The Architecture of Georgetown. 109 
enclose or run round our Public Buildings ; it was looked 
upon at the time as a great move in the right direction ; 
but the example given, has profited but little. 
And now, a passing thought, about another matter of a 
different nature, though bearing on our essay somewhat. 
Those who of late years have busied themselves about 
much building, have certainly not shown any spirit of 
conservatism, either as to taste or style, or the use of 
building stuff — or as to matter or to form — much less 
have they followed in the wake of those who went 
before them, by slavish imitation ; nor again have the 
edifices erected of late years been influenced by a former 
style of building. The early possessors of the land, the 
Dutch colonists, built their houses after their own Dutch 
fashion ; and from their father-land brought to our mud 
shore all their building ways, and many of their building 
notions and some of their building stuff. These old Dutch 
dwellings, now few in number and far between, are, 
we regret to say, fast disappearing from our midst, 
and yielding to more modern developments of the build- 
ing trade. These old houses, viewed from their exterior, 
seem constructed more with the idea of promoting com- 
fort and domestic cosiness, than of admitting fresh air 
or light. Their high-pitched double angled roofs, with 
their characteristic dormers and dormer windows, not 
to mention the addition often-times of a well-de- 
signed and telling central lantern, or in modern language, 
" roof ventilator'' seem after all, hardly the correct 
or best contrivances for a tropical climate such as 
Demerara. But the Dutchman had no other building 
from whence to draw his building inspirations, even if 
he were by nature less conservatively inclined, hence 
