merely an extension or ramification of the principles already laid down. To extend this principle to every class and character of buildings would therefore be endless and useless, as sufficient has here been given to call into exercise the inventive powers, and to show that those first principles may be carried into an infinite variety of form as a fine fancy may dictate, or particular situations harmoniously suggest—a principle always to be kept in view when the architect is designing a house for an already chosen spot. THEORY OF ELEVATIONS. PLATE II. ELEMENTS OF DESIGN, SECOND PRINCIPLE. "An edifice when it strikes the eye of the beholder at a distance, is judged of by the masses, as to its form, figure, and effect. The decorative parts are of a secondary import and consideration, and for the near point of view."-Essay on Design. The objects on this plate show the appearance of the former seats on Plate I. constructed in blocks, being the second principle, or first of the Theory of Elevations of Dwelling-Houses in the mass, or general outline appearance, which character must be one of the same consideration to the designer as well as the plans: the windows and doors are of a secondary import. BLOCK ELEVATION I. represents a cubic outline, with a roof heaped in at each end; or the same may be finished with two gables; but which would not look so compact as when heaped. BLOCK ELEVATION II. is a parallelopiped, as before observed, being a house of the most common form, with a heaped roof, and one of common span. BLOCK ELEVATION III. is a house of the above description, with a square projection in the centre, and finished with a pediment; the roof, as before, is heaped at the ends. BLOCK ELEVATION IV. A house with a circular bow in the centre, and a projecting roof around the walls, in the English manner. The bow sloped into the roof as well as the roof itself, being heaped in at the two ends. As it is necessary in producing beauty in buildings, that there should be breaks in the plan; so here, to give picturesque effect, the masses in the elevations should rise of unequal heights. To obtain this, BLOCK ELEVATION V. shows a cottage villa with a receding centre and two projecting wings, roofed and heaped at the ends, the centre building rising above the wings, having a pediment at each end, and a Tuscan roof which produces a picturesque effect. BLOCK ELEVATION VI. A house with two circular bows, carried up to the height of the first floor, or stringcourse, the crowning-cornice above extending along the building. BLOCK ELEVATION VII. A municipal or public building, with a centre projection, and one at each end; the centre has a pediment, and cornice above the upper portico, extending around the edifice, and the roofs are heaped. BLOCK ELEVATION VIII. A Roman mansion with a portico at the centre entrance, surmounted with a pediment, and over the middle of the edifice crowned with a hemisphere dome. At the ends of the mansion are two polygonal bay-windows.* * The polygonal figures are numerous, as the term applies; to any object containing more than four sides, their angles are always obtuse, and they increase in obliquity according to the increased number of the sides of the figure. Two of these geometrical polygons are, however, more generally adopted than the others, namely, that of the hexagon, a figure of six sides, and the other the octagon, a figure of eight sides. In constructing the first This edifice being intended for a manor-house where there may be a rookery adjoining, the summit has been more studied, which by the varied heights, will produce a grand outline and a noble effect of light and shadow. I have now given or gone through progressively the most general forms of elevations of houses, corresponding to the previous seats in PLATE I. Although it is plain the summits or outline against the sky are not to be confined to one general contour, but that they will admit of being more varied, and other effects produced, according to local or existing circumstances, as well as to the taste of the designer. However, the general outline of the house must at all times be composed to accord with the peculiar scenery, thereby producing in the house a pleasing picture, as well as attracting the attention of the tasteful visitor. We shall here inquire into the effect produced by forms on the imagination; now all the separate masses in edifices are intended either for a useful purpose or to be ornamented, or both. The beauty of ornamental forms are considered to arise from three sources: first, from the expression of the form itself; secondly, from the expression of fitness in the design; and, thirdly, from accidental expression. The strongest, and most permanent or lasting emotion on the mind, we receive from the first, that is, the form itself: that of the second, from the design itself, is not so strong nor lasting, and those which accidental associations produce, vanish often with the year which gave them birth; accidental expression or fashion vary with the caprice of mankind: expression of design varies with every period of art. The beauty which arises from the expression of form itself is alone perma With truth to form; a cunning architect, That at the roof begins her golden work, If the external appearance of the house was all the architect had to consider when making his plan, any one of these figures would recommend themselves to his choice from their variety and beauty; but we have already observed, that, in drawing the outline of an elevation, the architect must have the idea of the inner divisions also under his consideration, which will show us how vague and improper it is to recommend these figures exclusively, merely for the sake of variety, as some have done. Neither are they required or proper in all buildings; for in those where grandeur should strike us most, much variety would destroy the effect by the multitude of angles, like drapery cut up by too many folds would, on the back of a judge, detract from his dignity. It is the picturesque buildings alone which require such diversity of parts. As to the pentagon, a figure of five sides, this is liable to the greatest objections in relation to the inner divisions, and will always entail more trouble upon the architect. But with all this it is one of the most useful in military architecture, where the salient angles serve for defence and their sides for curtains. Yet, as I have said, it is incommodious in the greatest degree for a dwelling-house built for the convenience of a family. This does not apply to ornamental buildings for pleasure-grounds; for at Powderham Castle in Devonshire there is a noble belvidere erected on a high mount, of a triangular plan, with hexagonal towers on the three angles, each rising above the middle structure: these towers contain the stairs which lead to the summit. The celebrated John de Groat's house in Scotland, was octagonal, and the occasion of its construction singular: we shall therefore describe it. In the reign of James IV. of Scotland, three brothers, Malcolm, Gavin, and John de Groat, supposed to have been originally from Holland, arrived in Caithness, with a letter from that prince, recommending them to the countenance and protection of his loving subjects in the county of Caithness. These brothers bought some land near Dungess Bay-head, and in a short time, by the increase of their families, eight different proprietors of the name of Groat possessed these lands in equal divisions. These eight families having lived peaceably and comfortably for a number of years, established an annual meeting to celebrate the anniversary of the arrival of their ancestors on the coast. In the course of the festivity on one of these occasions, a question arose respecting the right of taking the door, the head of the table, and such points of precedency; each contending for the superiority and chieftainship, which increased to such a degree as would probably have proved fatal in its consequences, had not John de Groat, who appears to have acquired great knowledge of mankind, interfered. He expatiated on the comfort they had hitherto enjoyed, owing to the harmony which had existed between them; he assured them, that, as soon as they appeared to quarrel amongst themselves, their neighbours, who had till then treated them with respect, would fall upon them and expel them the country; he therefore conjured them by the ties of blood and their mutual safety, to return quietly to their several houses, and pledged himself that he would satisfy them on all points of precedency, and prevent the possibility of such disputes in future at their anniversary meetings: they all acquiesced, and departed in peace. In due time John de Groat, to fulfil his agreement, built a room distant from all other houses, in an octagon figure, with eight doors, and placed a table of oak of the same shape in the middle when the next meeting took place he desired each of them to enter by his own door, and to sit at the head of the table-he himself occupied the last. By this ingenious contrivance the harmony and good humour of the company were restored. The building was then named John o' Groat's House. Nothing now remains but the foundations of the building; the place still retains the name.-(History of Scotland.) : |