254 Architecture in the United States. 



form is certainly the most convenient and handsomest, and therefore 

 the best for a room. Curves are not devoid of beauty and may 

 sometimes be admitted, but sharp angles should be avoided whenever 

 it is possible. They have neither symmetry nor comfort, and I know 

 indeed nothing that can be said in their favor. Such angles will ne- 

 cessarily occur in a very irregular town. Convenience is so far in 

 favor of rectangles in our plan : I was going to add that in such a 

 place, streets and houses are more easily found, but this is easily 

 done in Washington which has every variety of angle. But conven- 

 ience is not always in favor of rectangles. The main paths across 

 a public green are very seldom at right angles, or if made so by the 

 public authorities are soon abandoned by the citizens, for others 

 in an oblique direction. This shows, that if in building, the rectangle 

 is most comfortable, yet in passing from place to place it is not. I 

 would not follow cow-paths in laying out streets, as one of our cities 

 is facetiously accused of having done : but should certainl}^ not disre- 

 gard those of men. Rectangles may also lead our streets over very 

 inappropriate spots, up steep eminences, or over deep glens and val- 

 leys. We should not sacrifice our eminences, and what is then to be 

 done? The reader answers, "in such cases depart from your rectan- 

 gles" — and this is just the point to which I wished to lead him : but 

 more of this by and by. 



Beauty is not in favor of the rectangle. We should judge of the 

 beauty of our city, more from its impression on strangers, than on 

 ourselves. We are accustomed to its forms j its associations affect 

 us ; we are warped by our attachment to family and friends, and are 

 no longer fit judges on the subject. We feel all this, and inquire with 

 some anxiety of the stranger what he thinks of it. This may not 

 always be perfectly polite, but the question is still natural enough, 

 and we must only take care that intimacy or friendly confidence be- 

 tween us may warrant it. Who so capable of setting us right where 

 we are wrong, as he who sees with other eyes, and hears with otlier 

 ears, and who may properly be expected to judge with greater can- 

 dor than ourselves ? I say dien we should watch the impression of 

 our city on visiters, and learn wisdom from their remarks. A rect- 

 angular city, as far as its plan is concerned, will not be found to inter- 

 est a visiter long. He understands it easily and its dimensions shrink : 

 he turns angle after angle and it is all the same, till the houses take 

 also this character of uniformity, and however beautiful, cease to 

 interest. He looks along a street : it stretches far before him, and 



