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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. 
 
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