1892.] ESSAYS. 129 



penters began. Thenceforward he was considered the l)est 

 builder, who could draw the plan for a house on a piece of 

 brown paper in an evening and erect it within a few weeks 

 thereafter. The houses of the country assumed the shape of 

 dry-goods boxes with narrow halls and stairways, small rooms 

 without closets, and devoid of external beauty and internal 

 convenience. 



In the 'forties and 'fifties, Andrew J, Downing and his coadju- 

 tors led a movement of reform in the construction of dwelling- 

 houses, and their labors greatly improved the taste of educated 

 people in domestic architecture, but it was not till within the 

 past few years that the desire for homes of greater utility and 

 beauty became general among the masses. Now from one end 

 of the country to the other men and women of means are V3'ing 

 with each other in the erection of lieautiful and convenient 

 houses. The style of this architecture is so cosmopolitan that 

 the features of every known style, ancient and modern, may be 

 seen within the boundaries of every State in the Union. It is 

 to be hoped that in this evolution of architecture the fittest will 

 survive, and that finally every new house will have as much 

 beauty and convenience as possible within the means of its 

 owner. 



It is well that people of good taste differ in taste, as thereby 

 variety is secured without the loss of the best. And this remark 

 is especially true in regard to architecture. Every house should 

 be adapted to the wants of its inmates, to the climate of its 

 locality, and to its situation and surroundings. Consequently 

 it is impossible to give a general rule applicable to all houses as 

 to style and interior arrangement, but there are certain things 

 which are characteristic of all good houses as there are certain 

 things characteristic of all good persons and materials. I will 

 therefore name some of the things which seem to me to be 

 the indispensable qualities of every good house. 



To begin with, every house should have a good site, not nec- 

 essarily a site commanding fine views, or in an aristocratic 

 neighborhood, but a site elevated enough to expose the living- 

 rooms to plenty of fresh air and sunlight, and to secure a dry 

 and wholesome cellar. Dampness in the cellar means dampness 



