Sir Christopher Wren: His Family and His Times: With Original Letters and a Discourse on Architecture Hitherto Unpublished. 1585-1723.Phillimore, Lucy
History
Sir Christopher Wren: His Family and His Times: With Original Letters and a Discourse on Architecture Hitherto Unpublished. 1585-1723.
Phillimore, Lucy
Great Britain -- History -- Stuarts, 1603-1714 -- Biography; Wren family; Wren, Christopher, Sir, 1632-1723
'Worthy Sir,--When I sent Mr. Phips (the surveyor of the buildings)
to wait on you with a scheme of our new building, he told me how
kindly you was pleased to express your remembrance of me, and that
you would send me your thoughts concerning our design; and
particularly of the pinnacles, the which as they were superadded to
our first draught, so I must confess I would be well content to
have omitted with your approbation. The season for our falling to
work again will now speedily come on; which makes me the more
hasten to entreat from you the trouble of two or three lines in
relation to the promises whereby you will farther oblige,
'Sir, your old friend, and ever faithful servant,
'R. BATHURST.'
Wren's answer comes promptly, and shows his generous readiness to help
the schemes of others, no matter how pressing his own work was.
[_HE SENDS HIS THOUGHTS._]
'Sir,--I am extremely glad to hear of your good health, and, what
is more, that you are vigorous and active, and employed in
building. I considered the design you sent me of your Chapel which
in the main is very well, and I believe your work is too far
advanced to admit of any advice: however, I have sent my thoughts,
which will be of use to the mason to form his mouldings.
'He will find two sorts of cornice; he may use either. I did not
well comprehend how the tower would have good bearing upon that
side where the stairs rise. I have ventured a change of the stairs,
to leave the wall next the porch of sufficient scantling to bear
that part which rises above the roofs adjoining.
'There is no necessity for pinnacles, and those expressed in the
printed design are much too slender.
'I have given another way to the rail and baluster, which will
admit of a vase that will stand properly upon the pilaster.[208]
'Sir, I wish you success and health and long life, with all the
affection that is due from,
'Your obliged, faithful friend, and humble servant,
'CHRISTOPHER WREN.
'P.S. A little deal box, with a drawing in it, is sent by Thomas
Moore, Oxford carrier.'
In the same year the Church of S. Andrew by the Wardrobe[209] was
finished; recent alterations in the city have benefited this building;
it now stands well above a flight of steps, with its square tower, and
the red brick which contrives to be red and not black, and stone
dressings.
Two years later Wren rebuilt All Hallows, Lombard Street, on an ancient
foundation: outside it is one of his plainest and most solid churches,
inside he spent upon it much rich work and curious carving both in stone
and wood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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