RURAL ARCHITECTURE. 
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pensate for poverty of sense, so in architectural composition, 
no beauty of style can ever compensate for want of expres- 
sion of purpose.” Applying this excellent principle to our 
own country houses and their offices or out-buildings, we 
think every reasonable person will, at the first glance, see 
how lamentably deficient are many of the productions of our 
architects and builders, in one of the leading principles of the 
art. The most common form for an American country villa 
is the pseudo-Greek Temple ; that is, a rectangular oblong 
building, with the chimney-tops concealed, if possible, and 
instead of a pretty and comfortable porch, veranda, or piazza, 
four, six, or eight lofty wooden columns are seen supporting 
a portico, so high as neither to afford an agreeable promenade, 
nor a sufficient shelter from the sun and rain. 
There are two features, which it is now generally admitted, 
contribute strongly to the expression of purpose in a dwelling- 
house, and especially in a country residence. These are 
the chimney-tops and the entrance porch. Chimney-tops, 
with us, are generally square masses of brick, rising above 
the roof, and presenting certainly no very elegant appearance — 
which may perhaps serve as the apology of those who stu- 
diously conceal them. But in a climate where fires are re- 
quisite during a large portion of the year, chimney-tops are 
expressive of a certain comfort resulting from the use of 
them, which characterizes a building intended for a dwelling 
in that climate. Chimney-tops being never, or rarely, placed 
on those buildings intended for the inferior animals, are 
also undoubtedly strongly indicative of human habitations. 
Instead, therefore, of hiding or concealing them, they should 
be in all dwellings not only boldly avowed, but rendered 
ornamental ; for whatever is a characteristic and necessary 
feature, should undoubtedly, if possible, be rendered elegant, 
or at least prevented from being ugly. 
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