Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/700

 070 COTTAGE, FARM, AND VILLA AIICHITECTUUE. the inn is fretjucntly a place where greater luxuries are to be obtained than in the private liouses of most of the citizens. With the progress of things in all countries, this is likely to be more and more the case ; for, as equality of education and rights become general, it will be followed l)y a comparative equality in the distribution of property ; and great entertainments, such as are now given by wealthy merchants and princes, will only be obtainable by public assemblies or associations at inns. This will, in time, give rise, in every country, as it has already done in Britain, to inns of recreation and enjoy- ment, as well as inns of accommodation and convenience for travellers. 1411. Inns of Recreation seem destined to contain all the comforts and luxuries which are now almost exclusively found in the mansions and palaces of the aristocracy of Europe ; as these comforts and luxuries were in ancient times only to be met with in the richer convents and monasteries. Such inns will, therefore, not be confined to in-door conveniences, but will embrace also all that can be attbrded by gardens, pleasure-grounds, parks, forests, and farms ; all the sports of the field, and all the games and exercises that liave been known to contribute to human gratification. In one word, all that now can only be obtained by sovereign princes or the most wealthy nobles, will, by the modern system of inns of recreation, be within the reach of every one who has a little spare inoney and time. In ages and countries of ignorance, and of a privileged and con- sequently wealthy and all-grasping aristocracy, there will necessarily be many enjoy- ments, the very nature of which cannot be even imagined by the mass of society, much less can the spectacles displayed by them be seen ; but, in an age such as we contemplate, there will not be a single enjoyment which is not within the reach of all to see and un- derstand ; and in which most of the inhabitants may not be able to participate. 1412. The Model Designs for Inns and Alehouses, therefore, must obviously be founded on the accommodations afforded by private houses ; and this will reduce this first section to the business of laying down principles for arranging the architectural characteristics of inns ; after which we shall illustrate them by a few miscellaneous Designs. It is previously necessary, however, that we repeat what we have before stated, § 701, that the subject of country inns is but a very subordinate part of our work, and that we, con- sequently, do not profess to give a complete treatise on the subject. Sect. L General Principles for composing Model Designs for Coimtry Inns and Public Houses. 1413. A complete Country Inn may be considered with reference to its accommoda- tion, arrangement, or distribution, its situation and architectural style. The accom- modation includes that of the house, of the stable offices, and of the gardens and grounds. 1414. The Accommodation of the house, we have already said, is essentially that of a private house, with the housekeeper's room, or bar, placed in a conspicuous situation, instead of in a private one ; and with the store-room and larder also exposed to public view. The inn contains an entrance hall, in which there ought always to be a porter to announce the arrival of guests, by ringing one bell for the hostler, and another for the waiter ; an ante-room or strangers' room, into which the guests are first shown, and where they are waited on by the master, mistress, or some upper servant, to ascertain the kind of accommodation which they desire. A complete inn ought to have large rooms for parties to dine in on public occasions, or in which may be held public meet- ings, assemblies, balls, &c. : it ought also to have suites of apartments, consisting of one or two sitting-rooms, one or two bed-rooms, a maid-servant's or nurse's room, and a water-closet ; such suites of apartments being frequently required in first-rate inns, by wealthy families who travel with their own carriages and horses, and who wish to live at an inn as privately as if they were at home. There ought also to be suites of apartments for single persons, consisting of a bed-room and sitting-room each. There ought to be small dining-rooms for small parties to dine together ; and numerous bed-rooms, some with dressing-rooms, and some without them. In a large inn, there ought to be also a billiard-room for exercise and amusement during bad weather and long evenings ; and also one or inore musical instruments; and in every inn, whether large or small, there ought to be a library of books ; which may bo put under the care of the bar-woman, and lent out to quests at a small sum per volume. Among the conveniences, there should be hot, col*!,^ saline, vapour, and air baths ; and, in general, whatever is found mentioned in the first chapter of our succeeding book, as appropriate to villas. 1415. The Bar or Office of an Inn being its characteristic feature, it is proper that it should be shortly described : its situation ought to be central in the interior of large buildings, commanding views of the front entrance hall and back entrance ; and, as far as practicable, of the foot of the principal staircase, and along the principal passages. These objects can only be obtained by having the room of some size, almost insidated by broad passages, and with windows on all sides ; or having the sides formed by glazed