to deform and disgrace it, cannot be too 

 carefull}' avoided. 



As the great detect of ciiinuiies in gene- 

 ral, is that of being meagre and detached, 

 every metho<^l of correcting that defect by 

 means of pleasing, yet not incongruous 

 jbrms, deserves the attention of an architect. 

 I have sometimes seen in Italian architecture 

 chimnies connected together by arches ; and 

 in manyof tlie old mansions of Gotliic and of 

 mixed architecture, two or three chimnies 

 are joined together in one cluster, with open- 

 ings between them, but connected at top : 

 sometimes they are on the same line ; at 

 other times turned to different points ; fre- 

 quently they are embellished with rich cor- 

 nices, with spiral ribs, and other decora- 

 tions. These old clustering chimnies, in 

 addition to their other merits, have that of 

 not assuming any other character; and al- 

 though the same style will not suit the purer 

 character of Grecian architecture, yet many 

 of the circumstances on which the pictu- 

 resque effect of such chinmies depends, are 

 not unworthy of notice : from their union 



