Part 8
But to be more particular: as the disposition of the vaultings within is an essential beauty, without which many other ornaments would lose their effect, so the architect was particularly careful in this respect. “The Romans,” says the author of the _Parentalia_, “used hemispherical vaultings, and Sir Christopher chose those as being demonstrably lighter than the diagonal cross vaults: so the whole vault of St. Paul’s consists of twenty-four cupolas cut off semicircular, with segments to join to the great arches one way, and which are cut across the other, with eliptical cylinders to let in the upper lights of the nave; but in the isles the lesser cupolas are both ways cut in semicircular sections, and altogether make a graceful geometrical form, distinguished with circular wreaths which is the horizontal section of the cupola; for the hemisphere may be cut all manner of ways into circular sections; and the arches and wreaths being of stone carved, the spandrels between are of sound brick, invested with stucco of cockle-shell lime, which becomes as hard as Portland stone; and which having large planes between the stone ribs, are capable of the farther ornaments of painting, if required.
“Besides these twenty-four cupolas, there is a half cupola at the east, and the great cupola of 108 feet in diameter at the middle of the crossing of the great isles. In this the architect imitated the Pantheon at Rome, excepting that the upper order is there only umbratile, and distinguished by different coloured marbles; in St. Paul’s it is extant out of the wall. The Pantheon is no higher within than its diameter; St. Peter’s is two diameters; this shews too high, the other too low; St. Paul’s is a mean proportion between both, which shews its concave every way, and is very lightsome by the windows of the upper order, which strike down the light thro’ the great colonade that encircles the dome without, and serves for the abutment of the dome, which is brick of two bricks thick; but as it rises every way five feet high, has a course of excellent brick of eighteen inches long banding thro’ the whole thickness; and moreover, to make it still more secure, it is surrounded with a vast chain of iron strongly linked together at every ten feet. This chain is let into a channel cut into the bandage of Portland stone, and defended from the weather by filling the groove with lead.
“The concave was turned upon a center; which was judged necessary to keep the work even and true, though a cupola might be built without a center; but it is observable that the center was laid without any standards from below to support; and as it was both centering and scaffolding, it remained for the use of the painter. Every story of this scaffolding being circular, and the ends of all the ledgers meeting as so many rings, and truly wrought, it supported itself. This machine was an original of the kind, and will be an useful project for the like work, to an architect hereafter.
“It was necessary to give a greater height than the cupola would gracefully allow within, tho’ it is considerably above the roof of the church; yet the old church having before had a very lofty spire of timber and lead, the world expected that the new work should not, in this respect, fall short of the old; the architect was therefore obliged to comply with the humour of the age, and to raise another structure over the first cupola; and this was a cone of brick, so built as to support a stone lanthorn of an elegant figure, and ending in ornaments of copper gilt.
“As the whole church above the vaulting is covered with a substantial oaken roof, and lead, the most durable covering in our climate, so he covered and hid out of sight the brick cone, with another cupola of timber and lead; and between this and the cone, are easy stairs that ascend to the lanthorn. Here the spectator may have a view of such amazing contrivances as are indeed astonishing. He forbore to make little luthern windows in the leaden cupola, as are done out of St. Peter’s, because he had otherwise provided for light enough to the stairs from the lanthorn above, and round the pedestal of the same, which are now seen below; so that he only ribbed the outward cupola, which he thought less Gothic than to stick it full of such little lights in three stories one above another, as is the cupola of St. Peter’s, which could not without difficulty be mended, and, if neglected, would soon damage the timbers.”
As Sir Christopher was sensible, that paintings, tho’ ever so excellent, are liable to decay, he intended to have beautified the inside of the cupola with mosaic work, which strikes the eye of the beholder with amazing lustre, and without the least decay of colours, is as durable as the building itself; but in this he was unhappily over-ruled, tho’ he had undertaken to procure four of the most eminent artists in that profession from Italy; this part is however richly decorated and painted by Sir James Thornhill, who has represented the principal passages of St. Paul’s life in eight compartments, viz. his conversion; his punishing Elymas, the sorcerer, with blindness; his preaching at Athens; his curing the poor cripple at Lystra, and the reverence paid him there by the priests of Jupiter as a God; his conversion of the jailer; his preaching at Ephesus, and the burning of the magic books in consequence of the miracles he wrought there; his trial before Agrippa; his shipwreck on the island of Melita, or Malta, with the miracle of the viper. These paintings are all seen to advantage by means of a circular opening, through which the light is transmitted with admirable effect from the lanthorn above.
The highest or last stone on the top of the lanthorn, was laid by Mr. Christopher Wren, the son of this great architect, in the year 1710; and thus was this noble fabric, lofty enough to be discerned at sea eastward, and at Windsor to the west, begun and compleated in the space of thirty-five years, by one architect, the great Sir Christopher Wren; one principal mason, Mr. Strong; and under one Bishop of London, Dr. Henry Compton: whereas St. Peter’s at Rome, the only structure that can come in competition with it, continued an hundred and fifty five years in building, under twelve successive architects; assisted by the police and interests of the Roman see; attended by the best artists of the world in sculpture, statuary, painting and mosaic work; and facilitated by the ready acquisition of marble from the neighbouring quarries of Tivoli.
_The curiosities in this cathedral which strangers pay for seeing._ On entering the south door, there is a pair of stairs within a small door on the right, leading to the cupola, and the stranger by paying two pence may gratify his curiosity with a prospect from the iron gallery at the foot of the lanthorn, which in a clear day affords a fine view of the river, of this whole metropolis and all the adjacent country, interspersed with pleasant villages.
The ascent to this gallery is by 534 steps, 260 of which are so easy that a child may without difficulty ascend them; but those above are unpleasant, and in some places very dark; but the little light that is afforded is sufficient to shew amazing proofs of the wonderful contrivances of the architect. But as the first gallery, surrounded by a stone balustrade, affords a very fine prospect, many are satisfied, and unwilling to undergo the fatigue of mounting higher.
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.│ St. │ Peter.│ 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 │ 73│ 40 tribuna │ │ 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. │ 29│ Peter’s │ │ The breadth of the same single pillars at St. │ │ 10 Paul’s │ │ The two right sides of the great pilasters of the │ 65:7½│ 25:35 cupola │ │ 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.│ St. │ Peter.│ 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│ 289½│ 222 St. Paul’s │ │ 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 │ 25½│ 25 St. Peter’s │ │ The ornaments of the same pillars above, and below│ 14½│ 16 The triangle of the mezzo relievo, with its │ 22½│ 18 cornice │ │ Wide │ 92│ 74 The basis of the cupola to the pedestals of the │ 36½│ 38 pillars │ │ 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 │ 25½│ 40 cupola │ │ 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 │ 280│ 240 to the top of the cross │ │ 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 736,752_l._ 2_s._ 3_d._
_St._ PAUL’S _Bakehouse court_, Godliman’s street.
_St._ PAUL’S _chain_, a lane on the south of St. Paul’s Church yard.
_St._ PAUL’S _Church yard_, 1. The area round St. Paul’s cathedral, surrounded on the north and west chiefly by booksellers and toy-shops, and on the south side by the makers of chairs, screens and cabinets. 2. Behind Covent Garden church.
_St._ PAUL’S _College court_, St. Paul’s Church yard.
_St._ PAUL’S _Covent Garden_, a very noble edifice built by Inigo Jones for a chapel, but now a parish church. See COVENT GARDEN.
PAUL’S _court_, 1. Huggen lane, Thames street. 2. Wood street, Cheapside.
PAUL’S HEAD _court_, Fenchurch street.
_St._ PAUL’S _School_, at the east end of St. Paul’s Church yard, was founded by Dr. John Collet Dean of St. Paul’s in the year 1509, for a Master, an Usher and Chaplain, and an hundred and fifty-three scholars; for the teaching of whom the founder appointed a salary of 34_l._ 13_s._ 4_d._ for the upper Master; for the under Master 17_l._ 6_s._ 8_d._ and for the Chaplain or third Master, 8_l._ _per annum_. He appointed the company of Mercers trustees of this school, and by the improvement of the estate since that time, the good management of the company, and some additional sums left to this foundation, the salaries of the Masters are become considerable; the upper Master having 300_l._ a year, besides the advantage of additional scholars and boarders, by which he generally makes about 200_l._ a year more; the second Master has 250_l._ a year, and the third 90_l._ a year.
The original building was consumed by the fire of London, and soon after the present structure was raised in its place. It is a very singular, and at the same time a very handsome edifice. The central building in which is the school, is of stone; it is much lower than the ends, and has only one series of windows, which are large, and raised a considerable height from the ground. The center is adorned with rustic, and on the top is a handsome pediment, in which are the founder’s arms placed in a shield; upon the apex stands a figure representing Learning. Under this pediment are two windows which are square, and on each side are two circular windows crowned with busts, and the spaces between them are handsomely ornamented by work in relievo. Upon a level with the foot of the pediment runs on either side a handsome balustrade, on which is placed on each side a large bust with a radiant crown, between two flaming vases.
The buildings at the ends of this elegant structure are narrow, and rise to a great height. They are of brick ornamented with stone, and have each a small door, and are crowned at the top with a small balustrade.
_St._ PAUL’S _Shadwell_, owes its existence to the increase of buildings. Shadwell, though now joined to London, was anciently a hamlet belonging to Stepney; but being greatly increased in the number of its inhabitants, Thomas Neale, Esq; erected the present church in the year 1656 for their accommodation; and in 1669, this district was by act of parliament constituted a distinct parish from that of Stepney, and 120_l._ _per annum_ was granted for the maintenance of the Rector in lieu of tithes, besides a considerable glebe, oblations and church dues, so that the living is worth about 324_l._ a year. _Maitland._
This church, which is but a mean edifice built with brick, is eighty-seven feet long, and sixty-three broad; the height to the roof is twenty-eight feet, and that of the steeple sixty. The body has a few windows with rustic arches, and some very mean ones in the roof. At the corners of the building are balls placed on a kind of small pedestals. The tower is carried up without ornament, and is terminated with balls at the corners in the same manner as the body of the church, and is crowned with a plain low turret.
PAUL’S _wharf_, near Bennet’s Hill.☐
PAUL’S _wharf stairs_, Paul’s wharf.☐
PAY OFFICE _of the Navy_, a plain building in Broad street near London wall, under the direction of the Treasurer and Paymaster, who pay for all the stores for the use of the royal navy, and the wages of the sailors in his Majesty’s service.
The Treasurer, who is the principal officer, has a salary of 2000_l._ _per annum_, and the Paymaster, who is also accomptant, has 500_l._ a year; under this last are eight clerks who attend the payment of wages; three, who have 80_l._ a year; and five who have 40_l._ a year each: besides two extra-clerks, who have each 50_l._ a year. There are also five clerks for paying bills in course, and writing ledgers, viz. three who have 80_l._ a year; and two who have only 40_l._ a year each; besides an extra-clerk who has 50_l._ a year.
In this office there is likewise a Cashier of the victualling, who has a salary of 150_l._ _per annum_, and has three clerks under him, one of 70_l._ one of 50_l._ and one of 40_l._ a year.
PEACHTREE _court_, Butcher row, without Temple Bar.‡
PEACHY _court_, Sheer lane, within Temple bar.
PEACOCK _alley_, Milford lane, in the Strand.*
PEACOCK _court_, 1. Fleet market.* 2. Giltspur street, without Newgate.* 3. Whitechapel.*
PEACOCK _lane_, Newington butts.*
PEACOCK _yard_, 1. Islington.* 2. Porter’s street.* 3. Whitecross street, Cripplegate.* 4. Whitehorse alley, Cowcross, Smithfield.*
PEAD’S _yard_, Bankside, Southwark.†
PEAK _street_, Swallow street.†
PEAL _alley_, Upper Shadwell.†
PEAL _yard_, Mint street.†
PEARL _court_, Little Pearl street, Spitalfields.* 2. White Friars.*
PEARL _street_, 1. Grey Eagle street, Spitalfields.* 2. Silver street, Bloomsbury.*
PEARTREE _alley_, 1. Cinnamon street.‡ 2. Shoreditch.‡ 3. Wapping.‡
PEARTREE _court_, 1. Aldersgate street.‡ 2. Clerkenwell close.‡ 3. Hockley in the Hole.‡
PEARTREE _street_, Brick lane, Old street.‡
PEASCOD _court_, St. John’s street, Smithfield.
PEAS PORRIGE _alley_, Gravel lane.‖
PEAS _yard_, Nightingale lane.
PECKHAM, a pleasant village in Surry, in the parish of Camberwell. Here is the seat of the late Lord Trevor, built in the reign of King James II. by Sir Thomas Bond, who being deeply engaged in the pernicious schemes of that imprudent Prince, was obliged to leave the kingdom with him, when the house was plundered by the populace, and became forfeited to the crown. The front of the house stands to the north, with a spacious garden before it, from which extends two rows of large elms, of considerable length, through which the Tower of London terminates the prospect. But on each side of this avenue you have a view of London; and the masts of vessels appearing at high water over the trees and houses up to Greenwich, greatly improve the prospect. _Peckham_, which lies on the back side of the gardens, is shut out from the view by plantations. The kitchen garden and the walls were planted with the choicest fruit trees from France, and an experienced gardener was sent for from Paris to have the management of them; so that the collection of fruit trees in this garden has been accounted one of the best in England.
After the death of the late Lord Trevor, this seat was purchased by a private gentleman, who began to make very considerable improvements, and had he lived a few years longer, would have rendered it a very delightful retreat.
There are also at Peckham several other villas, and neat houses of retirement, inhabited by the tradesmen of London, and those who have retired from business.