MAKE A MEME
View Large Image
| View Original: | Freeman's_Journal_30_January_1863_Letter_by_Thomas_Read.png (828x4274) | |||
| Download: | Original | Medium | Small | Thumb |
| Courtesy of: | commons.wikimedia.org | More Like This | ||
| Keywords: Freeman's Journal 30 January 1863 Letter by Thomas Read.png Letter to the editor by Thomas Read printed on 30 January 1863 in the Freeman's Journal Scan downloaded from the collection British Newspapers 1600 “1900 of Gale 1863-01-30 Thomas Read of work with those foreign workmen whom Mr M'Carthy is so fond of recommending to this Irish patrons I refrain from entering into an analytical disquisition with a man whose status is now so far above mine My name probably would add no weight to my remarks but I cannot pass over Mr M'Carthy's triumph cut query ” Who ever saw till this century an Irish cross on a reduced scale surmounting a gable Not being sufficient of an antiquary I will refer him to Dr Petrie on this head and by way of rejoinder I will ask him who ever saw a Gothic church gable corbelled out on its apex three feet from the face of the wall to provide for the support of an overtopling belfry Can the medieval or any other period or the eclecticisms of the ecclesiological school produce such another architectural anomaly Of this Gothic example I believe Mr M'Carthy is the putative parent but as to its site I will let it rest in the shade I will bestow on it the charity of my silence It is sad Sir indeed that one Irishman should be found capable of depreciating the talent of his own countryman and of their munificent patron No other such instance of a princely benefactor like Mr Guinness occurs in the annals of this country for many a long century till we go back to Master John Le Decer who was mayor of Dublin the years 1308 1309 and 1324 ”a remarkable man whose princely munificence bears a striking analogy to that of Mr Benjamin Lee Guinness We should hail the appearance of a man like Mr Guinness as a glorious phenomenon If some small imperfection might occur in the carrying out of his collosal undertaking in the restoration of St Patrick's ”obstructed as those works have been by many obstacles retarted perhaps by difficulties ”difficulties surmounted as quick as they appear there should be some allowances made ”for what earthly undertaking is perfection In conclusion let me remark that I speak as an artist and a workman not an architect; still of architectural details I will not plead ignorance So long as the social condition and welfare of the workman is looked upon as a matter of secondary importance so long will architecture as an art be deterioating John Ruskin the great Gothic critic has said some noble words on this pregnant and suggestive subject In the words of another writer I would ask Mr M'Carthy how long must we still have occasion to exclaim ” The world dishonours its workmen stones its prophets crucifies its Saviours and shouts 'till the welkin rings out long live violence and fraud ”I remain Sir your obedient servant <br/>Thomas Read stonecutter and carver at present engaged on the restoration of St Patrick's <br/>3 Leary's-place Townsend-street <br/>Dublin January 28 1863 1863 newspapers Restoration of St Patrick's Cathedral Dublin 1860 “1865 J J McCarthy Letters to the editor | ||||
