176 AN OCTOBER ABROAD. 



toning down this old religious architecture, and bring- 

 ing it into harmony with nature. 



Our climate has a much keener edge, both of frost 

 and fire, and touches nothing so gently or creatively ; 

 yet time would, no doubt, do much for our architect- 

 ure, if we would give it a chance for that apotheosis 

 of prose, the National Capitol at Washington, upon 

 which, I notice, a returned traveler bases our claim 

 to be considered " ahead " of the Old World, even in 

 architecture ; but the reigning gods interfere, and 

 each spring or fall give the building a clean shirt, in 

 the shape of a coat of white paint. In like manner, 

 other public buildings never become acclimated, but 

 are annually scoured with soap and sand, the national 

 passion for the brightness of newness interfering to 

 defeat any benison which the gods might be disposed 

 to pronounce upon them. Spotlessness, I know, is 

 not a characteristic of our politics, though it is said 

 that whitewashing is, which may account for this 

 ceaseless paint-pot renovation of our public buildings. 

 In a world lit only by the moon our Capitol would 

 be a paragon of beauty, and the spring whitewash- 

 ing could also be endured ; but under our blazing sun 

 and merciless sky it parches the vision, and makes it 

 turn with a feeling of relief to rocks and trees, or to 

 some weather-stained, dilapidated shed or hovel. 



How winningly and picturesquely in comparison 

 the old architecture of London addresses itself to the 

 eye St Paul's Cathedral, for instance, with its vast 

 blotches and stains, as if it had been dipped in some 



