Architecture in the United States. 259 



much ground to recommend it for extensive adoption, and are per- 

 haps too numerous even for Washington, though all the ground 

 should be filled up. Amid such a large number of handsome streets, 

 proper regard would probably not be paid to any, and even if it were 

 not so, I would not repeat even a handsome thing very often : a 

 handsome object looses half its value the moment it is made com- 

 mon. I have two other objections. The first is the large breaks 

 occurring frequently in the avenues where they are crossed at an 

 acute angle by the rectangular streets. One of these occurs just be- 

 low Williamson's hotel. The triangle adjoining will probably be filled 

 up, but there will still remain a most unsightly gap on that side of 

 the avenue. If I recollect right, there are two or three similar ones 

 between that and the capitol. The other objection is connected with 

 this. The plan has too much regularity : perhaps I should express 

 my meaning better, should I say that it wants variety. Washington 

 has great advantages in the nature of its ground : instead of consult- 

 ing these, however, the two radiating points are determined on, the 

 avenues from them are fixed, a few other avenues planned ; the rec- 

 tangular system is then applied ; and the whole are left to run over 

 steep hills and deep valleys as their fate may direct. Some of them 

 are on the sides of abrupt descents, and beautiful as the plan ap- 

 pears on paper, I know of no city where the streets are so uncouth 

 as are some of those in Washington. And I do not see how 

 they can ever appear much better. An avenue of this charac- 

 ter (called I believe Delaware avenue) passes just East of the botan- 

 ical garden : and a street equally unmanageable ascends immediately 

 back of Mr. Carroll's mansion. 



We should not adopt, then, any one system to be carried uniformly 

 through our whole plan. The nature of the ground should govern 

 us; we should consult this in all parts : turn it to the best advantage, 

 counteract its inconveniences, and fill up the intermediate parts as 

 may best suit our purpose. I present a plan that will explain my 

 views better than description. It is not given as a beau ideal of a 

 town, but simply to elucidate my remarks. I have taken for it no 

 other advantages of ground than can be found in any of our cities or 

 towns. No. 2, is a circular eminence, which I seize upon for a 

 town-house or other handsome building of general public interest. 

 From it diverge six streets, three of which are broad avenues, and 

 by directing them, not by a fixed rule, but at will, I make four or 



