The Greeks, in their best times, when the finest works were produced, seem to have been very attentive to this distinction; since we constantly read that one man was the architect of the building, and that another was employed to ornament it.

In chapter 12, Mr. R. proceeds to state the claim of a landscape gardener to the title of architect, and brings forwards many vouchers of Mr. Brown's Palladian abilities; observing that he had not early studied those necessary, but inferior branches of architecture, better known perhaps to the practical carpenter than to Palladio himself.' We cannot think that Mr. Repton is well acquainted with Palladio's history, nor that he is aware that the most celebrated architects have been good practical builders and sound mathematicians: yet it is scarcely possible for them to be the former without being the latter. Where these qualifications do not exist, the efforts of artists meet with perpetual obstacles; and they must have recourse to false expedients to divert the attention: such as fillagree ornaments in plaister, coloured to imitate Gothic stone and wood-work where they could not exist, and totally devoid of the proportion and character of those antient constructions. Instead of the chaste display of solid and void, indicative of that strength and economy in a building which are so satisfactory and pleas ing to the eye, protrusions are made, apparently for no other purpose than to carry figures and extraneous decorations. From the same want of understanding the subject, at one time a notion will prevail of not shewing any roof, in a climate which of all others demands the presentation of a satisfactory shelter from the inclemencies of the weather while at another time, the overwhelming Mansard roof shall be recommended, in the fit of running from one extreme to the other; where roof is piled on roof, and projecting garret lights oppose the free escape of water, bringing together the double advantage of wind and wet to these airy apartments.

External apertures for doors and windows are liable to equal misconception from the same cause. The fancy-builder, not aware of the advantage of the stone borders denominated architraves, which surrounded the openings in former works of celebrity,of, the opportunity thus afforded for maintaining those parts in correct adjustment with the inclosing mechanism, without marring the general walls,-imagines them to be placed there only for ornament; and, proceeding on ideal conceptions, he thinks, with Mr. Repton, that pediments

A striking instance in illustration of this remark occurs in the circular colonnade beneath the dome of St. Paul's church, noticed in our Review for July 1803, p. 303.

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should appear only at the top of an edifice; forgetting the singular advantage which they produce in directing the water from the centre of an aperture, instead of being cascaded on the head which may unfortunately be beneath. In addition to the superior benefit and beauty arising from the adoption of these forms, the best authorities are to be found among the works of the Greeks and Romans for this useful application of the pediment: it being a leading principle among them to cast the water to each side of an opening.

Many of the absurdities to which we have alluded must be the consequence of not being fully conversant with the rules of construction; particularly in attempts to imitate the noble edifices of the antients. The essential principles will be overlooked, while the trifling and subordinate parts will be copied and misapplied; no attention being paid to that most useful axiom in architectural works, that every thing is good or bad according to the application:-a principle forcibly illustrated by Mr. Burke in this remarkable passage, "wherever the best taste differs from the worst, I am convinced that the understanding operates, and nothing else."

We shall leave the followers of the several avocations to settle which is the most competent to direct a building; imagining that the professors of architecture will deem it incumbent on themselves to vindicate their department, from the supposition that a practical knowlege is not necessary in their character. It would strike us as very extraordinary, if, in the case of a building being dangerously erected, in which the safety of the public was concerned, three architects of Mr. R.'s qualification were appointed to survey its stability;-three men totally unacquainted with the principles of construction! putting us in mind of the officer who was no soldier, and of the physician who knew nothing of medicine. If such sentiments of the required qualifications, as those which Mr. Repton entertains, are encouraged among students, it is high time for those who intend to build to make some inquiry into the knowlege of the person to whom they confide the undertaking: otherwise, not only their purses but their lives may be in danger. They will not find any security in the pretended competency of the artificer; for he is really and legally acquitted of responsibility when he executes the work according to his directions; which some late decisions have evinced to the employer's cost:-nor can we forget, on this head, that our old classical acquaintance, Vitruvius, has taught us that more knowlege is required in construction than usually falls to the lot of that class of men. As Mr. Repton is fond of quotations in the learned languages, we shall furnish him with one from this Roman author:

"Cum

"Cum ergo tanta hæc disciplina sit condecorata, et abundans eruditionibus variis ac pluribus, non puto posse justè repentè se profiteri architectos, nisi qui ab ætate puerili his gradibus disciplinarum scandendo, scientia plurium literarum et artium nutriti, pervene rint ad summum templum architecture." Vitruvius, c.1. l.1.

It is the office of the architect, 1st, to furnish the general designs: 2dly, to supply the drawings of the construction, for executing every part: 3dly, to direct the works, and inspect them as they proceed: 4thly, to measure them, and make out the accounts: for which he receives a regular and established commission. If he charges that commission for doing only the first part of the business, or any portion short of the whole that has been mentioned, a deception is practised on the employer; and it may be useful information to those who are but little acquainted with these particulars, to state that each of these four divisions is esteemed to be worth an equal proportion of the whole commission, when ably and completely per formed by a competent person, but not otherwise. If the architect has not a knowlege of construction, the building is at the will of the mercenary and ignorant; and the pretended architect must connive at and submit to impositions and blunders, in order that his own incompetency may not be exposed. An artificer of credit will always perform his work at a more reasonable price if the architect understands and arranges it for him since he can execute it more advantageously by its being previously adjusted, and by having nothing more to do than to get it manufactured and fixed in its place. The loss is thus avoided which is always incurred by each artificer having the disposal of his owh work, which, when brought to be combined with that of another, is found not to correspond; and this inconvenience can only be prevented by a competent director laying out the whole together. The tradesman takes an additional measure and price, to compensate for that loss which the want of proper directions perpetually occasions, when the superintendant is inadequate to the task; and it is fortunate for the proprietor, if a tottering fabric be not the result.

It may answer the purpose of an unscientific adventurer, to reduce the attainments of architects to his own standard, in order to advance his pretensions with the better success: but when a man of genius and talents attempts to inculcate an opinion that varied and deep acquirements are unnecessary, we feel ourselves seriously disposed to exert our endeavours to check such pernicious doctrines.

That branch of the art which regards distribution for the convenience of life, according to Mr. R.'s conception of the subject, we are to suppose is easily obtained without much REV. AUG. 1804.

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early practice.' If only that object required attention, the art would undoubtedly be more readily attainable: but the difficulties consist in combining many other requisites which are not noticed by the less informed; and when these considerations do not enter the mind of an artist, he may truly compose with facility, and depict his fancies with the expedition of a running band." Where suggestions and sketches for improvements' are produced in this way, the employer will act wisely in consulting some person better acquainted with the subject, before he ventures to drain his treasury on such schemes * and as Mr. R. himself says (preface, p. 10.) the public taste is endangered by the circulation of such crude productions as are curious only from the youth or ignorance of their authors.'

In that department in which a man's reputation is established by long experience and proofs of skill, we may confidently rely on the validity of his propositions. On the subject of position, Mr. R. is evidently within his own pale; and we transcribe some passages relating to this point, which we cannot too strongly recommend to the notice of those who are meditating on the site of a new house, or on altering the parts of an old one.

There is no circumstance connected with my profession, in which I find more error of judgment, than in selecting the situa tion for a house; yet it is a subject every one fancies easy to de termine. Not only visitors and men of taste fall into this error, but the carpenter, the land steward, or the nurseryman, feels himself equally competent to pronounce on this subject. No sooner has he discovered a spot commanding an extensive prospect, than he immediately pronounces that spot the true situation for a house; as if the only use of a mansion, like that of a prospecttower, was to look out of the windows.

After long experiencing the many inconveniencies to which lofty situations are exposed; after frequently witnessing the repentance and vexation of those who have hastily made choice of such situations, under the flattering circumstances of a clear atmosphere and brilliant sky; after observing how willingly they would exchange prospect for shade and shelter; and after vainly looking forward to the effect of future groves, I am convinced that it is better to decide the situation of a house when the weather is unfavourable to distant prospects, and when the judgment may be able to give its due weight to every circumstance which ought to be considered in so material an object that the comforts of habitation may not be sacrificed to the fascinating glare of a summer's day.'—

I would place the house with its principal front towards the south or south-east.

I would build the offices behind the house, but, as they occupy much more space, they will of course spread wider than the front. I would place the stables near the offices.

I would place the kitchen garden near the stables.

'I would

I would put the home farm buildings at rather a greater distance from the house; but these several objects should be so connected by back roads as to be easily accessible.

I would bring the park to the very front of the house.

I would keep the farm, or land in tillage, whether for use or for experiment, behind the house.

I would make the dressed pleasure ground to the right and left of the house, in plantations, which would skreen the unsightly appendages, and form the natural division between the park and the farm, with walks communicating to the garden and the farm.'

1. The aspect of a house requires the first consideration, since no beauty of prospect can compensate for the cold exposure to the north, the glaring blaze of a setting sun, or the frequent boisterous winds and rains from the west and southwest; while in a southern aspect, the sun is too high to be troublesome in summer, and during the winter, it is seldom an unwelcome visitant in the climate of England.

2, 3. It can hardly be necessary to enumerate the advantages of placing the offices near, and stables at no great distance from the house.

4. The many interesting circumstances that lead us into a kitchen garden, the many inconveniencies which I have witnessed from the removal of old gardens to a distance, and the many instances in which I have been desired to bring them back to their original situations, have led me to conclude that a kitchen garden cannot be too near, if it be not seen from the house.

So much of the comfort of a country residence depends on the produce of its home farm, that even if the proprietor of the mansion should have no pleasure in the fashionable experiments in husbandry, yet a farm, with all its appendages, is indispensable: but when this is considered as an object of profit, the gentleman-farmer commonly mistakes his aim; and as an object of ornament, I hope the good taste of the country will never confound the character of a park with that of a farm.

To every dwelling there must belong certain unsightly premises, which can never be properly ornamental; such as yards for coal, wood, linen, &c. and these are more than doubled when the farm house is contiguous; for this reason I am of opinion, that the farming premises should be at a greater distance than the kitchen garden or the stables, which have a more natural connexion with each other.'

'It

In the advertisement to this volume, Mr. R. says, It neither supersedes nor contradicts my former work.' If he had not made this assertion, we might have taken less notice of some irreconcileable passages in the two, or might have regarded them as the natural effect of seven more years of experience. We must remind him, however, of the authorities adduced in his prior work (Sketches and Hints on Landscape Gardening, p. 45. and 46.) respecting symmetry in a building. Now, so much is Mr. R. an advocate for patch-work, that we find him dignifying it as, magnificent irregularity and splendid intricacy,' P. 211.

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