Committee began their inquiry, the Lieutenant - Governor, by order dated 7 May, 1841, has directed that seamen shall also in future be admitted free of charge.

The annual number of visitors to the Painted Hall is on an average about 100,000, and produces about £1,300 a year.

The money received for admission of visitors is applied to the general funds of the Hospital. Considering that all the pictures contained in the Painted Hall are the free gift of individuals, foreign as well as British, and that they contribute to illustrate the naval history of the country, and to perpetuate the memory of those distinguished officers who have been thought worthy of a place in this collection, your Committee strongly recommend that, for the gratification and instruction of the people, the Painted Hall should be opened to the public for some hours every day, free of charge, in the same manner as the National Gallery and Hampton Court Palace, under such regulations as may be requisite.

As it appears from the evidence, that the admission of the public to the apart ments, galleries, and gardens at Hampton Court, and also to the Painted Hall at Greenwich, on Sunday afternoon, is not attended with any inconvenience or im. propriety; the evidence of several witnesses tends to show that much advantage would be derived from similar opportunities being afforded, under proper regulations, at the British Museum and the National Gallery, with beneficial results; and your Committee concur in that opinion.

Catalogues.Your Committee refer to the evidence concerning catalogues, and are of opinion that, where the collections will allow it, cheap catalogues, divided into distinct portions for each class or department, should be provided at our national collections, as a valuable mode of disseminating knowledge, and rendering those collections more generally useful. It is also recommended, that a small tablet should be attached to each object in the collection, containing the name or subject; and also to works of art the artist's name, and the date.

Cathedrals and Public Monuments.Your Committee do not apprehend that any danger to the monuments in Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's would result from giving to the public, under proper regulations, the same freedom of admission to those cathedrals which is allowed in the case of the exhibitions referred to. The Committee are aware that serious injury has in times past been done to the monuments in Westminster Abbey, but their inquiries lead them to believe that those injuries have not been the result of any want of attention on the part of those who have ordinarily charge of the cathedral, still less of a mischievous disposition on the part of the people at large, but have, for the most part, arisen from the necessity of erecting on certain public occasions galleries and rooms within the abbey, and from want of due care or of power on the part of those engaged in the conduct of such extensive works, within a limited space, to protect so many objects of art from injury.

That your Committee strongly deprecate any course which could create an impression that churches were at any time to be considered merely in the light of places for the exhibition of works of

art. But it is their opinion, that as by increased facilities of admission to the inspection of mere works of art, civilisation has been encouraged and public taste improved, so a more free admission to religious edifices, under proper regulation, may be made conducive not merely to the gratification of curiosity and the acquirement of historical knowledge, but to the growth and progress of religious impressions, by leading the mind of the spectator from the contemplation of the building to a consideration of the views with which, and the purposes for which, it was originally erected and is still maintained.

The Committee refer to the evidence of Mr. Britton, the well-known author of "British Cathedrals," who, for 45 years, has devoted his talents to the study of our national edifices and monuments,