126 ARCHITECTURE. BOOK I. 



As different countries, or separate parts of a country, furnish 

 different kinds of materials for erecting cottages, and as the 

 climate and other particulars would operate upon their form, 

 we may suppose that various forms of cottages exist in different 

 countries according to circumstances. In Great Britain, as far 

 as I have observed, these may be reduced to two distinct kinds, 

 the English and the Scotch ; from which, either separately or 

 combined, all the other varieties appear to have arisen. 



1. The English Cottage. — From the nature of this country, its 

 general levelness, its freedom from rocks or stones, and its com- 

 paratively mild climate, we have reason to suppose that the 

 walls of the oldest structures of this kind were originally built 

 of clay, turf, or similar materials, strengthened by posts and 

 cross pieces of wood, with which also the country so generally 

 abounded. The roof was considerably elevated ; as the higher 

 it was, the pressure upon the side walls was more perpendicu- 

 lar, and consequently less liable to derange the materials than 

 if it had been more lateral, which is the necessary consequence 

 of a natter roof. This roof was also made to project consider- 

 ably over the wall, that the rain might be entirely thrown off; 

 for it is evident, that it would have otherwise soon destroyed 

 the adhesive qualities of such crude materials : this projection 

 was likewise useful in keeping off the rain from the windows 



