sir CHRISTOPHER WREN,

K N T.

277

" And for the Encouragement and Satisfaction of Benefactors that compre-hend not readily Designs and Draughts on Paper, as well as for the inferiorArtificers clearer Intelligence of their Business, it will be requisite that alarge and exact Model be made; which will also have this Use, that if theWork should happen to be interrupted, or retarded, Posterity may proceedwhere the Work was left off, pursuing still the same Design.

" And as the Portico built by Inigo Jones, being an intire and excellent Piece,gave great Reputation to the Work in the first Repairs, and occasion’d fairContributions; so to begin now with the Dome may probably prove the bestAdvice, being an absolute Piece of itself, and what will most likely befinished in our Time ; will make by far the most splendid Appearance ;may be of present Use for the Auditory, will make up all the outward Re-pairs perfect; and become an Ornament to his Majesty’s most excellentReign, to the Church of England, and to this great City, which it is pity,in the Opinion of our Neighbours, should longer continue the moss unadorn’dof her Bigness in the World.

" In the mean Time, till a good Quantity of Stone be provided, Things ofc less Expence, but no less Consequence, ought to be regarded ; such as fixing

* again all Cramps that the Roof hath been spoil’d of; covering all Timberc from Weather; taking down the falling Roofs; searching the Vaults be-‘ neath, and securing them. And before the Foundations be digg’d for thec Dome, the Arches on which the Tower stands must be secur’d after a pe-:c culiar Manner represented in the Designs.

" P. S. I shall crave leave to subjoin, that if there be Use of Stucco, I:c have great Hopes, from some Experience already had, that there are Eng-c lijh Materials to be brought by Sea at an easy Rate, that will afford as good“ Plaister as is any where to be found in the World ; and that with the Mix-ture of cheaper Ingredients than Marble-meal, which was the old, and is now“ the modern Way of Italy.

" The Proposer also, (considering that high Buildings grow more and more" expensive as they rife, by reason of the Time and Labour spent in raising“ the Materials, takes this Occasion to acquaint your Lordships, that having“ had the Opportunity of seeing several Structures of greater Expence than“ this, while they were in raising, conducted by the best Artists, Italian and“ French ; and having had daily Conference with them, and observing their" Engines and Methods, he hath promoted this geometrical Part of ArcbiteSlure“ yet farther, and thinks the raising of Materials may yet be more facilitated,

" so as to lave in lofty Fabricks, a very considerable Part of the Time, and" Labourers Hire.

N. B. The original Designs under the Hand of the Surveyor, consisting ofPlans, Elevations, and Seeliens, propos’d for this Renovation of old Paul’s, are

* still extant. » w - a . i 72 s.

Notwithstanding the very ruinous Condition of the old Tower (as specified

^frove) and that the Surveyor had prepar’d so proper and beautiful a Design forRestitution, yet great Opposition was made by some to the taking it down,

^ith strong Application to his Majefty, that, (however difficult and expencefulIfie Work might prove) the Tower by all Means should continue, and be re-pair'd, without deviating from the old Gothick-R. ile : but the great Fire inter-filing, decided the Matter for that Time. This remarkable Circumstance^collected by that very ingenious and worthy Gentleman John Evelyn, Esq; isfcorded in his Dedication to the Surveyor, of bis Account of Architecture, &c. Land. 1706.“ I have nam’d, fays he, St. Paul's, and truly, not without Admiration, as A J ount °f Ar 'oft as I recall to Mind (as frequently I do) the fad and deplorable Condi- ^rchillalre.tion it was in ; when (after it had been made a Stable of Horses, and a Den of indication to

J J J Sir Christoph.

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