Bernini's buildings, though not of so bizarre a character as Borrominrs, are not equal to those of his predecessors ; his principal works are the colonnade in front of St. Peter's, the principal fa9fide and staircase of the palace Berberini, the Curia Innocenziana, and some few others. Of the first of these works, a description has already- been given, we pass on therefore to the second.
The palace Berberini consists of a central portion and two which project at right angles to the front. In the lowest story of the central compartments, are two parallel rows of arches resting on piers, forming a vestibule, which has a groined roof. The building consists of three stories, the lower one being 0111:1111ellted With a Doric order, and the upper with Corinthian columns, between which are semi circular arches springing from imposts. Each of the wings has three tiers of rectangular windows placed in recesses, which formed by narrow projections of the wall after the manner of Attached to this building is a Belvedere turret, with windows in each side, and having pilasters on the exterior.
The best period of Italian architecture was now over, and there are scarcely any buildings erected after this time which require comment ; We shall therefore pass on to a considera tion of this style as practised in England.
During the time of Palladio, Italian architecture began to be copied successfully in various parts of the Continent ; and Padadio's method had become very generally popular. A mixture of Italian and Gothic architecture had been in vogue since the time of Elizabeth, after whose name the style procured the title of Elizabethan ; the pure Italian, however, did not make its appearance here till the reign of James 1., and lnigo Jones was the first architect to introduce it. In the early part of his practice, this architect had followed the mixed style, but on his return from a joinney to Italy, he brought back with him the manner of the Palladian school, in which his principal works were, the portico of Old St. Paul's, Whitehall Palace, York-stairs, and the church of St. Paul, Covent Garden.
The first building of unmixed Italian architecture erected in England, was that of Whitehall, by Inigo Jones. This edifice was commenced during the reign urd al nes I., A.D. 1619, but was never completed according to the original design, which contemplated the erection or an immense range of building containing seven courts, extending in one direction front the park to the river, the Ihyade towards which would have measured 720 feet, and that towards Charing Cross, no less than 1152 feet. Only a small portion of this magnificent
design was carried into execution, and this was the banquet ing hall, which was completed in two years. This portion is 115 tbet in length, and from its appearance we may form some idea of what the entire building would have been. The hall consists of three stories, of which the lower one is a plain rusticated basement, with simple rectangular apertures, with out architrave or other decoration ; the upper ones consisting of two complete orders, the lower of which is Ionic, and the upper Corinthian. Each story contains seven windows, with a column or pilaster between every two, and coupled pilasters at the angles of the building, thus making up ten columns in each story. The windows are all rectangular, and surrounded with architraves, above which are cornices supported on ancones; the lower tier, however, differs front the upper in having pediments above the cornice alternately triangular and segmental ; this tier is also furnished with a balustrade which is wanting in the upper story. Both orders are surmounted by a complete entablature, which is broken over each column ; the walls throughout arc rusticated, and the building finished at the summit by a balustrade.
Jones's next work was the new portico to the then St. Paul's, but of this of course no remains are left. St. Paul's, Covent Garden, was another work which exhibits a chaste example of the Tuscan order; it was partially destroyed by fire in 17ff5, but has been restored in its original character. A beautiful, thotfgh small example of.lones's taste is exhibited in York-stairs, leading down to the river from the west end of the Strand. It consists of three arches, of which the cen tral one is the largest, and the spaces between them are decorated with four half columns, supporting an entablature which is broken over the capitals; this again is surmounted by a segmental pediment. the tympanum of which is some what decorated with sculpture. The Strand front differs from that towards the river, in substituting pilasters its the 'dace of half columns.