0,']^ on taste in architecture. -^^g- 29. 



row as they are now in grand Cairo, and other eas- 

 tern cities, were made wide and spacious ; and 

 the houses which had formerly been constructed of 

 Wood or brick were built of stone ; and at certain in- 

 tervals, it was enacted that there fhould be insulated 

 houses surrounded with courts or gardens, to prevent 

 the communication of fire for the future. The com- 

 mon approach to houses of eminence, was through a 

 quadrangular court, sometimes surrounded by piaz- 

 zas, to defend the guests or visitors from the weather, 

 and leading to the principal front ; annexed to which 

 there was a Jarge portico, to which there immediate- 

 ly adjoined a salloon, which they called a seat room, 

 as being that used for dinner, where they lay to eat 

 on beds, three or sometimes four to a bed ; which cus- 

 tom, during the prevalent fafhion of beards, must have 

 exhibited, especially in the use of spoon meat and 

 liquors, many very visible and inconvenient acci- 

 dents. Beyond the dining room was the servants 

 waiting room, where all accommodations for the butler 

 and slaves in waiting were provided, and where at 

 all times there were slaves to give notice to their 

 afsociates of any call made upon them by the family, 

 supplying in early times the want of bells which 

 rare now used for that purpose. In this large anti- 

 chamber were commonly placed in niches or other- 

 wise, the statues of their ancestors, or of illustrious 

 citizens ; and in one such of these, supposed to be 

 the house of Asinius Poltio, was discovei'ed by exca- 

 vature the wonderful groupe of Laocoon and his 

 sons. 



