The entablature of the upper order is remarkable, from the consoles of the cornice occupying the whole or the frieze. In this, as in many other instances, We see Sir Christopher sacrificing a particular, to a general, effect ; for this cornice, considered as the grand termination to the body of the required to be treated in a bold and striking style, rather than with that delicacy appropriate to the order. 'floe idea of this may probably have been taken from the upper entablature of the Coliseum at I:ome, where the same mod yes of general effect have prevailed.
The ornaments of the front are well executed ; and though not remarkable for elegance, are placed with judicious I'm gality, so as to enrich without oyerhoading or confusing the aspect. A very large composition in basso-relie•o, repre senting the conversion of St. Paul, occupies the tympan of the pediment. This is said to be the best work of the artist, Francis Bird. At the apex of the pediment is placed a gigantic statue of the patron saint, while St. Peter, St. James, and the four Evangelists, occupy situations at his right and left hand.
The, rest of the building is a vast fabric of a wall decorated with coupled pilasters, arranged at regular distances ; the intervals below being occupied with large windows. serving to the side aisles, and those above with niches ; in the pedestals of which are singularly inserted windows, belong ing to galleries and rooms over the side aisles.
In the whole surface of the the joints of the stones are marked by horizontal and perpendicular channels; a simple decoration, which, while it gives a vigorous expres sion of strength and stability, has the advantage of defi ning and rendering conspicuous the pilasters and entab latures.
The entrance doors of the transepts are adorned by semi circular porticos ; objects equally beautiful, whether consi dered separately or in connection with the total mass of the building, which they adorn and diversify, by the contrast of curves and straight lines, and of insulated columns, with engaged pilasters.
At the centre, formed by the crossing of the nave and transept, rises an ample cupola, which is the most magnifi cent feature of the building. The basement of this part of the rubric is an octagonal wall, pierced through each side by an arcade; the two, which are in the direction of the nave, are open to the top, as are also the two in the direction of the transept : the other four have an intermediate arch, which supports the continuation of the dado or panelling above the entablature. The spandrels of the arches are sphe rical, and form a complete circle at the level of the summit of the arches. Upon the archivolt of the arches is placed a
corbelled cornice of considerable projection, the upper side forming, the floor of the whispering-gallery ; from the floor of the whispering-gallery rises a cylindrical wall, called by the French, tour du dome, for w hick we have no technical expression. This is surrounded by a Corinthian peristyle, so placed as to conceal the projecting buttresses of thecupola ; and thus, by a happy combination of profound skill and ex quisite taste, a construction adapted to oppose, with insuper able solidity, the enormous pressure of the dome. the come, and the lantern, is converted into a decoration of the most grand mid beautiful character. The idea of this arrange ment was, doubtless, taken from the interior of the Pantheon at Rome, to which it bears a striking resemblance.
On the exterior side of the building, the general disposi tion is divided into eight parts by piers, containing staircases, with two columns attached to the angles of each. The spaces between the piers form eight recesses, having in each two columns, which, at a distance, to a hasty observer, appear to be insulated; but they are in thet joined to the dome-tower, by walls, serving as count erforts. All these buttresses are, however, pierced w ith arcades, so as to leave a free commu nication round this part of the cupola. The columns being of a large proportion, and placed at regular intervals, are crowned with a complete entablature, which, continuing without a single break, forms an entire circle, and thus con nects all the parts into one grand and harmonious whole. Above the colonnade, but not resting upon it. rises an attic story, with pilasters and windows, from which springs the exterior dome, of a bold contour, well adapted to the rising form of the lofty and elegant lantern by which it is crowned. It has been said, with some justice, that the columns of the cupola are too high in proportion to the body of the building, as they are indeed little less than those of the bower order, but higher than the coluinus of the upper order. This incon gruity would not have existed, had circumstances allowed the architect to construct the nutin edifice of a single order. ex tending the whole height of the building ; lint being baffled in this his original intention, it would have been too great a sacrifice to relinquish the peristyle, the noblest feature of the building, or to materially diminish the cupola.