great square tower, of the central needle, and far away of the more fantastic _beffroi_--all grouping at every step in some new combination--stamps the whole building as the massive conception of a master-mind.”[105] 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. The list of Sir Charles Barry’s designs in the Appendix will show, that the numerous works which he executed formed only a part of the many designs conceived by him. It could not well be otherwise. In his early days he, of course, entered into many competitions, and made many fruitless designs. Even later in life his mind was always at work in the conception of designs, often without regard to immediate practicability. It was almost impossible for him (as has been said) to enter a building, or survey a town, without devising plans for its improvement. As few buildings were perfect, and hardly any to be despaired of, his naturally sanguine temperament, and consciousness of resource, often led him to forget or disregard all difficulties which stood in the way of his improvements.[106]