Rural Architecture. . 351 
This villa, to which we have before alluded, is a splendid and 
unique structure, of a composite oriental order, having in it the 
most striking characteristics of the Byzantine, Moorish, and Turk- 
ish styles of palace architecture. The entire front of the villa is 
124 feet, the wings being thrown off irregularly, with domed 
conservatories at each extremity. The main building is of three 
stories, each story having broad piazzas, supported by colonnades of 
graceful pillars, reaching the whole height of the wall, and sur- 
mounted by tapering minarets of the most elegant appearance. 
These pillars are ornamented with rich sculptures, and connected 
by carved trellis work, thrown into graceful arches, of the Moor- 
ish and Arabic style, which differs from any other in the horse- 
shoe shape of the arch. The appearance of this ornate and 
elaborate mass of sculptured work upon the front, is light and 
pleasing, from the beautiful forms into which it is thrown, and is 
rendered more chaste, from the color being that of the reddish 
brown sand stone. 
This ornate style absolutely requires to be surmounted in a grace- 
ful and picturesque manner. Hence, the pillars run into tapering 
minarets, while each portion of the roof springs into Turkish 
domes, in the midst of which the grand central dome is thrown 
up into the sky, to the height of ninety feet, and with its perfect 
combination of Chinese and Moorish outlines, finishes the beauti- 
ful, and purely oriental aspect of the edifice. 
One of the beauties of this style consists in its seeming variety. 
With most buildings there is but a single view, the only altera- 
tion being in the lines of perspective, but this villa alters in its 
appearance at every point of view, the dome and minarets con- 
stantly changing their relative positions, and forming new and 
picturesque combinations. 
But however unique and picturesque the external appearance 
of this villa, the interior is still more worthy of attention, and its 
combination of comfort and magnificence shows that good taste 
has everywhere presided over lavish expenditure. Thus the 
broad piazzas, so finely shaded, and so delightfully cool in sum- 
mer, are in winter enclosed with glazed lattice work. The great 
hall runs through the centre of the mansion, with corresponding 
doors, surrounded by lights of stained, cut glass, opening upon 
the front and rear piazzas. 
From the centre of the hall springs a noble winding staircase, 
with carved balustrade of black walnut, which graduallv con- 
tracting, winds to the observatory of the central dome."^ The 
niches of tl^ staircase are embellished with .marble statuary im- 
ported by Mr. Barnum from Florence. 
Opposite the base of the staircase, large sliding doors open into a 
very beautiful drawing room. The walls of this room are covered 
