have not acquired a knowledge of the practical part, the most important matters essential to be known by them and attended to in the erection of a country mansion are laid down, and the qualities of the materials to be used by the builder is explained, alike important to be known by the private gentleman and the architect. No part in the history of national manners, says Mr. Hallam, illustrates the progress of social life so well as that of Domestic Architecture; for every change in the dwellings of mankind, from the rude cabin to the stately mansion, has been dictated by some principle of convenience, neatness, comfort, or magnificence. The different styles are therefore not to be considered as originating in the mere taste of a people for ornament, or the preference the eye may have given to certain peculiar forms; they owe their birth to definite circumstances; have sprung up with mankind, and like the sciences, have invariably proceeded from the simple to the complex. The examples I have selected for the exemplification of this work are those most expressive of each style, and remarkable for striking effect. All styles are given with the exception of the Gothic, which exclusively belongs to sacred architecture, and not to domestic. Various styles have been introduced into this country; those being interesting, I have here set down in chronological order. First, we had the primitive British huts; next, Roman villas, on the invasion of Julius Cæsar; third, Saxon houses, in the time of Alfred the Great ; fourth, the Norman castles, during Stephen's reign; fifth, Plantagenet castles and banqueting halls, reign of Edward III.; sixth, Lancastrian castelated mansions, and half-timbered houses during Henry VI.; seventh, Tudor manorhouses and halls during Henry VIII.; eighth, Tudor half-timbered cottages and town-houses, period, Elizabeth; ninth, Stuart mansions, reign James I.; tenth, Florentine mansions, time James I.; eleventh, Anglo-Italian mansions, by Inigo Jones, reign of Charles I.; twelfth, Flemish town-houses, reign of William III.; thirteenth, Chinese casinoes by Sir William Chambers, reign of George III.; fourteenth, Anglo-Grecian villas by Stuart, George III., and during the reign of George IV. the Arabian, Mahomedan, Indian, Moresque, and Egyptian styles were introduced into England. On the situations of rural residences according to the different styles of architecture, although each style required that situation, and the situation dictated the character of the edifice, and influenced the design; yet many of our modern practitioners, either from being unacquainted with this as a principle, or wilfully neglecting to observe it as a rule, have erected buildings, not only out of place, but deficient in those accompaniments to which they owe many of their charms. That those gentlemen who may be desirous of having their intended new residences erected in character with the site, I have shown the four most familiar, yet different country mansions, accompanied by their natural characteristic scenery, with observations on the climate, healthiness, and unhealthiness of each situation; and also pointed out the most salubrious situation for the abode of certain invalids. Ornamental Landscape-Gardening is also appended, which in various countries constitutes a part of the architect's profession, but in England is exclusively practised by other professors, few of our architects having cultivated the art, although so essentially connected with architecture. There are beauties in nature on which no contrariety of opinion prevails, and there are deformities offensive to cultivated minds; on these assumptions Decorative Gardening may claim to be considered as an art, professing, as it does, to remove or veil objects repulsive to fine sensations, to introduce objects of taste, and to excite ideas of refined and delightful association. Under these circumstances, it is presumed that an art having for its basis a principle derived from nature in her most agreeable forms and varied hues, associated with the beautiful and the grand in architecture, will prove acceptable to those gentlemen who may contemplate the improvement of the grounds around their mansions. In the Introduction to this work will be found stated the qualifications required to form an architect. By way of summary, I shall subjoin Uvedale Price's opinion of such a person in his Essay on the Picturesque : "Whoever," says he, "wishes his mansion to be a real decoration to his park, cannot do without an architect; not indeed a mere builder architect, but that person who has studied landscape as well as architecture, who is no less fond of it than his own profession, and who feels that each different aspect requires a different disposition of the several parts; in reality, this consideration points out the use, and greatly exalts the character of an architect. It is an easy matter, by means of some slight changes in what has already been done, to make out such a design as may look well upon paper; but to connect with correct design such a disposition of the component parts as will accord not only with the general character of the scenery, but with the particular situation, and the objects immediately around it, and which will present from a number of points a variety of well-varied and combined parts, forming so many pictures in nature, requires very different and very superior abilities. The difference of expense between good and bad forms is comparatively trifling the difference in their appearance immense." Topsham, Devonshire, May 2nd, 1842. R. BROWN. |