254 Architecture in the United States. 
form is certainly the most convenient and handsomest, and therefore 
the best for a room. Curves are not devoid of beauty and may 
sometimes be admitted, but sharp angles should be avoided whenever 
it is possible. ‘They have neither symmetry nor comfort, and I know 
indeed nothing that can be said in their favor. Such angles will ne- _ 
eessarily occur in a very irregular town. Convenience is so far in 
favor of rectangles in our plan: I was going to add that in such a 
place, streets and houses are more easily found, but this is easily 
done in Washington which has every variety of angle. But conven- 
ience is not always in favor of rectangles. The main paths across 
a public green are very seldom at right angles, or if made so by the 
public authorities are soon abandoned by the citizens, for others 
in an oblique direction. This shows, that if in building, the rectangle 
is most comfortable, yet in passing from place to place it is not. 1] 
would. not follow cow-paths in laying out streets, as one of our cities 
is facetiously accused of having done: but should certainly not disre- 
gard those of men. Rectangles may also lead our streets over very 
inappropriate spots, up steep eminences, or over deep glens and val- 
leys. We should not sacrifice our eminences, and what is then to be 
done? The reader answers, “in such cases depart from your rectan- 
gles”—and this is just the point to which I wished to lead him: but 
more of this by and by. 
Beauty is not in favor of the rectangle. We should judge of the 
beauty of our city, more from its impression on strangers, than on 
ourselves. We are accustomed to its forms; its associations affect 
us; we are warped by our attachment to family and friends, and are 
no longer fit judges on the subject. We feel all this, and inquire with 
some anxiety of the stranger what he thinks of it. This may not 
always be perfectly polite, but the question is still natural enough, 
and we must only take care that intimacy or friendly confidence be- 
tween us may warrant it. Who so capable of setting us right where 
we are wrong, as he who sees with other eyes, and hears with other 
ears, and who may properly be expected to judge with greater can- 
dor than ourselves? I say then we should watch the impression 
our city on visiters, and learn wisdom from their remarks. A rect 
angular city, as far as its plan is concerned, will not be found to inter- 
est avisiterlong. He understands it easily and its dimensions shrink + 
he turns angle after angle and it is all the same, till the houses take 
also this character of uniformity, and however beautiful, cease ' 
interest. He looks along a street: it stretches far before him, and 
