284 Remarks on the different Styles of ^Architecture, 



valley, with a glimpse at the blue sky, rocks, and a waterfall, 

 pure air and a delightful mountain-view — place there a neatly 

 constructed Swiss cottage, with its long projecting eaves, curious 

 galleries, and quaint flight of stairs — a small farm stolen from the 

 surrounding hills, with a few cattle grazing in the fields — per- 

 chance a goat or two browsing near the house, and the picture is 

 complete. It is a mistake to suppose, with many, that the same 

 degree of comfort and even of luxury may not be attained in 

 structures of this kind as in a Grecian villa. The same elegance 

 in the apartments, furniture and decorations, always keeping 

 sight of a unity of expression, may be permitted ; and, in short, 

 those who are acquainted with the original form of the Greek 

 temple, the prototype of our modern buildings, and are aware 

 how apparently unsuitable such forms and proportions are to 

 our domestic purposes, will at once appreciate how easily even a 

 Swiss cottage can, by a judicious taste, widiout altering its 

 character, be so arranged internally, as to give the greatest pos- 

 sible share of comfort, convenience and elegance. 



. There is, also, yet much room for improvement among us, 

 with regard to the situation of the house, and the laying out of 

 the grounds which surround it. It is by no means rare to find 

 some of our finest houses, in the country, where there is no scanti- 

 ness of surface, placed within a stone's throw of the high-way. 

 This, however, but betrays the influence of habit. In the first 

 settlement of every country, of course the society of our fellow- 

 beings is strongly desired ; the highways being the only means 

 of communication, and the houses but thinly scattered, they are 

 very naturally placed so as to attract the eye of the passer by, 

 and be easy of access. But, in a comparatively thickly settled 

 country, retirement is the great desideratum, and, upon estates 

 of any extent, therefore, the mansion should be placed at such a 

 distance from the public road, as that the approach may give 

 some idea to the stranger of the extent of the grounds. It is 

 needless to lay down any rules for the formation of this approach- 

 road, as, in all cases, it will depend so much upon the situation. 

 We would rather rely upon a general unity of expression, than 

 upon any fixed rules. Neither do we conceive that, in this 

 country, we are by any means bound to follow undeviatingly 

 the European modern style of laying out the grounds. In a 

 highly cultivated country like England, where the most striking 

 features of nature are in a great measure effaced by art, a pleasure- 

 ground, formed in the natural style, is capable, by contrast, of 

 affording the greatest pleasure. For the same reason, here, 

 where nature still riots unsubdued in all her magnificence and 

 grandeur, it would, in many cases, be idle and absurd to attempt 

 to imitate her. An artificial cascade, or the water-works of 

 Versailles, would be but paltry affairs, if placed by the side of 



