262 



REMARKS UPON TASTE. 



art and taste, as well as the great in wealth 

 and worldly influence, are not more exempt 

 from prejudices than the little, We consider 

 it of importance to be aware of this ; because 

 the prejudices of those who are looked up to 

 with respect, are apt to mislead men who can- 

 not, like Winkelmann's Italian friend, exer- 

 cise their reason. 



It is easy to conceive the influence which 

 the prevalence of any particular style in any 

 given locality will have on architectural taste, 

 however good it may be in other respects ; 

 and the same may be said, not only of the 

 style of design, but of the manner of construc- 

 tion, and the materials of execution. A per- 

 son with a just taste in architecture, living in 

 a country where stone was chiefly used for 

 walls, would not be at first reconciled to walls 

 of brick, but would be obliged to control his 

 feelings by his reason. Where thatch is the 

 material with which cottages are generally 

 covered, it is difficult to avoid considering 

 slates and tiles as cold and unsuitable for cot- 

 tage roofs. Many more instances might be 

 given ; but enough, we trust, has been said, 

 to show the imavoidable influence of locality 

 in modifying more or less the taste of indi- 

 viduals. 



The influence which education may have in 

 giving a bias to architectural taste is so obvi- 

 ous, as hardly to require illustration. An 

 amateur who has had a classical education 

 will prefer the classical architecture of the 

 Greeks and Romans to the Grothic style of the 

 middle ages ; a young architect who has been 

 chiefly taught the details of the Grecian style 

 can hardly avoid preferring that style to every 

 other ; one who has been taught to consider 

 the Doric as the most perfect of the Grecian 

 orders will have acquired a prejudice in favor 

 of all buildings where that order is made use 

 of; and so of all other styles or orders, or 

 variations of them. As travelling may be 

 considered a part of education, the architect 



of just taste, who has spent hours in exploring 

 the architecture of caves in Egypt and India, 

 or of tents in China, will look upon Egyptian 

 and Chinese architecture with more favor, 

 than the man, also of just taste, who has 

 viewed them only through the medium of 

 books. 



That public opinion, or the prevailing taste 

 of a country, has a considerable influence in 

 biassing our taste, the opposition wliich is 

 made by the public to innovations of every 

 kind is a sufficient proof. At the present 

 time, in England, the pointed style of archi- 

 tecture is approved everywhere, and by every- 

 bod}^ ; but, during the time of Charles II., 

 when Roman architecture was universally ad- 

 mired, the pointed style was as universally 

 censured and despised, both by architects and 

 amateurs. Thus, in architecture, as in every- 

 thing else, the influence oi fashion is continu- 

 ally operating ; and not only has public opi- 

 nion, or the fashion of a whole country, great 

 influence, but even the opinion or fashion of 

 eminent individuals in that country. Thus, 

 almost all pupils of architects have their taste 

 more or less influenced by that of their mas- 

 ter ; and all courtiers by that of their sove- 

 reign. Every one knows that these things 

 happen in all ordinary matters ; and a very 

 little reflection must convince them that they 

 will happen also in matters of taste. 



The received prejudices of a people or a 

 country, with respect to the application of 

 particular forms of architecture to particular 

 uses, have a strong influence on the taste. 

 There seems to be no insuperable reason why 

 a spire should not be made an ornament to a 

 gentleman's house in the country ; and, in 

 many situa'ions, it might be of considerable 

 utility in pointing out the house at a great 

 distance, or in forming the leading feature of 

 a group, containing the difi"erent buildings 

 which compose the dwelling-house and offices 

 of a large mansion in the midst of an exten- 



