J?^ 





JiUas and Cottages. A Series of Desirpis, prepared for Execution in the United 

 States. IJy Calvert Vaux, Arcliitect (late Downing and Vaux), Newburgh. 

 Illustrated by 300 Engravings. New York. 



AVe Lave risen from the perusal of this work with a strong impression in its 

 favor. It seems to us to mark a ])rogress among us, when such wholesome truths 

 as our anthor tells, are boldly written and fearlessly ])romulgated. His topic is a 

 large one ; it is a highly imjiortant subject, embracing almost, if not quite, the 

 question whether a nation shall be higlily civilized, or half barbarian ? It is, 

 moreover, a difficult topic, and one on which more authors have been utterly inane 

 than most. In what regards the protection and accommodation of civil life, 

 connected with religion, legislation, science, commerce, and domestic purposes, 

 the exercise of architecture is so completely influenced by the state of knowledge, 

 power, climate, kc, that it has always been found one of the most distinctive 

 features of that people, from among whom the specimens were selected. In trac- 

 ing its origin and progress, therefore, not only the various genius, but the leading 

 outlines of the history of each people, will be delineated. In their public works 

 we have their history, not drawn by speculative strangers, at different periods of 

 time, but in characters produced by native hands, guided by the united disposi- 

 tion of a whole people, arising out of the combination of all the knowledge, power, 

 and prevalent ideas of the times when they were constructed. By a comparison, 

 therefore, of the different works in architecture, we are not only made acquainted 

 with the different characters of the several portions of mankind under various 

 climates, but we also see distinctly the effects of political changes on each separate 

 nation. 



These observations are not confined to buildings adapted to the purposes of 

 civil life alone, but are equally conspicuous in all that are constructed for the 

 operations of war, whether the increasing rivalship of nations have rendered it 

 necessary that they should be carried on by land or sea. The works of each are 

 of great importance to the concerns of mankind. Government takes under its 

 charge the naval and military constructions, but leaves the civilians to take care 

 of themselves. Fitting teachers are therefore important, to guide the taste of a 

 people like our own, where we have the utmost freedom, and i)lenty of means to 

 do as we like with brick and wood, and to outrage the proprieties as we please. 



Downing was among the first who came to the rescue ; he exhibited to our 

 population that living in houses well designed and neatly constructed, well colored 

 and well ventilated, was a much more rational proceeding than had heretofore 

 been believed, and we were taught by him, that to make home lovable, it should 

 be made attractive. From his advent, we date a vast improvement, but that im- 

 provement must still be onward. In Mr. Vaux, we find evidences of a determi- 

 nation to teach all that is known ; he throws out hints of vital import, and in- 

 sists upon our keeping an eye upon the solid benefits which flow from increased 

 knowledge when backed by increased means and a higher civilization. Such 

 positive good ; they not only make their marks on the age in which they 



