216 KURAL ARCHITECTURE. 



The Romans composed their finest structures out of the very ruins 

 of public edifices brought from Greece, and the round arch had its 

 rise from working with these fragments instead of masses of stone. 

 The Gothic arch, the origin of which has been claimed as an inven- 

 tion of comparatively modern art, Mr. Ruskin has proved to be of 

 purely Arabic origin, in use in Asia long before Gothic architecture 

 was known, and gradually introduced into Europe by architects from 

 the East. And whoever studies Oriental art, will see the elements 

 of Arabic architecture, the groundwork of the style, abounding in 

 the ruins of Indian temples of the oldest date known on the globe. 



It is thus, by a little research, that we find there has never been 

 such a novelty as the invention of a positively new style in building. 

 What are now known as the Grecian, Gothic, Roman and other 

 styles, are only those local modifications of the styles of the older 

 countries, from which the newer colony borrowed them, as the cli- 

 mate, habits of the people, and genius of the architects, acting upon 

 each other through a long series of years, gradually developed into 

 such styles. It is, therefore, as absurd for the critics to ask for the 

 American style of architecture, as it was for the English friends of a 

 Yankee of our acquaintance to request him (after they were on quite 

 familiar terms) to do them the favor to put on his savage dress and 

 talk a little American ! This country is, indeed, too distinct in its 

 institutions, and too vast in its territorial and social destinies, not to 

 shape out for itself a great national type in character, manners and 

 art ; but the development of the finer and more intellectual traits of 

 character are slower in a nation than they are in a man, and only 

 time can develope them healthily in either case. 



In the mean time, we are in the midst of what may be called 

 the experimental stage of architectural taste. With the passion for 

 novelty, and the feeling of independence that belong to this country, 

 our people seem determined to try every thing. A proprietor on 

 the lower part of the Hudson, is building a stone castle, with all the 

 towers clustered together, after the fashion of the old robber strong- 

 holds on the Rhine. We trust he has no intention of levying toll 

 on the railroad that runs six trains a day under his frowning battle- 

 ments, or exacting booty from the river craft of all sizes forever 

 Hoating by. A noted New-Yorker has erected a villa near Bridge- 



