Inigo always liked to relieve his sky-line. [Illustration: _Apotheosis of James I._] [Illustration: _Plan of Whitehall_. _Engraved by_ G. VERTUE, _from a Survey made in_ 1680.] The Westminster side had an archway “for the street of Whitehall” and the right of way. It is open through the ground storey and an entresol, and is flanked by two massive towers of four storeys, crowned by small cupolas. The Charing Cross front being to the north was kept studiously plain. It was not until our own day that an architect put lavish decorations on that side of a building. Wren knew as well as Jones that mass, not ornament, is appropriate to this aspect, and we used to be able to admire his taste in the north transept of Westminster Abbey, now altered. The delicate proportions, the fine central archway, and the arcade at the western end of the façade, make up a very pleasing composition, and, viewed across a wide parade-ground, would have produced a marvellously picturesque effect. On the King’s side—that is, to the westward of the street—was to be a circular court, which most architectural critics have highly praised. It has always been known as the Persian Court. Caryatides, we may remark, are female figures, Persians male. It consisted of a kind of circular corridor, two storeys high. Kent gives several views with sections of this Persian Court. Instead of pillars or pilasters were Caryatides in the upper range, and Persians in the lower. Those in the lower range had Tuscan capitals above their heads; those in the upper had Composite or Corinthian capitals. Here Inigo departed from his usual rule, and covered the wall with the most elaborate ornament. The court looks very well in Müller’s bird’s-eye view, but not so well in Kent’s elevations and sections. The plan shows that the circular corridor would have formed a most convenient passage connecting the King’s and Queen’s private apartments with those of their attendants. Two wide square courts were to north and south. [Illustration: _First Design by_ INIGO JONES _for the Rebuilding of Whitehall. Waterside Front. From Müller._]