266 THE WORK OF WOOD AT BATH 



Fielding's Mr Alhvorthy, he must have been an amiable as 

 well as a capable man. The man himself may have stood for 

 the portrait, but Fielding placed Alhvorthy in circumstances 

 of his own invention. He was made of ancient descent, and 

 although his seat was in Somerset, and occupied a site com- 

 parable to that of Prior Park, the house itself was a noble 

 product of the Gothic style ; " there was an air of grandeur 

 in it that struck you with awe, and rivalled the beauties of 

 the best Grecian architecture ; and it was as commodious 

 within as venerable without." 



Do we not see in this description signs of a revolt from the 

 prevailing worship of the classic type? Fielding published 

 " Tom Jones " about 1/44, but there were still many years to run 

 before the classic idea ceased to dominate domestic architecture. 



Wood himself certainly did nothing to divert architectural 

 design from its accustomed channel. He, and his son after him, 

 stamped Bath with its particular character, and made it the 

 finest city in England. It had become a fashionable resort early 

 in the eighteenth century, largely owing to the exertions of 

 Beau Nash, and it is a fortunate circumstance that when it had 

 to expand there was so accomplished a man as John Wood on 

 the spot to control the expansion. He it was who first designed 

 streets and squares and rows of houses as definite architectural 

 conceptions. There is much to be said for this idea, especially 

 when the work is new and the design still retains the colour and 

 disposition intended by the architect, and while the buildings 

 are occupied for the purposes for which they were built. But 

 with the lapse of time inevitable changes occur. The property 

 falls into different hands ; each owner treats his portion after 

 his own will. It may be that one paints his part of the facade 

 one colour, while another paints his of a different tint, the 

 lines of demarcation having no relation to the architectural 

 treatment. Some of the tenements may become business 

 premises, with large indications of their purpose exposed to 

 catch the public eye. Others may even be rebuilt in a 

 fashion wholly out of keeping with the original design. In 

 short, although a square may be built as one architectural 

 conception, it is impossible to preserve it as such in perpetuity, 

 and when once the original idea is destroyed by the march 

 of events, the effect is worse than if it had never been conceived. 



