THE ELIZABETHAN HOUSE 3 



numerable smaller houses, essentially English in expression, 

 and charmingly simple. In them lived men and women who 

 helped to make the eighteenth century famous Addison and 

 Cowper, Reynolds and Garrick, Mrs Thrale and Frances 

 Burney. But all through the eighteenth century the artificiality 

 which marks much of its sentiment becomes every now and 

 then apparent in its houses and their lay outs, wherein are 

 sometimes to be found manufactured ruins and strange attempts 

 at Gothic temples. Yet always is perceptible an earnest 

 attempt at design. If in architecture itself the sense of design 

 became somewhat dulled, it was still acute in the smaller 

 matters of decoration, of furniture, and of articles for household 

 use ; the ornament which prevailed towards the close of the 

 long period under review is quite admirable of its kind. 



Such, very briefly indicated, is the ground to be traversed 

 in the following inquiry. Some of it must be trodden with a 

 light and hasty step ; but it is hoped that the journey may not 

 be without interest, and may perhaps induce the reader to 

 explore at his leisure parts of the country of which here he will 

 possibly catch but a glimpse. In the meantime let us return 

 to our starting-point, where the old order began to give way 

 to the new. 



The history of English houses, from the time of James I. 

 onwards, is a record of development on lines that were laid down 

 in the time of Elizabeth. It was in her days that the great 

 change from mediaevalism took place, and houses were built for 

 comfort and pleasure without any serious thought of defence. 

 Such houses are still habitable ; there are plenty of people living 

 to-day in Elizabethan houses, but the enthusiasts are compara- 

 tively few who live from choice in the ill-lighted, vaulted rooms 

 of the Middle Ages. Spaciousness, cheerfulness, dignity, and 

 often magnificence, were the qualities aimed at in houses of the 

 end of the sixteenth century; and these qualities are appropriate 

 in the present day. Convenience is another matter ; it is a 

 relative term, and its significance varies with the varying wants 

 of mankind, changes with their changing habits and customs. 



An Elizabethan house provided admirable rooms for the 

 common use of the family and guests reception rooms as they 

 would be called now. It also provided an adequate number of 

 bedrooms. Further, so long as the great hall was the customary 

 place for eating, the kitchen was conveniently situated, and the 



