2Y2

THE LIFE OF

theon, is a circular Opening, by which not only the Lantern transmits Light,but the Inside Ornaments of the painted and gilded Cone, display a new andagreeable Scene (a).

Altho’the Dome wants no Butment, yet, for greater Caution, it is hoopedwith Iron in this Manner ; a Chanel is cut in the Bandage of Portland-ft. one,in which is laid a double Chain of Iron strongly linked together at every tenFeet, and the whole Chanel filled up with Lead.

Among all the Composures of the Ancients, we find no Cupolas raisedabove the necessary Loading of the Hemisphere, as is seen particularly in thePantheon. In after Ages the Dome of Florence , and of the great Church ofVenice , was raised higher, The Saracens mightily affected it, in Imitation ofthe first most eminent Pattern, given by Justinian, in his Temple of SanBaSophia, at Constantinople. Bramante would not fall short of those Examples *nor could the Surveyor do otherwise than gratify the general Taste of the Age,which had been so used to Steeples, that these round Designs were hardly di-gested, unless raised to a remarkable Height.

Thus St. Paul’s is lofty enough to be discerned at Sea Eastward, and atWindsor Westward ; but our Air being frequently hazy, prevents those distantViews, except when the Sun stfines out, after a Shower of Rain has wastieddown the Clouds of Sea-coal Smoke that hang over the City from so manythousand Fires kindled every Morning, besides Glass-houses, Brew-houses,and Founderies, every one of which emits a blacker Smoke than twenty Houses.

In the Beginning of the new Works of St. Paul’ s, an Incident was takennotice of by some People as a memorable Omen, when the Surveyor in Personhad set out, upon the Place, the Dimensions of the great Dome, and fixedupon the Centre ; a common Labourer was ordered to bring a flat Stone fromthe Heaps of Rubbish, (such as should first come to Hand) to be laid for aMark and Direction to the Masons; the Stone which was immediately broughtand laid down for that Purpose, happened to be a Piece of a Grave-stone, withnothing remaining of the Inscription but this single Word in large Capitals,RESURGAM.

The first Stone of this Basilica was laid in the Year 1675, and the Workscarried on with such Care and Industry, that by the Year 1685 the Walls of the> Quire and Side-ailes were finished, with the circular North and South Porti-coes ; and the great Pillars of the Dome brought to the same Height; and itpleased God in his Mercy to bless the Surveyor with Health and Length ofDays, and to enable him to compleat the whole Structure in the Year 1710 tothe Glory of his most holy Name, and Promotion of his divine Worship,

r (a) The Judgment of the Surveyor was originally, instead of painting in the Manner it is notf

perform d, to have beautified the Inside of the Cupola with the more durable Ornament of M<>'saick-’woxk, as is nobly executed in the Cupola of St. Peter’s in Rome , which strikes the Eye ofthe Beholder with a most magnificent and splendid Appearance ; and which, without the least De-cay of Colours, is as lasting as Marble, or the Building itself. For this Purpose he had projectedto have procured from Italy four of the most eminent Artists in that Profession ; but as this AUwas a great Novelty in England, and not generally apprehended, did not receive the Encourag e 'ment it deserved ; it was imagined also the Expence would prove too great, and the Time verylong in the Execution ; but tho’ these and all Objections were fully answered, yet this excelledDesign was no further pursued.

^ I 16 and Gilding of the Architecture of the East-end of the Church over the Com-

munion Table was intended only to serve the present Occasion, till such Time as Materials coulohave been procured for a magnificent Design of an Altar, consisting of four Pillars wreathed.the richest Greek Marbles, supporting a Canopy hemispherical, with proper Decorations of At'chitecture and Sculpture : for which the respective Drawings, and a Model were prepared.

Information, and particular Descriptions of certain Blocks of Marble were once sent to the R'gb 1Reverend Dr. Compton, Bishop of London, from a Levantine Merchant in Holland, and conin 1 ^'nicatcdto the Surveyor, but unluckily the Colours and Scantlings did not answer his Purpose »it rested in Expectance of a fitter Opportunity, else probably this curious and stately Design h adbeen finished at the same Time with the main Fabrick,

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