THE MIRROR

OF

LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.

No. 325.] SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1828. [Price 2d.

ALL-SOULS' CHURCH, LANGHAM-PLACE.

Vol. XII. F

ALL-SOULS' CHURCH, LANGHAM PLACE.

"Whoever walks through London streets,"
Said Momus to the son of Saturn,
"Each day new edifices meets,
Of queer proportion, queerer pattern:
If thou, O cloud-compelling god,
Wilt aid me with thy special grace,
I, too, will wield my motley hod,
And build a church in Langham-place."

"Agreed," the Thunderer cries; "go plant
Thine edifice, I care not how ill;
Take notice, earth. I hereby grant
Carte blanche of mortar, stone, and trowel.
Go Hermes, Hercules, and Mars,
Fraught with these bills on Henry Hase,
Drop with yon jester from the stars,
And build a church in Langham-place."

London Lyrics-New Monthly Mag.

Among all our specimens of contemporarychurch-building, none has excitedmore animadversion than All-Souls',Langham-place, erected in 1822-1825,from the designs of Mr. Nash. Its generaleffect is extraordinary and objectionable;but, unfortunately for whatmerit it really possesses, many of its assailantshave so far disregarded the justprinciples of taste and criticism, as to golaboriously out of their way to be profanelywitty on its defects. Song andsatire, raillery and ridicule, pun and pasquinade,and even the coarseness of caricature,have thus been let off at thisspecimen of NASH-ional architecture;whilst their authors have wittingly keptout any redeeming graces which could befound in its architectural details.

The principal features of the exteriorwere suggested by its situation, it beingplaced on an angular plot of ground, betweenLangham-place and Regent-street.To afford an advantageous view from eitherpoint, the tower, which is circular, isnearly detached from the body of thechurch, and is surrounded by columns ofthe modern Ionic order, supporting anentablature, crowned by a balustrade,which is continued along the sides of thechurch. Above the portico is a Corinthianperistyle, the base of which is alsothat of a fluted cone, which forms thespire, and is terminated in an acute point.The steeple is complete in itself, andadapted to its situation, having the sameappearance which eve

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