'I V / •t * f" "^ \ /^ N ■^ I i / I' ^^. h- Jt> i^-^p" .' I Wy/'r'/' /7///V/vr University of California • Berkeley f. fcxr< €A/vv.-:i .|.,,. A DESCRIPTION '^^OF THE IrU^ PAINTING IN T H E THEATRE. OXFORD, Printed for John Bichei,. MDCCLXIV« Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2008*witli funding from MicrosQft Corporation .4 3lVIV'tU.; -HK . . http://www.arcliive.org/details/descriptionofpaiOOslielrich [3] A DESCRIPTION, m. THIS Theatre, in Form almoft of a Roman D, only longer in Pro- portion from Right to Left, on the Outfide is adorned with Sculpture s particularly the Statue of Charles II. the old Duke of Ormondy and Arch-bifhop Sheldon-, done by Chair : Within, with Painting, viz. the Pourtraits, at full Length, of the Founder Arch-bifhop Sheldon, the fame Duke of Or- mondy and Sir Chrijlopher Wren the Architect : j^ikewife a curious Cieling; (done by Str alter) of which the following is a Defcription. In Imitation of the Theatres of the ancient Greeks and Romans, which were too large to be covered with Lead or Tile, fo this, by the Painting of the flat Roof within, is reprefent- ed open; and as they ftretched a Cordage from Pilafler to Pilafter, upon which they ftrained a Covering of Cloth, to proted: the People from the Injuries of the Weather, fo here is a Cord-moulding gilded, that reaches crofs the Houfe, both in Length and Breadth, which fupporteth a great reddifh Prapery, fuppofed to have covered the Roof, but now furled up by the Genii round about the Houfe, towards the Wall, which difcovereth the open Air, and maketh Way for the Defcent of the A 2 4rts [4] Arts and Sciencesy that are congregated in a Circle of Clouds, to whofe Aflembly Truth defcends, as being follicited and implored by them all. For Joy of this Feftival fome other Genii iport about the Clouds, with their Feftoons of Flowers of Lawrels, and prepare their Gar* lands of Lawrels and Rofes, viz. Honour and Pleafurey for the great Lovers and Students of thofe Arts : And that this Aflembly mighrbe perfe(flly happy, their great Enemies and Dif- turbers. Envy, Rapine, and Brutality, arc by the Genii of their oppofitc Virtues, viz. PrU" dence. Fortitude, and Eloquence, driven from the Society, and thrown down Head -long from the Clouds : The Report of the Afl^em- bly of the one, and the Expulfion of the other, being proclaimed thro' the open and ferene Air, by fome other of the Genii, who blow- ing their antick Trumpets, divide themfclvcs into the feveral Quarters of the World. Hitherto in Grofs. More particularly the Circle of Figure? confifl, Firfl: of Theology, with her Book of Seven Seals, imploring the Afliftance of Truth for the unfolding of it. On her Left-hand is the Mofaical Law veiled, with the Tables of Stone, to which fhc points with her Iron Rod. On [s] Oa her Right-hand is the Gofpet, with the Crofs in one Hand, and a Chalice in the pther. : In the fame Divlfion, over the Mofaical haWy is Hijlory, holding up her Pen, as dcf dicating it to Truth, and an attending GeniiiSy with feveral Fragments of Old Writing, from which fhe colledts her Hiftory into her Book, 'On the other Side, near the Go/pel, is D/- vine Poejy^ with her Harp of David* s Fafhion. In the Triangle on the Right-hand of the Gojpe/y is alfo Logick, in a Pofture of arguing; and on the Left-hand of the Mofaical Lawy is Muftcky with her Antick Lyre, having a Pen in her Pland, and a Paper of Mufick Notes on her Knee, with a Genius on her Right-hand, ( a little within the Partition of Theology) playing on a Flute, being the Em- blem of ancient Mufick. On the Left (but within the Partition for Pbyjick) Dramatick Poefyy with a Vizard, re- prefenting Comedy y a bloody Dagger for Tra- gedyy and the Reed Pipe for Pa/iorai In the Square; on the Right Side of the Circle, is L^-zi;, with her RuHng Scepter, ac- companied with Records, Patents, and Evi- dences on the one Side, and on the other with Rhetorick: by thefe is an attending Geniusy with the Scales oi Jujlicey and a Figure with ^ Palm-branch, the Emblem of Reward for virtuous [6] virtuous Aftlons ; and the Roman Fa/ces, the Marks of Power and Punifhment. Printing, with a Cafe of Letters in one Hand, and a Form ready fet in the other, and by her feveral Sheets hanging as drying. On the left fide oppoiite to LaWy is Phyjick holding the knotty Staff of Mfculapius with a Serpent winding about it : The Botanijt im- ploring the Affiftance of Truth, in the right underftanding of the Nature of her Plants : Chimijiry with a Retort in her Hands : And Chyrurgery preparing herfelf to finifh the Dif- fering of a Head, which hath the Brain al- ready opened, and held before her by one of the Genii, v, - ^ On the Left Side the Circle, oppofite to Theology, in three Squares, are the Mathema- tical Sciences, (depending on Demonjiration, as the other on Faith, in the firft of which is AJlronomy with the Celeftial Globe, Geogra^ fhy with the Terreftial, together with three attending Genii-, having Arithmetick in the Square on one Hand, with a Paper of Fi- gures ; Optics with the Perfpedive-Glafs ^ Geometry with a Pair of CompafTes in her Left ; and a Table with Geometrical Figures in it, in her Right- Hand. And in the Square on the other Hand, ArchiteBure embracing the Capital of a Column, with CompafTes, and the Norma or Square lying by her, and a Workman holding another Square in one Hand, and a Plumb-Line in the other. In [ 7 ] In the midft of thefe Squares and Triangles (as defcending from above) is the Figure of Truth fitting as on a Cloud, in one Hand holding a Palm Branch (the Emblem of Vic- tory) in the other the Sun, whofe Brightnefs enlightens the whole Circle of Figures, and is fo bright, that it feems to hide the Face of herfelf to the Spectators below. Over the Entrance of the Front of the Theatre, are Three Figures tumbling down; Firft Envy, with her Snaky Hairs, Squint Eyes, Hag's Breaft, pale venomous Complec- tion, ftrong but ugly Limbs, and riveled Skin, frighted from above by the Sight of the Shield oi Pallas, with the Gorgon s Head in it, againft which ihe oppofes her fnaky Treffes, but her Fall is fo precipitous, that fhe has no Com- mand of her Arms. Then Rapine, with her fiery Eyes, grinning Teeth, fharp Twangs, her Hands imbrued in Blood, holding a bloody Dagger in one Hand, in the other a burning Flambeau ; with thefe Inftruments threatening the Deftrudlion of Learning, and all its Habitations, but fhe is overcome, and prevented, by a Herculean Genius, or Power. Next that is rcprefented brutifh, fcoffing Ignorance, endeavouring to vilify and con- temn what ihe underftands not, which is charmed by a mercurial Genius with his Ca^ dticeus. In [8] In this Theatre are held the Public Afts^ called the Comitia, or Enct^nia: At which folemn Times there are feveral extraordinary Proftors appointed, who are to take Care that public Peace is obferved, and that all Perfons are placed according to their Degrees. When properly filled, the Vice-Chancellor being feated in the Center of the femicircular Part, the Dodlors on his Right and Left Hand, the Prodtors and Curators in their Robes, the Matters of Arts, Bachelors, and Under-Gra- duates, in their refpeftive Habits and Places, together with Strangers of both Sexes, it makes the moft auguft Appearance of any Room whatever. The flat Roof is compofed of fhort Pieces of Timber, continued to a great Breadth, without Arch- work or Pillar to fupport them, being fuftained only by the Side -Walls and their own Texture, tho* from Side -Wall to Side -Wall it is 80 Feet over one Way, and 70 the other ; which gave Occafion to fay, that the Foundation was on the Roof. This Edifice, which juflly deferves to be deemed one of our principal Curiofities, was built by that celebrated Architeft Sir Chrijlo" pher Wrerii at the Expence of Arch-biihop Sheldoriy the Chancellor, A. D. 1669, and coft his Grace no lefs than 15000I. befides which, he left 2000 1. to purchafe Lands for the per- petual Repair of it. nccf 7f^ r "^Bfe-^ mr- V^^'0 ( \ ^'