256 RURAL ARCHITECTURE. 



painting a dwelling green. Earth, stone, bricks, and wood, are the 

 substances that enter mostly into the structure of our houses, and 

 from these we would accordingly take suggestions for painting 

 them. 



Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was full of an artistical feeling for the 

 union of a house with its surrounding scenery, once said, " If you 

 would fix upon the best color for your house, turn up a stone, or 

 pluck up a handful of grass by the roots, and see what is the color 

 of the soil where the house is to stand, and let that be your choice." 

 This rule was not probably intended to be exactly carried into gene- 

 ral practice, but the feeling that prompted it was the same that we 

 are endeavoring to illustrate the necessity of a unity of color in 

 the house and country about it. 



We think, in the beginning, that the color of all buildings in the 

 country should be of those soft and quiet shades, called neutral tints, 

 such as fawn, drab, gray, brown, &c., and that all postive colors, 

 such as white, yellow, red, blue, black. <fec., should always be avoided ; 

 neutral tints being those drawn from nature, and harmonizing best 

 with her, and positive colors being most discordant when introduced 

 into rural scenery. 



In the second place, we wo*uld adapt the shade of color, as far 

 as possible, to the expression, style, or character of the house itself. 

 Thus, a large mansion may very properly receive a somewhat sober 

 hue, expressive of dignity; while a country house, of moderate size, 

 demands a lighter and more pleasant, but still quiet tone ; and a 

 small cottage should, we think, always have a cheerful and lively 

 tint. Country houses, thickly surrounded by trees, should always 

 be painted of a lighter shade than those standing exposed. And a 

 new house, entirely unrelieved by foliage, as it is rendered conspicu- 

 ous by the very nakedness of its position, should be painted several 

 shades darker than the same building if placed in a well wooded 

 site. In proportion as a house is exposed to view, let its hue be 

 darker, and where it is much concealed by foliage, a very light shade 

 of color is to be preferred. 



Wordsworth remarks, in speaking of houses in the Lake coun- 

 try, that many persons who have heard white condemned, have erred 

 by adopting a aid slaty color. The dulness and dimness of hue in 



