Picturesque Views, with an Historical Account of the Inns of Court, in London and Westminster

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1800 edition. Excerpt: ... contracted entrances, by which we are conducted to some of the finest specimens of ancient and modern architecture, that the city of London has to boast. We have in the annexed view selected the only gateway, that is in the least entitled to the appellation of an avenue to the Temple. As an elevation it is highly deserving of our notice and commendation. Ecsigned much in the style and manner of Inigo Jones, but erected according to the date it bears, long after his death, it has many appearances, which induce us to think it is the work of some pupil of that eminent master. It is relieved with four pilasters in stone of the Ionic order, with a handsome pediment above, within which is a circular window richly ornamented. Over the gateway is a figure of the Holy Lamb, the arms of the Middle Temple, and aoove it is inscribed on a fillet of stone, Surrexit impensis Societat: Med: Templi, MDCLXXXIV. Contemplating this building, as an architectural design, the scientific observer cannot fail to remark the disproportion, which exists between the height, and the width of it's gateway. Both beauty and utility imperiously demand a space nearly doubly the span of the present width. We cannot however fairly impute blame to the artist, who planned it. Those talents, so conspicuous in other parts of this structure, could not have overlooked so glaring a fault, and we presume that want of ground, not want of knowledge, was the cause of this defect. The Middle Temple lane is liable to the same objection, as it's entrance; it is much too narrow. If there were no other inconveniences attending this defect, the display of one of the noblest rooms in the A 2 kingdom, kingdom, the middle Temple Fall, would be sufficient inducement to give greater space, and...