64 Hints respecting) the 



the top of the house ; and we would just hint that these should 

 be so contrived as to be placed out of the reach of frost — a pro- 

 vision of the utmost importance in every point of view, and 

 very easily effected in a newly-built house, though it unfortu- 

 nately happens that architect's usually regard these matters as 

 trifles, and treat them with neglect, as indeed they do the 

 warming and ventilation of buildings generally. 



3. The supply of water, of proper quality and quantity, is a 

 very important point, as connected with the present subject. 

 The water should be soft, clean, and pure, and as free as 

 possible from all substances mechanically suspended in it. In 

 many cases, it answers to dig a well for the exclusive supply of 

 a large house with water : in most parts of London, this may 

 effectually be accomplished, at a comparatively moderate ex- 

 pense ; and if deep enough, the water will be abundant, soft, 

 and pellucid. The labour of forcing it by a pump to the top 

 of the house is the only drawback ; this, however, is very 

 easily done by a horse-engine ; or there are people enough about 

 town glad to undertake it at a shilling a-day. I am led to these 

 remarks by observing the filthy state of the water usually sup- 

 lied, at very extravagant lates, by the water companies. It 

 often partakes more of the appearance of pea-soup than of the 

 pure element ; fills our cisterns and pipes with mud and dirt ; 

 and even when cleared by subsidence is extremely unpalatable. 

 It deposits its nastiness in the pipes connected with warm 

 baths, and throws down a slippery deposite upon the bottom of 

 the vessel itself, to such an extent as often to preclude its being 

 used, at least as a luxury, which a clear and clean bath really 

 is. This inconvenience may in some measure be avoided, by 

 suffering the water to throw down its extraneous matters upon 

 the bottom of the cistern, and drawing our supplies from pipes 

 a little above it ; there will, however, always be more or less 

 deposite in the pipes themselves, and eveiy time the water runs 

 into the cistern the grouts are stirred up, and diffused through 

 its mass : this, from some cause or other, with which I am 

 unacquainted, has lately become a most intolerable grievance ; 

 and he who reflects upon the miscellaneous contents of Thames 

 water, will not have his appetite sharpened by a draught of the 

 Grand Junction beverage, nor feel reanimated and refreshed 



