270 



P A.EKS AJSTD PLEASURE-GROUNDS. 



Note. — If there be a minor vice in which the Ameri- 

 can is prone to indulge in the way of money-spending, 

 it is that of over-building. Not that he builds too well, 

 too substantially, too conveniently ; but he builds too 

 pretentiously, and too much. It is needless to particu- 

 larize, but the fact readily occurs to any man who un- 

 derstands the real properties which a dwelling requires. 

 It is not uncommon to see a house with more filagree 

 and gingerbread work upon the top of it, (which is of 

 no possible use whatever, either in the way of orna- 

 ment or finish, but an absolute damage to the whole 

 structure by exposing it to decay,) than would, at the 

 same cost, finish half the rooms within it. Any quan- 

 tity of meaningless gables, turrets and battlements 

 are stuck up by way of imitating certain ancient styles 

 of architecture, and which, in their paltry dimensions, 

 are only a burlesque upon the grand old structures 

 they thus attempt to copy. These are termed Gothic, 

 Tudor, or Elizabethan. Others are seen having high, 

 shallow porticoes, with massive columns supporting the 

 gable end of the house, by way of pediment, giving to 

 the front neither shade, shelter, nor protection, but ex- 

 posing a wide, glaring front, looking, in fact, more like 

 a building for public uses than a private dwelling. 

 These may be called Grecian, Moorish, or Eoman- 

 esque — all false in style, as comporting with the idea 

 of snugness, coi^fort, and really good taste — features 

 which a dwelling-house of any character should always 

 express. In the first category, of the Gothic, and 

 others, every essential feature may be sacrificed to 

 give a bay window in the first, or an oriel window in 

 the second story a conspicuous front, while the main 

 entrance-door, which should in all cases be shown, is 



