266 RURAL ARCHITECTURE. 



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

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

 from these we would accordingly take suggestions for painting 

 them. , 



Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was fuU 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 qi 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 probabjy intended to be exactly carried into gene- 

 ral practice, but the feehng 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, &c., should always be avoided ; - 

 neutral tints being those drawn from nature, and harmonizing best 

 with her, and positive colors being most discordant wheia introduced 

 into rural scenery. ■ , ' 



In the second placej we wbuld adapt, the shade of color, -as far 

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

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

 hue, expressi ve. of dignity ; while a countiy 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 sun-ounded by trees, should always 

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

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

 oi:ig.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 ha^e heard white condemned, have erred 

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



