COURTYARDS 61 



examples of the restful beauty which can be had by 

 a little skilful handling. Given the eye of an artist, 

 there are very few buildings which do not suggest 

 by their own arrangement or that of their surround- 

 ing walls and boundaries some easy conversion into 

 this, the simplest and most beautiful contrivance of 

 architectural planning. The essence of design is to 

 let the structure of the house or the conditions of 

 its site suggest an idea, and then to use our invention 

 and ingenuity in working it out to its own charming 

 conclusion, and if on no other side of the building, 

 that facing the entrance is almost certain to lend 

 itself to the courtyard treatment. 



It will be remembered that in our ideal house 

 plan we have assigned the entrance to the north, 

 leaving the south, east, and west to look out upon 

 the pleasure gardens and private walks. The 

 windows of the principal living-rooms and bedrooms 

 will therefore be on the garden sides, and the entrance 

 outlook will be confined as far as possible to the 

 hall, corridors, offices, etc. If this arrangement has 

 been followed it is obvious that the forecourt and 

 the side of the house immediately facing it will 

 require a treatment in which dignity, restraint, or a 



