Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/30

 6 COTTAGE, FARM, AND VILLA ARCHITECTURE. types as the foundation of his system, to what kind of result would he attain, without the exercise of reason at every step? Without reason, indeed, and that too continually exercised, Architecture would be an art of absurdity. As well, in our opinion, might agriculture an« gardening be called imitative arts, as the art of Architecture ; because there must have been some origin for cultivation as well as for building. The truth seems to us to be, that, viewed with reference to their origin, all arts are imitative; and, with reference to their adaptation to the state of man for the time being, all arts are founded on reason or human improvement. How far Architecture is to be considered one of the fine arts must, as it appears to us, (and our opinion is in consonance with that of Alison, Dugald Stewart, Sulzer, and other writers) depend, not on its being either an imitative or an inventive art, but on its powers of creating in the mind, emotions of sublimity or beauty. Notwithstanding the seeming difference of opinion on this subject among architectural writers, it appears to us in tlie highest degree probable, that, if the language of each writer were explained with reference to one fixed standard, they would all be found nearly to agree; the expressions, " art of imitation," and " art of imagination," being used by many of them as synonymous. A't all events, hypothetical differences of this kind should never prevent us from profiting by the excellent works of such writers as Quatremere de Quincy and Milizia. — But it is time to turn from a speculative digression to the main purpose of this introduction, which is, to explain the general nature of our work. L Our grand object being to intrcduce improvement into Cottage, Farm and Villa Architecture, in the temperate regions of both hemispheres, by numerous examples of Designs, with different degrees of accommodation, and in different styles of Architecture, we have adopted, as the first term in our ascending series, a simple dwelling of two rooms, suitable for a man and his wife, without children ; and, as the last term, the villa or country house of an English gentleman of wealth and refinement. We have fixed on the English villa, as com- bining more of the comforts and luxuries of life than the villa of a man of wealth and taste in any other country in the world. 2. The first step toivards the introduction of improvements in the practice of any art, is to familiarize the minds of the practitioners with the deviations from usual practice which con- stitute these improvements. In rural Architecture, almost the only means of doing this is by published Designs ; for no local builder can be supposed to have had either leisure or opportu- nities to inspect the various improvements which have taken place throughout his own country, and in other countries. Unless he has recourse to books of Designs, therefore, he can do little more than repeat himself, or copy what he has seen ; probably with some improvement — possibly with deterioration. To supply the country builder, therefore, with numerous Designs, at a moderate price, must be rendering him an acceptable service. 3. The use of published Designs to an experienced Architect is to furnish him with ideas for composition ; that is, with different modes of connecting the various parts of which a building is composed; of varying the forms of those parts; of devising new forms from them ; and, finally, of composing the exterior as well as the interior details ; subject always to the guiding principle of unity of expression, whether of purpose or of style. 4. Tiie same use of published Designs may be made by a young Architect; but in order that he may profit to the fullest extent, either from viewing buildings actually executed, or from studying published Designs, he should be able to analyze them, and to trace the cause of what- ever they may display of the beauties of fitness, of expression, or of style, to first principles of composition. To assist him in doing this is the object of the analytical remarks which we have made on each Design. The amateur Architect, and general reader, will also find these remarks uselul as a means for improving their taste, by enabling them to refer the beauties or defects of buildings to their true causes. This is, indeed, the chief use of Designs to a general reader ; but an Architect or builder may profit much from the careful inspection of a book of Designs, merely as a collection of models, without being able to analyze them; or to trace the causes of the pleasure or dislike, which he may receive from them, to first principles. Such an Architect, or builder, however, though he may be a very efficient empirical practitioner, can never be considered as possessing a scientific knowledge of his art. " The uneducated Architect," says Wood, "judges by his feelings ; the half-educated, by rule ; but the master, from feelings, trained and purified by study and reflection." 5. In delineating these Designs, we have, instead of geometrical elevations, given in every case, correct perspective views ; and we have not accompanied these views by trees, or landscape scenery of any kind, considering the practice of doing so as of no real use; and, on the contrary, as calculated to mislead the inexperienced eye. For, as the beauty of every whole, is necessarily made up of the beauties of all its component parts ; and as the size and shape of the trees, and the style of the scenery which form conspicuous parts in pictorial views