Chap. III.

GEORGE III. S.Sl

tlie new ducks, stores, ami Custotn-Hmisc. at Dublin, and proceeded there in 17S1 to carry out
the works. This building was not co;ii|ileted until 1791 ;
it has a front of .S7.^ ft. in length,
extending along the (|uay of the river l.iffey, and is 209 ft. in depth. Standing in a fine
open j)lace, its admirable de.si rn and good execution cause it to rank as equal to otlier
works of a like nature, and to be esteetned as a noble pile that would do credit to any city
in the world He was well assisted in the decorative works by a young scidptor named
Edward Smith The great difficulties he exjierienced during its erection, both from the
nature of the soil, as well as from the workpeople, is well described in the memoir oi' him
\ \h\\ OV I.I ni, DL.Ml. VHIONMIII.E.
prepared by his son, aid publislied by the late T. J. Mulvany, in 1^4^, To the Houses of
Parliament in Dublin he aiUk'd tlie side or east portico, with an entrance for the Lords, wli >
agreed to Gand in's desire to iiave Corinthian columns to this portico, the addiiional propor-
tion in height of which w;is to make up for the great fall in the ground from the front, where
the Ionic is used. This portico entrance he joined witii tlie front by a circular wall witlto i
columns, so tiiat the two orders should not clash
;
the present three (juarter Ionic colunms
to this circular wall o.i the one side, and tliose to the archway on the otlier side, are the
additions by a later hand wlie.i the building was adapted for tlie Hank of Ireland, which
lias posses.sed it since 18()'2. Gandon subsc(|iiently added the western portico for the Com-
mons' House. \ much larger work by hiui was the editice for the Four
( Law) Courts.
The foundation stone was laid March ?>,
17S6, and was tirst used at the end of ITOf!, but
the whole was not coinjileted until 1802. The frontage extends along the river (]uay. and
includes, on the east side, the Offices of Records, designed in 1776 by Thomas Co iley.
whom Gand(m succeeded. The whole extent of groi.ud was but 4.')2 ft , 294 ft. of wliich
being occupied by the offices, left but 140 ft. square for t'ue plan of the Courts, and this
had subsequently to be lessened in deji'li by the portico being set back, to appease the ire
of a Riglit Honourable gentleman whose opinion had been overlooked. I'liis centre
building consists of a moderate sized central iiall, 64 ft in diameter, with a dome whidi
forms exteriorly a marked feature of the design, and one of the most conspicuous objects
in the city. This central hall gives access to the four court.s. Eor the same city, he
designed Carlisle Bridge a. id the Inns of Court, but resigned the control over the latter
edifice to his pupil, H. A. Baker. He retired in 1808 to his country house near Lucan,
and died there as late as 182,'i, in the eighty seco. id year of his age.
527. Jair.es Wyatt, born about I 74.'S or 1746, accompanied, at an early age. Lord Bag >t
to Rome, and applied himself to the .study of tlie ancient monuments in that city and at
^'eaice. .^fter a i absence of six years, returning to London, lie was employed to design
t!ie I'antiieon Theatre in Oxfo. d Street, consisting of rooms for public assemblies, &c.
This was opened in January 1772, and its completion (yiy. 228, which shows the interior as
arranged fir the Handel festival, in May 1784), s|)reading his fame both far and wide, he
was eagerly sought after to superintend numerous public and private biiililings in Great
Britain and Ireland Walpole. writing to .Mann, in 1771, says of it;
'
The new winter
Ranelagli in Oxford Road is almost hnished it anazcd me, my.sijlf. Imagine Balbec in
all its gl.iry ! Tlie pillars are ol' artificial giallo antico. The ceilings, even of the passages,
are of the most beautiful stuccos in the best taste of grotcs(]ue. The ceilings of the ball
ro )ms aiui the panels painted like Raphael's loggias in the Vatican. A dome like the I'an-
liieon glazed. It is to cost fifty thoii.sand jjounds." I'art only of the Oxford Street front,
with the side entrance in Poland Street, now exist of tliis work, for the iiiteriir was gutted
by fire soon afier its erection Fkj. 7"0 shows the framing of a dome nearly the .same as that
for this edifice. The drawings he hr()u;j;lit home tlie knowledge he possessed of the arts in
general, ami Ids polished ma.iuers, secured for him a host of patrons, and he became llu