Theory and Practice 197 



therefore, with a view of improving, but with that of 

 doing as little injury as possible to its appearance that 

 I venture to suggest the additions in the annexed 

 sketch ; because the terrace will tend to preserve the 

 apparent height, which the additions to the east tend 

 to destroy. 



The present style of living in the country is so 

 different from that of former times that there are few 

 houses of ancient date which would be habitable, with- 

 out great alterations and additions. Such, indeed, is 

 the constant fluctuation in the habits and customs of 

 mankind, and so great the change in the luxuries, the 

 comforts, and even the wants of a more refined people, 

 that it is, in these times, impossible to live in the bar- 

 onial castle, the secularized abbey, or even in the more 

 modern palaces, built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 

 preserving all the apartments to their original uses. 



The chief rooms formerly required in a house of that 

 date were : 



The Hall, for the entertainment of friends and vas- 

 sals ; a large and lofty room, having the floor at one end 

 raised above the common level, as at present in the halls 

 of our colleges ; this was to mark some distinction in 

 the different ranks of the guests. 



The next large room required was a Gallery, for the 

 reception of company in a morning, for dancing in the 

 evening, and for the exercise of the family within doors. 

 Very few books were then in use ; and, instead of the 

 newspapers and pamphlets of the present day, the gen- 

 eral information was collected in conversations held in 

 those long galleries, which had large recesses, or bays, 

 sometimes called bowre-windows, and now bow-win- 

 dows; into which some of the company would occa- 

 sionally withdraw, for conversation of a more private 



