HAWKS110011, NICHOLAS, the architect of many buildings of note in the early part of the 18th century, was born in 1666, and at the age of seventeen became the pupil of Sir Christopher Wren. Beyond this we possess very few personal details relative to him. His works, if they do not display a very refined taste, give evidence of talent and a certain degree of originality. Like that of Van brugb, with whom he is said to have been associated both at Blenheim and Castle Howard, his style partook of the massive and heavy, com bined with a certain coldness and baldness. Of this we have proof in the church of St. George's in the East, Ratcliffe Highway, com menced by him in 1715, which is no less ponderous in its ensemble than hard and dry in its details, besides being extravagant and ano malous. That of St. Mary Wooluoth's in Lombard-street is very much better ; there is a certain degree of originality, richness, and picturesque character iu the north side, which, uutil alterations made a few years back, was the only one exposed to view. The interior, which is lighted chiefly by a square dome or lantern extending over the centre above three Corinthian columns at each angle, and having n large semi circular window on each of its sides, is one of the beat specimens of church architecture of that day, though the effect is greatly impaired by the pewing and galleries. But it is chiefly as the architect of St. George's, Bloomsbury, that Hawksmoor is entitled to notice, that being a work which of itself ought to confer a lastiog reputation. It is true, Walpole has stigmatised the steeple as "a masterstroke of absurdity," and adopting that smartly expressed opinion others have continued to repeat his censure. It is however, in the style to which it belongs, one of the happiest as well as most original iu its idea; picturesque and graceful in outline; well combined together ; con sistent though varied ; with a due expression of solidity, remote from heaviness on the one hand, and on the other from that species of lightness which, though a merit in Gothic, becomes a fault in Roman architecture. One leading fault imputed to this steeple is that it is surmounted by a statue of George IL, which gave rise to an epigram that had perhaps quite as much influence in exciting a prejudice against the structure as Walpole's dictum. Yet, apart from the question of
the good taste or propriety of so decorating the leading feature of a building dedicated to religious worship, if there be any inconsistency or absurdity iu terminating the steeple by a statue, it is at least equalled by that of erecting a column, for no other purpose than to elevate a statue upon it : because in the latter case the figure, though put almost out of sight, is presumed to be tho principal object, while iu the other it is iutcnded to bo no more than an ornamental emissary and termi nation to the structure. The portico of this church, which is, like that of St. Militia's, a hexastyle Coriuthinu, is very little inferior to it in execution, and displays itself still more advantageously, being cousiderably raised above time street by a flight of steps, enclosed by pedestal walls, which gives it nu air of considerable dignity. St. Anne's, Limehouse, is another church by Hawksmoor, which deserves more praise than has fallen to its share; and it has the advantage over St. George's, Bloomsbury, in having a more decidedly ecclesiastical character. With much that is incorrect, and with very little that is positively beautiful, its ensemble has an air of grandeur frequently missed where it seems to have been more studiously aimed at.
Among his other works were Easton Neaten, in Northamptonshire, and a mausoleum at Castle Howard. Ho was also employed to repair the west front of Westminster Abbey. The south quadrangle and street front of Queen's College, Oxford, have by some been attributed to him, though they are generally supposed to have been the work of Wren. That he did much at All Souls College, in the same university, is unquestionable, and Dallaway informs us that ho had seen a very grand design by him for rebuilding Brazenose College, somewhat in the style of Greenwich Hospital, where he had at one time the appoint ment of clerk of the works. Besides this he gave a design for the Radcliffe Library, but that of Gibbs obtained the preference. lie died in March 1736, at the age of seventy.