THE EVOLUTION OF THE STREET—III. 
Bv CHAR1.ES MULFORD ROBINSON 
( Continued from the December number of House and Garden') 
T HE Champs Elysees with all its splen¬ 
dor, its great breadth, its fine proportions, 
its unbroken vista, will not do for the uni¬ 
versal street model. Just because of these 
merits, it has been possible to say without 
hesitation that the Champs Elysees—worthy 
representative though it be of the climax of 
street evolution—is not fitted to serve as the 
ideal for various definite kinds of thorough¬ 
fare that must be put to special purposes and 
that, as the essential differentiation of spe¬ 
cies in the continued course of evolution, 
must inevitably appear. One of these is 
the business street. 
The only excuse for great width in a 
crowded business thoroughfare is accommo¬ 
dation of the travel, present or prospective. 
It is necessary that the buildings be erected 
flush with the walk, so that they may be 
brought as near as possible to the wayfarers 
—first, because time is precious in this quar¬ 
ter of the town ; second, because the mer¬ 
chant must attract the customer and not wait 
for him ; and third, perhaps the most impor- 
THE PIAZZA DI OUATTRO CANTONI PALERMO 
14 
