57 

 SKETCHES BY A PRACTISING ARCHITECT, No. 6. 



• " he was a nice young man, 



A carpenter by trade." — Comic Song. 



Having, in my last sketch, treated upon the subject 

 of architectural amateurship, I would now allude to 

 that peculiar branch of architectural practice, which 

 is carried on by a large body of well-meaning ope- 

 rators, equally remote from those who profess a 

 classic acquaintance with the Art, and from others 

 who practise it agreeably to classic rules. That the 

 operations of this body should meet with encourage- 

 ment is not strange, when it is considered, that, in 

 consideration of employing their own labour and 

 materials in the erection of a house, they afford 

 gratuitously all the necessary designs and drawings, 

 which, if provided by the mere arcliitect, would add 

 five per cent, to the cost of the works. Educated 

 in the carpenter's shop, they acquire certain habits 

 of constructive neatness, and the use of the square 

 and compasses. Employed in the execution of some 

 building from an architect's drawing, they learn the 

 nature of plans, elevations, and sections ; and they 

 possibly^>«*sA themselves by a perusal of Nicholson's 

 Classic Joinery, by which means are generated 

 certain incoherent ideas of things Grecian, Roman, 

 and Gothic, and corresponding aspirings towards 

 their realization in Memel deal and Parker's cement. 

 Thus qualified, they soon meet with opportunities 

 for a display of their talent in design ; for, though 

 there be few who think good taste worth paying for, 

 there are many who choose bad taste gratuitously 

 afforded, before no taste at all. Under this influence 

 flourishes the suburban architecture — not of London 

 only— but of all the larger towns of England. 

 " Camomile Cottage " exhibits its frieze of Greek 

 honeysuckles, leaving us to comment on the Jitness 

 of the decoration. Similar reflections are also made 

 on seeing the Sarcophagi which decorate " Hygeia 

 Terrace;" and we pay just tribute to the poetic 

 VOL. V. — 1835. H 



