COLOSSEUM. Although it scarcely falls within our pro vince to describe places of amusement considered merely as such, the structure known under the name at the head of this article, deserves, from its peculiar form, and the extreme taste displayed in its interior decorations, something more than a passing notice. The Colosseum, designed by Mr. Deci mus Burton, is, in external form, a polygon of sixteen sides, of which the diameter is 130 feet. In the attic, all the faces of the polygon are shown ; but below, threo of them are occupied by the portico, a Doric hexastyle of about 70 feet in width. This order is here exhibited upon a much larger scale than had previously been done in any building in the metropolis, with the advantage of an effect not attainable with fewer columns, and with the still greater advantage of its character not being impaired by the introduction of features irrecon eileable with any aim at a strictly Grecian style, there being n other within the portico than a single lofty doorway. its general film," observes Mr. W. II. Leeds, whose criticisms are always entitled to attention, "this edifice must be referred to a Roman, rather than a Grecian prototype, namely, the Pantheon, which circumstance it probably was that led one writer, who has attempted to describe the building, into a ludicrous blunder, for he has not scrupled to assure his readers, that its portico is copied from that of the Pantheon at Rome, which, in the harmony of its proportions, and the exquisite beauty of its columns, surpasses every temple on the earth !' Had ho said that it was copied from Canova's church at Possagno, he would have been some degrees nearer the mark, at least as fir as resemblance in regard to the order adopted, and the application of a Grecian style to the plan of the Roman Pantheon." Mr. Hosking, in his "Treatise on Architecture," objects to the combination of the square and circle in the plan ; observ ing, " Irregular and intricate forms in works of architecture, whether internally or externally, will be found unpleasing. Few can admire the external effect of the Pantheon, or of the structure in London called the Colosseum, which has been subjected to the same arrangement, though certain fea tures in both may be good." Yet, with due deference to the opinion of such an authority, we should be inclined to demur to it, even had we not Canova's own example to oppose to it. In itself irregularity is a fault ; but then the question is, whether the slight degree of it this produced can be fairly termed so ; besides which, by pushing the doctrine a little further, we may contend that a parallelogram is an irregular square, consequently faulty, and the flank and front of a Grecian temple do not exhibit that uniformity which they might and ought to be made to do. But we need not resort
to any argument of that kind, because, were it not for the irregularity censured by I hat writer, and caused by the addi tion of a poi tico to the circular part of their plan, both the buildings he mentions would appear heavy, lumpish masses, decoration might be bestowed upon them.
The Colosseum was built tar the purpose of exhibiting a panorama of London, on a scale of magnitude hitherto inn attempted. The projector made his sketches from an obser vatory placed on scaffolding several feet above the top of St. Paul's cross ; these sketches were afterwards transferred to the canvass, and in their finished state display the whole of this vast metropolis and its environs, as it ma tuld atppear on the clearest day, and aided by the most powerful vision. To use the somewhat magniltaluent language of it contetuporary, the spectator " sees beneath the summer sunshine of a serene sky, divested of the listed campy of smoke and vapour. this great metroptdis, with its countless multitude of streets and squares, its churches, mansions, la tspitals, theatres, public offices, institutions scientific and literary ; its noble river, with its numerous bridges; and in the distance a rich and varied expanse of rural and sylvan scenery, extending from the \rot allands of Kent and Essex in the east, to the and castle of Windsor on the western horizon. 11ecitver ing from the wonder created by this first view of the picture as it he finds of astonishment in examining it detail ; for not only may the prominent structures he discerned and known, but every private residence in town or country, which is visible from St. Paul's itself, be recog nized in the representation ; and the various objects in the foreground, as well as in the distance, w will bear the test of the telescope. To increase the effect, improve the conve inspection, and, at the same time, to augment the means of judging of the merits of the performance as a work of art, there is it succession of galleries, the highest Of which is CUiVit Meted tier the purpose of giving a more satisffietory view of the distant ; an easy ascent from the galleries lends to an esplanade. on the circle that crowns the exterior of the Colosseum. from tt hich is beheld a real panorama formet1 by the Reg,lit's Park and its elegant vicinity." Since the above description was written, the Colosseum, as a place of amusement, has suffered many vicissitudes, and at tine time hid fallen very low in public estimation ; in the year 1S-1-1, however, it fell into the hands of the present pro prietor, who has expended very large sums in completely remodellitT the whole establishment.