Chapter VII: The NEW PALACE AT WESTMINSTER

I. HISTORY OF THE GROWTH OF THE DESIGN.--Influence of external circumstances on the design--Lowness and irregularity of site--Limitation of choice to Elizabethan and Gothic styles--Choice of Perpendicular style--Original conception of the Plan--Question of restoration of St. Stephen’s Chapel--Use of Westminster Hall as the grand Entrance to the building--Simplicity of plan--Principle of symmetry and regularity dominant--Enlargement of Plan after its adoption--Conception of St. Stephen’s porch--The Central Hall--The Royal entrance and Royal Gallery--The House of Lords, its construction and decoration--The House of Commons, and its alteration--Great difficulty of the acoustic problem--Enlargement of public requirements--Alterations of design in the River Front--The Land Fronts--The Victoria Tower--The Clock Tower--General inclination to increase the upward tendency of the design, and the amount of decoration. II. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTUAL BUILDING.--Its dimensions--Its main lines of approach; the public approach--The Royal approach--The private approaches of Peers and Commons--General character of the plan--The external fronts--The towers--Criticisms on the building by independent authorities 236

CHAPTER VIII.

CHIEF DESIGNS NOT EXECUTED.

Large number of designs not executed--Views of Metropolitan Improvement--Reasons for notice of such designs--Clumber Park--New Law Courts--National Gallery--Horse Guards--British Museum--General scheme laid before the late Prince Consort--Design for new Royal Academy--Crystal Palace--Alterations of Piccadilly and the Green Park--Prolongation of Pall Mall into the Green Park--Westminster Bridge--Extension of the New Palace at Westminster round New Palace Yard--GREAT SCHEME OF METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS--Plan and description--General remarks thereon 266

CHAPTER IX.

GENERAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC LIFE.

Public action--His natural dislike of publicity--His characteristics as a Commissioner--Royal Academy--Scheme for Architectural Education--Royal Institute of British Architects--Scientific Societies--Royal Commission of 1851--Exposition Universelle of 1855--Professional arbitrations at Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Leeds--St. Paul’s Cathedral Committee 302

CHAPTER X.

PRIVATE LIFE AND DEATH.

Leading events of his life--General habits of work--Domesticity and privacy of life--Acquaintances and friendships--Distaste of publicity--Leading features of character--Personal appearance--Failure of health--Death--Funeral in Westminster Abbey--Erection of Memorial Statue--Conclusion 323