University and Parliament.

Sect. III.**

Of the University.

Some writers have held that there were schools of literature in Ireland in the times of paganism, and that they were established here as well as in England by a colony of Grecians which arrived in Ireland from the siege of Troy, who opened publick nurseries of learning; and this they would evince by many words of Greek derivation, yet remaining in the Irish languagc. Be this as it may, the accounts of those Greek colonies may well be reckoned, if not among the fabulous, at least as stories which cannot at this distant period be reconciled to sound reason.

Indeed it is not improbable that the druids, who were the priests, philosophers and legislators of Ireland, had seminaries for the instruction of youth in the principles of their religion, since we find from Caesar (Comment. lib. 6) that a part of the province of the druids in Gaul and Britain, was the institution of the youth of the country in learning, and that vast numbers resorted to them upon that account; but whether such seminaries were established by the state, or had any stipends of revenues allotted to them like our universities, is no where, that we know of, alledged.

We shall leave the testimony of our Irish historians to their own credit; for they universally agree, that Ollamh Fodlah, who was king of Ireland A. M. 3236, was so great a favourer of learning, that he erected a fair palace at Tarah, called Mur-Ollomhan, i.e. the walls of the bards, as a college for the learned men of his kingdom to reside in, at his own charge.

Whatever was the state of the Irish seminaries in times of paganism, it is not to be controverted, but that they shone out in full lustre in the ages of christianity succeeding the arrival of St. Patrick, particularly in the 6th, 7th and 8th centuries. It is evident from antient writers of undeniable credit, that there were formerly in Ireland several eminent schools or universities, to which the Irish and Britons; and at length the Gauls and Saxons resorted as to marts of sound literature (See Bede Eccl. Hist. Lib. 3. Chap 4. Cap. 26. Alcuin Vita S. Willibrordi lib. 2. Cap 4. Erick of Auxerre, de Miraculis Germanis, lib. 1. Cap. Uly. The life of Sulgenus); as at, Armagh, Clonard, Ross in Carbery, antiently called Ross-Ailithri, Beg-Eri, Clonfert, Bangor, Rathene in Fercal and Lismore: of other ancient seats of learning in Ireland, as Cashel and Down, there is only a bare hint given, in an (A MS. In Dublin college library) epistle of Florence Carty, written to Donat earl of Thomond.

But to proceed to more modern times; in 1311** **John Lech, archbishop of Dublin, procured a bull from pope Clement V. for the foundation of an university for scholars at Dublin (The original of which was destroyed at the burning of Christ-church, but an abstract of a copy of it is preserved in Alan’s Registry), but this project fell by the death of the archbishop about two years after. In 1320 Alexander de Bicknor; who succeeded in the archbishoprick, renewed this foundation, and procured a confirmation of it from pope John XXII. and appointed a set of statutes to be observed by this university, which was erected in St. Patrick’s-church. William de Hardite, a dominican friar, Henry Cogry of the order of friers minor, and Edmond of Karmardin, a dominican, were created doctors of divinity; and William Rodiart, dean of St. Patrick’s, was promoted to the degree of doctor of the canon law; and made the first chancellor of that university.

It appears in the registry of archbishop Alan that king Edward III. afterwards instituted a divinity lecturer in that university, and by a record in Birmingham tower, that monarch gave further countenance to it by granting to the scholars his letters of protection upon all occasions. By this record it is manifest, that at that time, viz. 1358, (being 38 years after Bicknor’s foundation) lectures in divinity, the civil and canon laws, and other clerical sciences were then maintained there; yet notwithstanding these encouragements, for want of a sufficient fund to maintain the students, the university by degrees dwindled to nothing. However, there remained some traces of it in the reign of king Henry VII. for in a provincial synod held in Christ-church, Dublin, before Walter Fitz-Simons, then archbishop of Dublin, certain annual pensions were granted for seven years to the *lecturers of the university *by the archbishop and his suffragans and clergy of the province of Dublin.

The next attempt for creating an university was in a parliament assembled at Dublin on the 17th of January 1568, in the government of sir Henry Sidney, wherein a motion was made to re-erect the university, formerly established in St. Patrick’s church, and to support it by voluntary contributions (Campion, p. 5. Honingsh. Chron. p. 69).

The lord deputy gave due encouragement to this undertaking by offering to settle on it 20 l.** a year in lands, and to give 100 l. **in money to carry on the design, and many other worthy persons promised their bounty in proportion to their estates.

The year following on the 4th of March, the lord deputy and council of Ireland writ to the lords of the council of England, mentioning the motion made in parliament, the liberal offers of many good men to forward such an undertaking, the advantages of it in respect of the royal government, the reformation of the people from barbarism, and the planting civility’ among them; and then they requested their lordships to forward their humble petition to the queen, that her majesty would be pleased to further their designs with her bounteous liberality and gracious countenance. But this matter took no effect.

In 1585 sir John Perrot, then lord deputy of Ireland, observing learning to be at a low ebb in that country for want of seminaries of good literature, endeavoured to establish two universities in the city of Dublin, and to lay their foundation in the dissolution of the cathedral of St. Patrick. It was not his intention to reinstate the university formerly settled in the said church, but to convert the revenues of it into the foundation of two universities, which he thought the readiest method to set them on foot. The reasons which he urged for carrying on this work appear in a letter written by him to the then lord treasurer of England, wherein he says,

“That whereas there is no place for the courts of law, save only an old hall in the cattle of Dublin, dangerously placed over the munition of powder, that the cathedral of St. Patrick, being spacious and large, would sufficiently serve for all the several courts, and there being a want of a store house for grain and other provision, and no place fit for it, whereby the waste in victualling is the greater, that the canons houses invironing the church might aptly serve for an inns of court to bestow the judges and lawyers in, in exchange for which, their inns of court lying commodiously over the river, and hard by the bridge, for loading and unloading, would as aptly serve for a store-house and granary. That there being two cathedrals in Dublin, this dedicated to St. Patrick, and the other to the name of Christ, that St. Patrick’s was had in more superstitious reputation than the other, and therefore ought to be dissolved. The revenues of St. Patrick’s are by estimation now about 4,000 marks per annum, which would serve to begin the foundation of two universities, and endow a couple of colleges in them with 1,000 l. per annum a-piece, and the residue may be employed on the reparation of the said church and houses, and be annexed unto Christ-church by way of augmentation of the choir.”

His purpose was, as appears in some of the publick letters of those times; to have settled six masters in each of the two colleges, and an hundred scholars to he instructed by them in learning, civility, and loyalty. The six masters to be chosen out of the most learned residentiaries of the said cathedral, who were in vicissitudes, three and three of each college, to have resided and kept hospitality in the several prebendaries whereunto the cure of souls was annexed. These intentions would have been very laudable, had they been better founded than in the ruin of such a famous and antient cathedral.

This project was defeated by the warm and zealous applications of the lord chancellor Loftus, then archbishop of Dublin, to the queen, and to his fast friend, the lord treasurer of England, which at length ended in the disgrace of the lord deputy. The writer of the life of sir John Perrot ascribes (p. 242) the archbishop’s motives in giving such an opposition to the deputy’s scheme, to private views, “As being interested in the livings of St. Patrick’s by long leases and other estates thereof granted either to himself, his children, or kinsmen.”

But let his views be what they will, he. successfully defended his church, and prevented its being. appropriated to an university. Yet his grace was soon after a zealous and active instrument in promoting the foundation of another university without sacrilege, or the profanation of God’s church; of which we shall in the next place proceed to give an account.

The mayor and citizens of Dublin enjoyed by grant from king Henry VIII. the site, ambit and precinct of the dissolved Augustinian monastery of All Saints, lying within the suburbs of that city. Archbishop Loftus, judging this a convenient situation for an intended college, applied to the mayor and citizens in their common-council, and in two pathetick speeches, made on different days; laid before them the queen’s intention of erecting an university in Ireland, arid the advantages that such a society would bring to their city, and concluded with requesting them to grant a fit place for building such a College.

The citizens soon embraced the archbishop’s proposal, and granted the said monastery and the lands adjoining to it for the purposes aforesaid. The archbishop dispatched Henry Usher, afterwards archbishop of Armagh, to petition the queen for her royal charter, and for a mortmain licence for the land granted by the city. The queen readily granted the petition, and by warrant dated the 29th of December 1591, ordered a licence of mortmain to pass the seals for the, grant of the said abbey, which is recited to be of the yearly value of 20 1. and for the foundation of such a college by way of corporation, with a power to accept such lands and contributions, for the maintenance thereof as any of her subjects should be charitably moved to bestow to the value of 400 l. a year.

On the 3d of March following letters patent passed in due form, pursuant to the said warrant, by which, first, a college is appointed to be erected, to be the mother of an university in a certain place called All-Hallows near Dublin, for the education, institution, and instruction of youth in arts and faculties to endure for ever. **

2dly**, That it be called, Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis juxta Dublin a Serenissima Regina Elizabetha fundatum. - The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity near Dublin, founded by the most serene Queen Elizabeth.

3dly, That it consist of one provost and three fellows in the name of more, and of three scholars in the name of more.

4thly, The queen appointed Adam Loftus, D. D. archbishop of Dublin, and lord chancellor of Ireland, the first provost of the said college; and Henry Usher, A. M. Luke Chaloner, A. M and Lancelot Moyne, A. B. the three first fellows in the name of more; and Henry Lee, William Daniel, and Stephen White, the three first scholars in the name of more.

5thly, That the said provost. fellows, and scholars, and their successors for ever be a body politick and corporate by the name of provost, fellows and scholars of the college of the holy Trinity, founded by queen Elizabeth, near Dublin, and that they and their successors be by that name capable to purchase, take, and possess any manors, lands, tenements or hereditaments to them or their successors for ever, either from the queen, her heirs and successors, or from any other person for their support and maintenance, to the yearly value of 400 l. notwithstanding any statutes of mortmains (so as such lands be not held of the crown immediately in capite in demesne or service) and that they may sue and be sued, implead or be impleaded by such name in all causes and actions, real, personal, and mixed in all courts temporal or spiritual in Ireland, or elsewhere; and further, that they have a common seal for transacting their business.

6thly, That upon a vacancy of the provostship either by death, departure, resignation, deprivation. or otherwise, that the surviving fellows and their successors, or the major part of them, may elect another fit provost within three months after such vacancy. In the same manner upon a vacancy of any fellow or scholar, the provost and the surviving fellows, or the major part of them, may elect one to succeed within two months after such vacancy.

7thly, That the provost and fellows of the said college may make and constitute laws and statutes from time to time for the better government of their body, and may chuse such out of the statutes of Oxford or Cambridge, as they shall judge proper for their purpose, and especially, that no body else should profess or teach the liberal arts in any other place in Ireland, without the queen’s special licence.

8thly, That the students in this college may have the power of obtaining the degrees of bachelors, masters, and doctors in all arts and faculties in a proper time from their admission. Provided, that when the fellows thereof should compleat seven years in their office from the time of their taking the degrees of masters of arts, that then they be displaced from their fellowships, and others be elected in their room for the benefit of the kingdom and church.

9thly, William Cecil, baron of Burghley, lord treasurer of England, being appointed by the patent the first chancellor, it was provided that for the time to come, the provost and the major part of the fellows should have the election of a chancellor, which chancellor or his vice-chancellor, together with the archbishop of Dublin, the bishop of Meath, the vice-treasurer, treasurer at war, chief justice of the chief place in Ireland, and the mayor of the city of Dublin, all for the time being, or the major part of them, who shall be called visiters, shall determine all strifes, actions and controversies arising in the college, which the provost and the major part of the fellows cannot compose, and shall have power to correct and punish all the more grievous offences, which shall be left unpunished by the provost and fellows.

10thly, That for obtaining all degrees among themselves they have liberty of performing all acts of scholastick exercises in such manner as the provost and the major part of the fellows shall think proper, and for that purpose may elect all necessary officers, whether vice-chancellor, proctor or proctors.

11thly, The queen’s subjects and officers had full liberty to grant such aids for the better constituting, maintaining and supporting the said college as they should think proper.

And 12thly, That all the goods, chattels, lands, tenements and hereditaments belonging to the provost, fellows, and scholars of the said college should for ever after be exempted from all burdens, taxes, tallages, cesses, subsidies, exactions, compositions and demands whatsoever, either in time of war or peace.

To provide a fund for forwarding the buildings, and other necessary charges attending this infant society, on the 11th of March 1591, the lord deputy Fitz-Williams, and the privy council, issued circular letters to some principal gentleman in each barony of the kingdom, to intreat the benevolence of the well-difsposed inhabitants in the following form.**

William Fitz-Williams, *By the Lord Deputy and Council.

Whereas the queen’s most excellent majesty for the tender care which her highness hath of the good and prosperous estate of this her realm, of Ireland, and knowing by the experience of the flourishing estate of England, how beneficial it is to any country to have places of learning erected in the same, hath by her gracious favour authorised us her deputy, chancellor, and the rest of the council to found and establish a college or an university near Dublin, in the site of All-hallows, which is freely granted by the citizens thereof, with the precincts belonging to the same, to the value of 20 l. by the year, who are also willing each of them according to their ability, to afford them charitable contributions for the furthering of so good a purpose. These are therefore earnestly to request you (having for your assistant such a person as the sheriff of that county shall appoint for his substitute) carefully to labour with such persons within your barony (having made a book of all their names) whom you think can or will afford any contribution, whether in money, some portion of lands, or any other chattels). whereby their benevolence may be shewed to the putting forward so notable and excellent a purpose, as this will prove to the benefit of the whole country, whereby knowledge, learning and civility may be increased, to the banishing of barbarism, tumults, and disordered living from among them, and whereby their children and children’s children, especially those that be poor (as it were in an orphan’s hospital freely) may have their learning and education given them with much more ease and lower charges, than in other universities they can obtain it. The which business seeing God hath prospered so far; that there is already procured from her majesty the grant of a corporation, with the freedom of mortmain, and all liberties, favours, and immunities belonging to such a body, as by their charter and letters patent may appear, and that the site and place wherein the building must be raised, is already granted, it should be a comfort and rejoicing to the whole country that there is such a beginning of so blessed a work offered unto them to further and assist with their good devotion, seeing the benefit redoundeth to their own posterity, and will in time appear to be a: matter of no small commodity to the whole country. These therefore are earnestly to require you in regard of the former considerations, that the benevolence of the fore-named persons with all care and diligence be intreated by you, and that you signify to us by the first of the next term what each of them under their hands will afford for the furtherance of so notable a work, to the intent that when their benevolences are seen, there may be collectors appointed for the receiving thereof: For which this shall be your warrant. Given at her majesty’s castle of Dublin the 11th of March 1591.”

Ad. archbishop of Dublin. - John Armachan. - Tho. Medensis.

To our beloved Robert Taafe of Cookston, gent. For the barony of Louth.

In the same* *form some special persons were deputed in every barony of the kingdom, with a list or book annexed of the names of persons proper to be applied to. What this method produced does not appear but, if we may judge by the return made by Robert Taaffe to the before recited warrant, the sum was very small. For he says, “that he had applied to all the gentlemen of the barony of Louth, whose answer was, that they were poor, and not able to give any thing towards the building of the college.”

However the work proceeded vigorously; Thomas Smith, mayor of Dublin, on the 13th of March the same year, laid the first stone of the building, and on the 9th of January 1593, the first students were admitted into it. Yet as the queen’s endowment lay in Ulster, the rebellion of Tyrone in the latter end of her majesty’s reign, put a stop to all receipts of the income of that body, and was very near putting a final period to it, if the state had not taken it into their immediate care and protection.

Archbishop Loftus, who had been a great instrument in the first foundation, was one of the lords justices in 1597 and 1598, in conjunction with sir Robert Gardiner, chief justice of the queen’s bench. These lords justices, “in regard of the decay of the revenues of the college in those times of rebellion, and as the same was of her majesty’s princely foundation, having no other means of relief, granted to the college a concordatum of 40 l. sterling per annum, and also the allowance of six dead payes out of such cheques as should be imposed upon her majesty’s army ,” and the earl of Essex, lord lieutenant in 1599, reciting the said grant, by concordatum dated the 3d of May that year, continued the same during pleasure, and ordered the concordatum of 40 l. a year to be paid quarterly, and the dead payes, amounting to 5 l. 12 s. a month, to be paid monthly. In November the same year archbishop Loftus and sir George Carey, being then lords justices, the fellows and corporation of the college petitioned them for “present relief, setting forth the utter decay of the college rents in the then general revolt, whereby they were fallen into great want, and not able to hold their society together.” Upon which petition they obtained a warrant on the 30th of that month for the payment of 46 s. a week out of the entertainment appointed for a canoneer, to continue till the vice-treasurer should receive warrant to the contrary.

On the 29th of January following, the lords justices and council issued another concordatum in behalf of the college, reciting, ” that forasmuch as by several lords deputies, lords justices, and the late lord lieutenant, there had been granted to the provost and some of the fellows of Trinity college near Dublin, a concordatum of 46 1. sterl. yearly, for keeping a publick and standing lecture unto the state, and that by the death of Matthias Holmes, late fellow of the college, the same place is fallen void; they therefore order, that the said college should have as of her majesty’s bounty, for the better maintenance of the provost, and to the use before mentioned, the said sum of 40 1. Sterling yearly, to be paid to them out of such fines, impost of wines, and other casualties as should come to the vice-treasurer’s hands, to be paid quarterly, until contrary directions be issued.”

The year following the queen took this body under her own consideration, and by privy seal dated the 30th of April, not only confirmed the foregoing grants, but also made to them a further grant of 200 1. per annum.

“Being informed (says her majesty) by letters from Ireland to our council here, that the college is in danger to be dissolved, the maintenance thereof being wholly taken away, and no benefit received of our late grant of concealments in regard of the troubles, and that (as you have signified) you have supplied them with some means for their continuance together, until our pleasure be signified on that behalf; we are well pleased out of our princely care for the maintenance of that college (being of our own foundation) and for the establishing of so great a means of instruction of our people, to grant unto the provost, fellows and scholars of the said college both a confirmation and continuance of those means, which you have formerly granted unto them, as also a further supply of 200 l. sterl. Per annum, out of the wards, liveries, reliefs, intrusions, alienations, fines and any other casualties, that shall come to our hands (our impost revenues of our lands there, and treasure sent from hence only to be excepted) to be paid quarterly, and to be continued until they shall enjoy the benefit of out former grant of concealments: And further, that our said grants be paid to the college before any other concordatum or grant heretofore passed, or hereafter to be passed out of any part of the said casualties. And if the said casualties do not amount to 200 l. in any one year be reasons of the troubles, then that the said college be answered the arrearages out of the first casualties that shall come to our hands the enxt year, and so from time to time until the receive the full benefit of this grant.”

Letters patent passed pursuant to this privy seal on the 16th of July following.

Thus was this college fostered and supported in its infancy. King James I who was a prince of learning, and an encourager of it, besides a pension of 388 1. 15s. English money, payable yearly out of the exchequer, endowed. it with large estates in the province of Ulster: king Charles I. was also a benefactor to it, and so were the succeeding monarchs down to the present times, not to mention the provisions made for it by the acts of settlement and explanation. ‘Tis the only university in Ireland, and may be called our Athens.

The original constitution is set forth before; but in the year 1637 it received a new charter, and another set of statutes, which made several material alterations in the constitution.

For 1st, by the original charter the office of provost was upon a vacancy filled up by an election made by a majority of the fellows. By the new charter this power was reserved to the crown, and the office made donative. **

2dly**, By the first charter the fellows could continue no more than seven years in their offices from the time of commencing maasters of arts. By the second charter they were made tenants for life in their fellowships, if they thought proper. **

3dly**, The first charter provides, that upon the vacancy of a fellowship or scholarship the place should be filled, by election within two months after the vacancy, and the election was placed in a majority of the fellows. By the new charter it was ordained, that upon the vacancy of a senior fellowship, the same should be supplied within three days after, the vacancy made known, by a majority or equal number of the surviving senior fellows, together with the provost; and upon a vacancy of a junior fellowship or scholarship, that the same be filled up by the provost and senior fellows, or the major part of them, together with the provost, on the Monday after Trinity sunday following the vacancy. **

4thly**, By the first constitution the number of fellows was only seven and they of equal authority, without any distinction into senior and junior. By the new charter the number of fellows was enlarged to 16, and distinguished into seven senior and nine junior, and the government of the college committed to the provost and the majority of the seven Senior fellows; and the number of scholars was enlarged to 70. **

5thly**, By the first charter the provost and fellows had power to form laws and statutes from time to time for the better government of the college and to adapt and incorporate such as they thought proper from those of Cambridge or Oxford. By the new charter the king, by consent of the provost, fellows and scholars, reserved this power to himself; and the former statutes were declared null and void, and a new set of statutes given them by his majesty. But in cases omitted to be provided for in the new statutes, the provost and the major part of the senior fellows had power given them to make new statutes not repugnant to those granted by the king, the same to be confirmed by the visiters of the college, and so to remain in force till the provost and major part of the senior fellows, by consent of the visiters, should think proper to rescind them. **

6thly**, The mortmain licence was enlarged to 200 1. a year more than was contained in the first licence. 7thly, By the first charter the visiters appointed for the college were the chancellor, or his vice-chancellor, the archbishop of Dublin, the bishop of Meath, the vice-treasurer, treasurer at war, the chief justice of the king’s bench, and the mayor of the city of Dublin, all for the time being, or the major part of them By the new charter the visiters were restrained to the chancellor or his vice-chancellor, and the archbishop of Dublin. Although the provision for both fellows and scholars was originally small, at present the fund for their support, by means of bequests, is considerable, particularly the fellows, who are better appointed, perhaps, than any university teachers in the world; indeed for the best reason, as the election falls on none but such as have acquitted themselves with superior excellence at a most severe trial of literary skill. The number fixed at present of fellowships is 22, seven senior and 15 junior. There are besides five royal professorships, viz. Divinity, Common Law, Civil Law, Physick, and Greek; and three, according to the will of sir* Patrick Dun, knt. M.D. viz** ***Theory and Practice of Physic, Chirurgery and Midwifery, Pharmacy and the Materia Medica, as also professors, viz. Mathematicks, Oriental Tongues, Oratory, History, and Natural Philosophy. Many are the small exhibitions, &c. in this university, for the encouragement of youth in the course of their studies; for a great proportion of which, as well as for the five last-mentioned professorships, this learned body stands indebted to the bounty of Erasmus Smith, esq; of whose public spirited and humane disposition, many other monuments are to be found. The number of students is generally about 400.

As to the structure, it is, without question, the noblest of the kind in Europe, carrying with it more the appearance of a royal mansion, than a number of collegiate cells; extending in front above 300 feet, built of Portland stone. The library, which takes up entirely the south fide of the inner square, has been the wonder of strangers, being a most superb and roomy apartment, happily designed and judiciously executed in length upwards of two hundred feet, the galleries of which are adorned with the busts of many illustrious writers, executed in white marble, by the most able masters; and on the shelves are to be found a well chosen collection of the best writers on every subject.

The printing office and refectory are well worthy note, being both elegant structures, built in the modern taste. To the east is the park, for the relaxation of* the minds of the young gentlemen, after the fatigue of their studies and a bowling-green is provided for their amusement, at proper periods; the former, we are of opinion, infinitely exceeds, not only *in extent, but rural beauty, any of those public gardens, which are looked upon by the gay and dissipated, as so many earthly paradises.

The fellows have also an elegantly-laid-out garden, into which no students (fellow-commoners and masters excepted) arc admitted, where they may be sequestered from the croud, and enabled in the midst of solitude, - inter silvas Academi quaerere verum.

An house for the provost was lately erected on the east tide of Grafton-street, near the college. The plan is chiefly taken from that of general Wade’s house in Great Burlington-street, London, designed by the right honourable Richard earl of Burlington and Corke, and to be seen in Campbell’s Vitruvius Britannicus. Having given an exact representation of this building in the annexed plate, we presume a more minute description will be unnecessary. Let it suffice therefore to observe, that, in point of architectural elegance, it may be ranked in the first class of structures in this kingdom: its offices too are in high taste, as well as very commodious. Indeed, objections are made by some to the unusual size of the chimneys in the latter, which, it muff be confessed, have not a pleasing appearance*; *while others censure, and perhaps, with reason, the site; by this it is too much detached from the university, of which it should be a part.

By the act of settlement the chief governor or governors of Ireland, by consent of the privy council, were impowered to erect another college to be of the university of Dublin, to be called King’s-college, and out of the lands vested or to be vested in the king by that act to raise a yearly allowance not exceeding 2,000 1. a year, by an equal charge upon every 1,000 acres, and therewith to endow the said college, which was to be governed by such laws and constitutions as the king, his hers or successors, should under the great seals of England or Ireland appoint. But this power was never carried into execution. **

SECT. IV.**

Of the Parliament-House.* *

This superb pile was begun in 1729, during the administration of John, lord Carteret. It was executed under the inspection of fir Edward Lovet Pearce, engineer and surveyor-general, until his demise, and completed by Arthur Dobbs, esq; (who succeeded him in that office) about the year 1739, the expence amounting to near 40,000 1.

The structure deserves the greatest praise; it may be happily imitated, but has not as yet been exceeded and is at* *this day justly accounted one of the foremost architectural beauties.

The portico in particular, is, perhaps, without parallel; had it been finished with a balustrade and proper figures thereon, it would have done honour to ancient Rome in the Augustan age.

‘Tis in general of the Ionic order, which is looked upon by some as a defect, an universal sameness, (however elegant) being insufficient to afford so lasting an entertainment to the eye, as may be derived from a happily disposed variety.

The internal parts have also many beauties, and the manner in which the building is lighted, has been much admired. The house of commons is of a particular but convenient form: ‘tis polygonal, and covered with a dome, which, it were to be willed, had been raised to a greater height, as it would have added to the magnificence of the building, and at the same time have improved the prospect of the city, but so low at present, that it is scarcely visible to passers by. There is likewise an amphitheatrical gallery, elegantly balustraded with iron where strangers hear the debates. Near it stands the house of peers, more remarkable for its convenience than elegance. Here indeed are two pieces of tapestry well executed by a Dutch artist, of the battle of the Boyne; as also that of Aghrim, which are said to have much merit.

Upon the whole, prejudice itself must acknowledge that the British empire (we might have added Europe herself) cannot boast of so capacious and so stately a senatorial hall.

To Appendix III. Harris Contents.