Of Chimney Fireplaces. 513 



this is done, if the opening of the fireplace should be only 

 two or three inches too wide, that is to say, only two 

 or three inches wider than is necessary in order that the 

 covings may be brought into their proper position with 

 respect to the back, I should not alter the width of this 

 opening, but should accommodate the covings" to this 

 width, by increasing their breadth, and increasing the 

 angle they make with the back of the fireplace ; but if 

 the opening of the fireplace should be more than three 

 inches too wide, I should reduce it to the proper width 

 by slips of stone, or by bricks and mortar. 



When the width of the opening of the fireplace in 

 front is very great compared with the depth of the fire- 

 place, and with the width of the back, the covings in 

 that case being very wide and consequently very 

 oblique, and the fireplace very shallow, any sudden 

 motion of the air in front of the fireplace (that motion, 

 for instance, which would be occasioned by the clothes 

 of a woman passing hastily before the fire, and very 

 near it) would be apt to cause eddies in the air, within 

 the opening of 'the fireplace -, by which puffs of smoke might 

 easily be brought into the room. 



Should the opening of the chimney be too narrow, 

 which however will seldom be found to be the case, it 

 will, in general, be advisable to let it remain as it is, and 

 to accommodate the covings to it, rather than to attempt 

 to increase its width, which would be attended with a 

 good deal of trouble, and probably a considerable 

 expense. 



From all that has been said, it is evident that the 

 points of the greatest importance, and which ought 

 most particularly to be attended to in altering fireplaces 

 upon the principles here recommended, are, the bringing 



VOL. ii. 33 



