Chap. III. GEORGE III.

225
to make. Kent was a painter as u-cll as an arcliitect, tliongli as tlie former very inferior to
the latttr
;
and to these accomplishmc-n's mu>t lie added those of a gardener, for lie was
iiu- father of modern picturesque gardeninor. Kent's greatest, and. out i)f many, also his
best work, was Holkham, in Norfolk, for the Earl of Leicebter. The designs were pub.
lished in 1761, by Matthew Brettingham, who had been engaged on the building,
Hpparenily as resident architect, as CKplained in the edition of 1773. The noble liall of
tliis building, terminated l)y a vast fligiit of steps, produces an effect unequalled by any-
thing similar to it in England. During, and, indeed, previous to, Kent's coming so much
into employment, a great passion seems to have existed with the arL-liitecls for ill shaped,
and, perhaps, almost grotesque, urns and globes, on every part wliere tliere was a resting-
place fir them. Kent not unfiequenily disfigured his works in this way, but more
especially so at the beginning of his career. The pile of building in Margaret Street
(part of which has been removed for additions to the new parliament houses), now con-
taining the law courts, a house at Esher for Mr. Pelham, the Horse Guards, and other
buildings, which it is neediess here to particularise, were erected under the designs of Kent,
upon whom unbounded liberality and patronage were bestowed by Eord Burlin<rt,,n durin"
the life of this artist, which terminated in 1748.
512. About 17.'i;5 appeared, we believe, the last of the stone churches with steeples,
wliich the practice of Wren had made commoir in this country
; this was the churcli of
St. Giles's in the Fields, erected by Henry Flitcroft. The interior is decorated with Ionic
columns resting on stone piers. The exterior has a rusticated basement, the windows
of the galleries have semicircular heads, and the whole is surmounted by a modiliion
cornice. The steeple is 165 feet high, consisting of a square tower, the upper part de'-o-
ratod with Doric pilasters
;
above, it is formed into an octagon on the plan, the sides being
ornamented with three quarter Ionic columns supporting a balustrade and vases. Above
tliis rises an octangular spire. Besides this, Flitcroft erected the church of St. Olave,
Soutjiwark, and the almost entire rebuilding of Woburn Abbey was from the designs and
sujierintendence
of that master, wlio died in 1 7C9.
513. During the reign under our consideration, the city of Bath may be said to have
ilmost arisen from the designs of Wood, who built Prior Park for Mr. Allen, the friend of
I'ojie, and Buckland was erected by him for Sir John Throckmorton. Wood died in I 754,
To him and to his scholars Bath is indebted for the designs of Queen Scjuare, the Parades,
the Circus, the Crescent, the New Assembly Boom, ^c. The buildings of this city possess
various degrees of merit, but nothing so extraordinary as to call for moie than the mere
notice of them. We are by no means, for instance, disposed to agree with Mitford, who
reckons the crescent of Bath among
"
the finest modern buildings at this day existing it]
the world !
"
GEORC.E 111
514. Though the works of the architects about to follow, belong partially to the
preceding reign, they are only properly to be noticed under that of George III. Without
a lengthened account of them, we commence with the mention of the name of Carr of York,
who was much employed in the northern counties, where he built several noble residences,
particularly that for Mr. Lascelles, afterwards Lord Harewood, and a mausoleum in York-
shire for the late Marquis of Rockingham. Paine was engaged at Worksop IManor, War-
dour Castle, and Thorndon
;
and Hiorne, whose county sessions-house and prison at
Warwick exhibit considerable genius, was a promising artist, prematurely cut off. His
talent was not confined to the Italian style, as may be learnt from reference to the chureli
at Tetbury in Gloucestershire, and a triangular tower in the Duke of Norfolk's park at
Arundel.
515. At an early part of the reign of George III., architecture was cultivated and ])rac-
tised here with great success by Robert Taylor, afterwards knighted. His best conqiositions
were designed with a breadth and intimate knowledge of the art, that prove him to have
been abundantly acrpiainted with its principles. That he was not always successful, tlie
wings of the Bank, now removed, were a proof. Of his works sufficient would remain to
corroborate our opinion, if only what is now the Pelican Ofl^ce in Lombard Street existed.
VV'e believe it was originally built for Sir Charles Asgill, and ruined by the directors of the
Pelican when they took to the place. There are, however, also to attest the ability of Sir
liobeit Taylor, Sir Charles Asgill's villa at Richmond, and his own house in Spring Gardens.
After his visit to Italy he commenced his practice in sculpture, in which branch of the arts
he has left monuments in Westminster Abbey and elsewhere; but he afterwards devoted
himself to architecture alone. Among his works were a dwelling house for Sir P. Taylofj
Q