Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/929

 VILLAS IN VARIOUS STYLES. 905 because, for the reason already assigned, only the upper half of the paitition could be so pierced ; this screen becomes a striking feature, gives character to the Architecture, and produces a pleasing degree of scenic effect, without seeming liable to the reproach of making a more ambitious display than is consistent with the rest of the mansion. On the contrary, it rather serves to moderate the quality of mere space ; for, while it permits the eye to catcli a partial view of the staircase, and the arches of the corridor above, in a manner well calculated to interest the imagination ; it also strictly defines the limits of the vestibule, so that this shall not appear too large ; yet, as far as picturesque effect is concerned, have all the advantage arising from the space beyond it, and with which it thus becomes in some measure identified. To many, I am aware, the kind of merit I am willing to impute to the Design, in tliis respect, will seem a most extraordinary one. They cannot comprehend how, under any circumstances, a limited space can be preferred t;) a more extended one, magnitude and mere size being, in their opinion, positive merits, for the sake of securing which, we are at liberty to make sacrifices that no other consideration could justify. Such persons forget — in honester language, they have yet to learn — that in Architecture many beauties are entirely relative and conditional ; that what is an advantage in one case may in another become a defect ; and that, consequently, it is necessary to consider what it is that actual circumstances render most eligible. The most obvious is not always the greatest advantage ; nor is the most unquestionable kind of beauty invariably the happiest that could be adopted. 1844. The Vestibule. In a house of this size, any thing beyond a mere vestibule would be rather out of character ; the vestibule here is not therefore treated as a hall, occasionally to be used as any other room, or as having such appearance ; because, after all, such a place will rarely, if ever, be so used, according to the present style o living. For this reason, it professes to be nothing more than an approach to, and com- munication between, the different sitting-rooms. Hence, it is on every account dtsirable that, while this entrance sufficiently answers the expectations raised by the exterior, it should not even seem to occupy too much space ; or become so important by its size, as itself to excite expectations the plan would not allow of being realised. It is obvious that, but for these considerations, it might have been made considerably larger, and that, too, without any difficulty or study ; or rather, with far less study and thought than have now been bestowed upon it, by merely taking in the whole space, instead of abridging it in the manner here adopted. Equally obvious is it that this would have been attended with material drawbacks, as far as mere convenience is concerned, because then either the staircase immediately communicating with the servants' hall in the basement must have been omitted altogether, or have been exceedingly awkward and confined, and the door from it must have opened immediately into the hall ; whereas it is now so situated as to be perfectly out of the way. In like manner, the water-closet, which now occupies the corresponding space on the other side, could hardly have been introduced in such a situation ; as it must have opened immediately into the vestibule, and the door would have been almost contiguous to that of the porch. Independently, however, of these circumstances — granting that such change would not have interfered in the slightest degree with those parts of the plan, still the alteration would be materially for the worse as regards effect. According to the present plan, the view is confined, framed in, if I may so term it, by the sides of the inner porch, in such a manner that the whole of the vestibule, and the doors opening into the apartments, are not exposed to sight as soon as we enter the house ; which, certainly, must be allowed to be rather an advantage thaa otherwise. A pleasing air of variety — intricacy it can hardly be termed, is likewise produced by this combination of inner porch and vestibule, instead of the whole being thrown into one space ; and this effect is again heightened by the difference of level, slight as it is, between the floor of the one and that of the other. Another point in favour of this arrangement is, that, on the one hand, the recess or interior porch contri- butes by contrast to the importance of the vestibule, which is thus made to seem to expand ; and, on the other, instead of appearing, as it actually does, to abridge the extent of the vestibule, it rather conveys the idea of so much space being added to it. Let us now consider what would be the result, were the other mode to be adopted, and the whole space included in the vestibule. Besides the loss of those positive advantages, and of that degree of effect now obtained, by converting the vestibule into a mere simple paral- lelogram, twenty-one feet and a half by twenty-three and a half, which would then be its dimensions, it would be rendered larger than either the breakfast-room or the corresponding drawingroom on the opposite side ; consequently, would detract from their appearance, and make them seem comparatively insignificant apartments : iii the next place, it would become too wide for its height : and, thirdly, it would then seem dark and gloomy ; for, although it has light enough for what it now is, a mere piece de com- munication, it would not have sufficient, if converted into a larger room, which would 5 N