ROOF-TREE. 289 



London Bridge is a heroic resolution in stone, and 

 apparently has but one purpose, and that is to carry 

 the paved street with all its surging masses safely 

 over the river. 



Unless, therefore, you have had the rare success of 

 building without pride, your house will offend you by 

 and by, and offend others. 



Perhaps after one had graduated in this school and 

 built four or five houses, he would have the courage 

 to face the problem squarely, and build, much more 

 plainly and unpretentiously, a low, nestling structure 

 of undressed boards, or unhammered stone, and be 

 content, like the oyster, with the roughest of shells 

 without, so that he be sure of the mother-of-pearl 

 within. 



