156 SKETCHES BY A PRACTISING ARCHITECT. 



of form, proportion, and detail, are as necessary to 

 the one as generalization and sentiment are to the 

 other. No one can more admire Prout (as an artist 

 solely considered) than the author of these sketches ; 

 but it is certain that all architects must be unani- 

 mously shocked at his offences against proportion 

 ai d detail whenever he has to manage an architec- 

 tural subject. Corinthian columns are not pollards, 

 and the relative proportions of their parts, of their 

 entablatures, &:c. are not accidental , like those of a 

 Cornish hut. Upon the just observance of these 

 proportions depends much that would give interest 

 to Mr. Front's drawings, supposing they were de- 

 ficient in that mastery of color and general effect, 

 which renders them valuable notwithstanding their 

 architectural delinquencies. Canaletti has made it 

 certain, that an artist may be at once poetically 

 pictorial and mathematically true ; and here we come 

 to the point whence we started, for the mathematics 

 of architectural design are not to be learned in a day, 

 and, in the full acquirement of their knowledge, the 

 "regular education ofan architect" consists: Q. E. D. 



A young gentleman, recently from college, and 

 suddenly coming into an unexpected fortune, called 

 upon me the other day, to know whether I would 

 undertake to build him a new manor house ? " With 

 much pleasure, and with every attention to your 

 desires, sir,*' said I. 



** I am obliged to you, sir," said he, " here are the 

 plans : — 



" THE PLANS ! " echoed I :— 



He had confounded me with the contractor, think- 

 ing the architect was merely a practical operative ! 



You will say, — " not so, — he had aheady obtained 

 his plans from one whom he acknowledged as an 

 architect, and came to you under a correct motive, 

 though false impression, thinking you a builder:" — 



No such thing. His plans had been prepared by 

 a country factotum, chiefly known as a land survey- 



