Melbourne Professional Men.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 22, 10 December 1874, Page 6

Melbourne Professional Men.

THE ARCHITECT OF THE THEATRE ROYAL

We have been requested to republish the following from a Melbourne paper : —

The subject of our present notice is a native of Melbourne, whose parents hail from Bonnie Scotland. He received his early education in his native city, but extended, refinded, and developed a naturally superior taste and intellect by extensive travels in foreign parts. Mr Brown, or George Brown as he is familiarly called by his countrymen, is a gentleman of medium height, slight build, with auburn hair, light blue eyes, features of the Grecian mould, and a bearing at once of the most aristocratic and commanding. Unassuming and retiring in his character he is quite un mindful of his own high attainments, and it may be truly said big life and habits are worthy of imitation by all professional men of the class to which he belongs. At nine o'clock every morning a passer-by can observe an elegant little carriage, servant in livery and gold lace, drawn up at Mr Brown's hall-door, from which he ushers out and drives to inspect his numerous

! buildings in the metropolis and suburbs then in course of construction ; this done he hurries to his office which he usually reaches by eleven o'clock. Here Mr Brown, his equipage, and his beautiful Arabian horse attract the attention of those cheerful loungers who are doing their morning walk in the Boulevard of this gay Melbourne ; but Mr Brown observes them not, wrapt up in the studies of his rprofession, plans in hand, he quickly passes through, unconscious of their presence, and commences the onerous duties of his ofiice.

His private life is spent in the bosom of his family, and is no less exemplary than his professional one. A patron of arts and sciences, a liberal contributor to literature, and a general supporter of the opera and ballet, he has fairer admirers than the gentlemen ot Collins -street. Sometimes on grand occasions, state nights, when the Governor is there, you may see a little man in the theatre sitting in his own private box, gracefully leaning, over the scarlet velvet cushions, his presence there, and the, exquisite lustre of the rubies, emeralds, and diamonds on his fingers, do not fail to attract the attention of all that is beautiful in the dress circle, with an occasional recognition from the stalls, the opera glasses are instantly levelled, and, like tlectricitv, the whispsr goes round, " Mr Brown."

Mr Brown has built several magnificent wool- sheds and ship-yards, a few churches and cbapels. and numerous noble mansions ; the masterpiece, however, of his skill is the Theatre Royal, a building irom its splendour and excellence would do honor to the hands of Sir Christopher Wren. Had it been a church instead of a theatre I doubt not but that it would some day be honored with the ashes of its great and illustrious architect, deposited there by his generous and grateful I'Oimt.vmMi