The cathedral church of St. Paul’s is deservedly esteemed the second in Europe, not for magnitude only but for beauty and grandeur. St. Peter’s at Rome is undoubtedly the first, but at the same time it is generally acknowledged by all travellers of taste, that the outside, and particularly the front of St. Paul’s, is much superior to St. Peter’s. The two towers at the west end, though faulty in some respects, are yet elegant, and the portico finely marks the principal entrance. The loggia, crowned with a pediment, with its alto relievo and statues, make in the whole a fine shape, whereas St. Peter’s is a straight line without any break. The dome is extremely magnificent, and by rising higher than that at Rome, is seen to more advantage on a near approach. The inside, though noble, falls short of St. Peter’s. The discontinuing the architrave of the great entablature over the arches in the middle of the isle, is a fault the architects can never forgive. Notwithstanding, without a critical examination, it appears very striking, especially on entering the north or south door. The side isles though small are very elegant, and if it does not equal St. Peter’s, there is much to be said in defence both of it and the architect, who was not permitted to decorate it as he intended, through a want of taste in the managers, who seemed to have forgot that it was intended a national ornament. St. Peter’s has all the advantages of painting and sculpture of the greatest masters, and is encrusted with a variety of the finest marbles, no cost being spared to make it exceed every thing of its kind. The great geometrical knowledge of the architect can never be sufficiently admired, but this can be come at only by a thorough inspection of the several parts. For the farther satisfaction of the curious reader, we shall conclude this article with an account of the dimensions of St. Paul’s cathedral compared with those of St. Peter’s at Rome, from an account published some years ago: the measures of the latter being taken from the authentic dimensions of the best architects of Rome, reduced to English measure. │ FEET.│ FEET. The PLAN, or Length and Breadth. │ St.│ St. │ Peter.│ Paul.