232 



RURAL ARCHITECTURE. 



Domestic Architecture ; but there are also 

 a few original designs by Mr. Walter, the 

 well known architect of the Girard College, 

 and others. 



The designs are in outline merel}', and 

 are usually accompanied with ground plans 

 of the principal floor. They are not, how- 

 ever, accompanied with any descriptions of 

 the buildings, the object being rather to 

 present a great iiumher of examples, some 

 good, and some of course indifl^erent, allow- 

 ing each individual to use his own fancy 

 in selecting, than to direct and form the 

 taste by models especially adapted to this 

 countr}'. We copy the following explana- 

 tory remarks from the preface : 



" From the designs now presented, the incipient 

 builder, who, perhaps, has paid little attention to 

 detail, may discover what it is he requires, and be 

 thus enabled to render his work an agreeable ob- 

 ject of taste. The professional man, surrounded 

 by costly works of art, when he inspects our book, 

 may at once say, that amid some original designs, 

 he recognises much that he i« familiar with; but 

 before he condemns our labors, he will also pro- 

 bably remember how difficult to procure, and how 

 expensive to import, are the works from whose 

 treasures we have drawn for the information im- 

 parteil ; and that though the engravings in question 

 may be in his possession, how few persons in Ame- 

 rica can command access to them; and on reflec- 

 tion, he may feel disposed to join the many in ex- 

 pressing his sui'prise that no similar book has here- 

 tofore been presented to the public in any part of 

 the world; most of which have been published on 

 the subjectjcontaining from a dozen to thirty plates. 



Of course, in such a variety as we have present- 

 ed, there is something that is faulty, as well as 

 much to admire; by combining, altering or add- 

 ing, each individual may procure a residence, 

 tasteful and convenient in its interior, as well as 

 ornamental and agreeable to the eye." 



This is asking from the architecturally 

 uneducated person, who turns over a varie- 

 ty of designs, a good deal of the highest 

 inventive powers of the best architect, for 

 we think no houses so positively bad as those 

 made up by such persons, from odds and 

 ends that are borrowed from half a dozen 

 difTerent designs. 



There are, however, several plea!>i..j, 

 cottages and villas in this work, and we 

 shall look with interest to the succeeding 

 parts. 



Now that the taste is fairly awakened, 

 there will soon be no lack of designs for 

 the public attention. The advice in this 

 matter, that we wish to give our readers, 

 who are about to build, is, never to forget 

 simplicity, fitness and truthful expression, in 

 their houses. 



Small cottages, ornamented with battle- 

 ments, like castles in confectionary, or the 

 roofs stuck full of little gables, as if knock- 

 ed into so many " cocked hats," or oppress- 

 ed with wooden Corinthian columns, mon- 

 grel carricatures of the immortal Greek 

 temples, we have no toleration for. Let 

 our readers beware how they build them, 

 for the public taste in this country, will soon 

 be matured to that point that they will nei- 

 ther be relished nor admired. 



In the mean time, if they are about to 

 build, lot them examine as many different 

 plans as they can get access to, and such 

 works as the present will materially assist 

 them. 



In selecting a design, as regards decora- 

 tion and style, let them err rather on the 

 side of simplicity, than complex ornament. 

 It is much in building as in the minor matter 

 of dress — gay colors and tawdry ornaments 

 captivate the vulgar eye — the refined taste 

 selects only such as reason, fitness, and good 

 sense fully approve. Anyone, now-a-days, 

 can get up a ricketty wooden box with Gothic 

 ornaments, but only a clever architect, or a 

 man of good taste and good sense, can de- 

 sign a dwelling, which shall charm every one 

 by its beauty of proportion, its chaste orna- 

 ment, and its perfect fitness for the locality 

 it is to adorn. 



