3^1

si jr CHRISTOPHER WREN, knt.

emphatical, and if obscui’d spoils the whole Sense. A French Man is heardfurther than an Englijh Preacher, because he raises his Voice, and not finks hislast Words: 1 mention this as an insufferable Fault in the Pronunciation of someof our otherwise excellent Preachers; which School-masters might correct in theyoung, as a vicious Pronunciation, and not as the Roman Orators spoke : Forthe principal Verb is in Latin ulually the last Word; and if that be lost, whatbecomes of the Sentence ?

8. By what I have said, it may be thought reasonable, that the new Churchshould be at least 6o Feet broad, and 90 Feet long, besides a Chancel at one End,and the Bellfrey and Portico at the other. These Proportions may be varied }but to build more room, than that every Person may conveniently hear and see, isis to create Noise and Confusion. A Church should not be so lill’d with Pews,but that the Poor may have room enough to stand and sit in the Alleys, for to themequally is the Gospel preach’d. It were to be wilh’d there were to be 110 Pews,but Benches; but there is no stemming the Tide of Prosit, and the Advantage ofPew-keepers elpecally too since by Pews, in the Chapels of Ease, the Ministeris chiefly supported. It is evident these fifty Churches are not enough for thepresent Inhabitants, and the Town will continually grow ; but it is to be hoped,that hereafter more may be added, as the Wisdom of the Government shallthink sit; and therefore the Parishes should be so divided, as to leave room forSub-divisions, or at least for Chapels of Ease.

I cannot pass, over mentioning the Difficulties that may be found, in obtaining theGround proper for the Sites of the Churches among the Buildings, and the Ceme-teries in the Borders without the Town ; and therefore 1 shall recite the Me-thod that was taken for purchasing in Ground at the North-side of St. Paul’sCathedral, where in some Places the Houses were but eleven Feet distant fromthe Fabrick, exposing it to the continual Danger of Fires. The Houses wereseventeen, and contiguous, all in Leafe-hold of the Bishop, or Dean alone, orthe Dean and Chapter, or the Petty-canons, with divers Undertenants. Firstwe treated with the superior Landlords, who being perpetual Bodies were to berecompens’d in Kind, with Rents of the like Value for them and their Suc-cessors -, but the Tenants in Possession for a valuable Consideration ; which tofind what it amounted to, we learn’d by diligent Inquiry, what the Inheritanceof Houses in that Quarter were usually held at: This we found was fifteen YearsPurchase at the most, and proportionably to this the Value of each Lease waseasily determin’d in a Scheme, referring to a Map. These Rates, which weresolv’d not to stir from, were offered to each; and, to cut off much Debate, whichmay be imagin’d every one would abound in, they were assur’d that we wentby one uniform Method, which could not be receded from. We found two orthree reasonable Men, who agreed to these Terms: Immediately we paid them,and took down their Houses. Others who stood out at first, finding themselvesin Dust and Rubbish, and that ready Money was better, as the Case stood, thanto continue paying Rent, Repairs, and Parish Duties, easily came in. The whole-Ground at last was clear’d, and all concern’d were satisfied, and their Writingsgiven up. The greatest Debate was about their Charges for fitting-up their new-Houses to their particular Trades: For this we allow’d one Year’s Purchase, andgave leave to remove all their Wainscote, reserving the Materials of the Fabrickonly. This was happily siniffi’d without a Indicatory or Jury; altho’ in ourpresent Case, we may find it perhaps sometimes necessary to have recourse to Par-liament.

In the Year 1671, the Surveyor began the building of the great flutedColumn of Portland Stone, and of the Dorick Order, (commonly call’d the Mo-nument of London , in Memory of the burning, and rebuilding of the City) andsiniffi’d it in 1677. The Artificers were oblig’d to wait sometimes for Stones of

n n proper