CHEAP AND DURABLE STRUCTURES. 219 



•outside or partition-walls, which meet at an angle, should cross 

 e-^ch other at every course. In pursuance therefore of this 

 rule, when the work has been advanced from A to C. F'g. 15. 

 leave the exterior wall, and turn the mould to the partition. 

 "When the work has been carried on along the partition-wall to 

 its termination, bring back the mould to the part which re- 

 ■maiued unllnished in the exterior wall marked C ; and after 

 hav.iig filled up tliat space, carry on the mould beyond the 

 partition-wall and complete the course. 



This description of the two first courses is equally applicable 

 to all the other, and will probably enable any person to build 

 a house with no other material than earth, of any height and 

 extent he piesses. 



With respect to the gables, they cannot be crossed, as they The gable ends. 

 are detached from each other; but as their height is so in- 

 considerable, and they are, beside,, conn-ected together by the 

 roof, this is not of any consequence. 



It has been observed, that each course will be two feet and 

 a half high, if the mould be two feet nine inches; for the 

 mould must include three inches of the course beneath. For 

 this reason the grooves are made six inches deep, though the 

 joists are only three inches in thickness. 



Such is the method of building which has been practised by Houses built in 

 the Lyonesc lor many centuries. Houses thus built are strong, a^ y^j-y ,^^,..1. 

 healthy, and very cheap. They will last a great length of time : ^^e. 

 for the French author says he had pulled down some of them, 

 which, from the title deeds in the hands of the proprietors, ap- 

 peared to be above a century old. The rich traders of Lyons 

 have no other way of building their country-houses. An out- The outside 

 side covering of painting in fresco, which is attended with very <^"^""o- 

 little expence, conceals the nature of the building, and is a 

 handsome ornament to the house. That method of painting 

 has more freshness and brilliancy than any other, ■ because 

 water does not impair the colours. No size, oil, or expence 

 is required ; manual labour is almost all it costs, with a little 

 red or yellow ochre, or other mineral colours.* 



* I would recommend the outside to be plastered and pebbled piaster and 

 handsomely, or rough-cast, as painting in fresco is not understood pebbles rerom- 

 in this coUntry ; and the other method would have a greater neat- ^Jj'^*^, '°' ^^ 

 uess. The interior to be plastered as common. 



F f 2 Strangers 



