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be copied successfully in various parts of the Continent; andPalladio’s method had become very generally popular. Amixture of Italian and Gothic architecture had been in voguesince the time of Elizabeth, after whose name the styleprocured the title of Elizabethan ; the pure Italian , however,did not make its appearance here till the reign of James I. ,and Inigo Jones was the first architect to introduce it. Inthe early part of his practice, this architect had followed themixed style, but on his return from a journey to Italy , hebrought back with him the manner of the Palladian school,in which his principal works were, the portico of Old St.Paul’s, Whitehall Palace , York-stairs, and the church ofSt. Paul, Covent Garden.

The first building of unmixed Italian architecture erectedin England, was that of Whitehall, by Inigo Jones . Thisedifice was commenced during the reign of James I. , ad. 1619,but was never completed according to the original design,which contemplated the erection of an immense range ofbuilding containing seven courts, extending in one directionfrom the park to the river, the facade towards which wouldhave measured 720 feet, and that towards Charing Cross, noless than 1152 feet. Only a small portion of this magnificentdesign was carried into execution, and this was the banquet-ing hall, which was completed in two years. This portionis 115 feet in length, and from its appearance we may formsome idea of what the entire building would have been. Thehall consists of three stories, of which the lower one is a plainrusticated basement, with simple rectangular apertures, with-out architrave or other decoration; the upper ones consistingof two complete orders, the lower of which is Ionic , and theupper Corinthian. Each story contains seven windows, witha column or pilaster between every two, and coupled pilasters! at the angles of the building, thus making up ten columns ineach story. The windows are all rectangular, and surroundedwith architraves, above which are cornices supported on: ancones; the lower tier, however, differ from the upper inhaving pediments above the cornice alternately triangularand segmental; this tier is also furnished with a balustradewhich is wanting in the upper story. Both orders aresurmounted by a complete entablature, which is broken overeach column ; the walls throughout are rusticated, and thebuilding finished at the summit by a balustrade.

Jones ’s next work was the new portico to the then St. Paul’s,

1 but of this of course no remains are left. St. Paul’s, CoventGarden, was another work which exhibits a chaste example; of the Tuscan order; it was partially destroyed by fire in' 1795, but has been restored in its original character. Abeautiful, though small example of Jones ’s taste is exhibitedin York-stairs, leading down to the river from the west endof the Strand. It consists of three arches, of which the cen-tral one is the largest, and the spaces between them aredecorated with four half columns, supporting an entablaturewhich is broken over the capitals; this again is surmountedby a segmental pediment, the tympanum of which is some-what decorated with sculpture. The Strand front differs: from that towards the river, in substituting pilasters in the■ place of half columns.

The great fire of 1666 gave an opportunity to the newlyadopted style of architecture, which in all probability it wouldnot otherwise have obtained; nor was it a light advantage inits favour, that it secured the services of Sir ChristopherWren ; who, however we may find fault with some of hisworks, was undoubtedly a man of unusual attainments inhis profession, and of unwonted energy and perseverance.As a proof of this assertion, we need do no more than pointto the multitude of buildings erected under his superintend-ence. Of his twenty-five London churches, his palaces, and

other public and private buildings, we can here say but little;but will endeavour to give a full account of his chef-d’oeuvre,the Cathedral of St. Paul, for as much as it furnishes us atonce with a specimen of Wren ’s skill, and with our mostmagnificent example of Italian architecture, as applied tosacred purposes. We shall commence by giving a cursoryglance at the history of the structures which ancientlyoccupied the same site.

It has been thought that, during the residence of theRomans in Britain, a temple, dedicated to Diana, had occupiedthe situation on which the present edifice is erected ; and thisopinion is said to have been confirmed by the digging up, atdifferent times, horns and skulls of animals supposed to havebeen sacrificed ; but Sir Christopher Wren , who found nosuch indications in all his researches, in the extensive exca-vations which he made for the foundations, give very littlecredit to the common tradition. However this may be, itappears that one of the earliest Christian churches in Eng-land was erected upon this site, about the year 610, by kingEthelbert, who had been converted to Christianity bySt. Augustine .

Erkenwald, the fourth bishop of London , who died in 685,expended large sums upon this church; but whether foradditions, or to complete Ethelbert’s plan, is not ascertained.The church was accidentally consumed by fire in the year961, but was rebuilt immediately. In 1087, it was againdestroyed by a conflagration, which also laid waste the greaterpart of the metropolis. At this time Maurice, or Mauritius ,bishop of London , conceived the vast design of erecting themagnificent edifice which preceded the present cathedral;but the undertaking was so extensive, that neither Mauricenor his successor, De Belmeis, lived to complete it. Thesucceeding bishops, Gilbertus Universalis, and Robertus deSigillo are not known to have done anything towards thefinishing of the building, till the second De Belmeis, who,following his uncle’s example, contributed largely towardsthe work. In 1135, the edifice was again exposed to theinjuries of fire, which consumed all that was combustible.The enterprise of that age, however, was not to be repressedeven by such repeated disasters ; for, in 1221, the centraltower was finished; and, in 1229, bishop Niger undertook torebuild the choir in a new style of architecture, and enlargeddimensions : this was completed in 1240.

The cathedral was farther enlarged by the addition of theLady Chapel, eastward of the choir : these new works, asthey are called in the records of the church, were begun in1256, and finished about 1312 ; in which year we find acontract for paving this additional building with marble, atfivepence per foot.

In 1315, a great part of the timber spire being decayed, itwas rebuilt, and a new cross erected at the top. In the sam eyear, an exact measurement of the building was taken, bywhich the length was found to be 690 feet, the breadth 130feet ; the height of the nave, from the floor to the top of thevaulting, 102 feet, and the height of the choir 88 feet. Thealtitude of the tower, from the level of the ground, was 260feet, and of the spire 274 feet ; and yet, according to Dug'dale, who gives these dimensions, the total height did nutexceed 520 feet: this difference may be accounted for, bysupposing the height of the tower to have been taken to thetop of the battlements, or pinnacles, and that of the spire, tohave been reckoned from its base.

This lofty spire was fired by lightning in 1444 ; and i”1561 the steeple suffered by a similar catastrophe ; but asubscription was set on foot by Queen Elizabeth, and thedamages were repaired. In the reign of James I. the churchhad become very ruinous throughout, owing, perhaps, to so® e