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and I imagine there is no instance of an 

 architect's having painted such stones 

 white, in order to make them more beau- 

 tiful; though dingy, or red stone, may 

 sometimes have been painted of a free- 

 stone colour. The true object of imita- 

 tion seems therefore to be the tint of a 

 beautiful stone; and if those who whiten 

 their buildings, would pique themselves 

 On matching exactly the colour of Bath, 

 or Portland stone, so as to be neither 

 whiter, nor yellower, the greatest neatness 

 and gaiety might prevail, without crude- 

 ness or glare. 



Such an improvement, however, should 

 chiefly be confined to fiery brick; for when 

 brick becomes weather-stained and mossy, 

 it harmonizes with other colours, and has 

 often a richness, mellowness, and variety 

 of tint, infinitely pleasing to a painter's 

 eye: for the cool colour of the greenish 

 moss lowers the fiery quality; while the 

 subdued fire beneath gives a glow of a 

 peculiar character, which the painter 

 would hardly like to exchange for any 



