Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/885

 1869.] Important to Young Men. 717 IMPORTANT TO YOUNG MEN. THOSE who have entered, or are disposed to enter, on the study of Architecture, should ever bear in mind, that it is not by any means a science to be acquired by intuition. No, that, in- deed, would be a very serious error to labor under, and one which our young friends should divest themselves of, without delay. As well might a medi- cal student expect to understand the structure of the human form, or the law student to comprehend the meshes of his future profession, as the beginner in. Architecture to see and feel the beau- ties of his intricate art, without an earnest study of everything bearing in any degree upon it. Why is it, that so many of our young men, who enter on this study, become nothing more than mere draughtsmen, mere office-machines, working, or rather plodding on, from year to year, in the oue senseless round of putting other's ideas, mixed with their own, prettily on paper, scarcely discerning the delicate differences between many of the styles ? How few of our draughtsmen are thorougly conversant with the philoso- phy of construction, or the nature of the materials required in such construction ? The answers to these questions are enough to make us feel a sense of humiliation. The fact is, that a sadly large proportion of our young men, who enter architects' offices, are content to draw and letter ; and to do these two things well, with perhaps the addition of fancy coloring, is the full extent of their ambition. Where can be found more intensely interesting history than Architecture is, as it were, clothed in, yet how few of these draughtsmen take the trouble to be acquainted with it. They may sub- scribe to the monthly issues from the press of works, that have much that is valuable in their pages. But, it is the illustrations, alone, that receive their attention, and these merely to steal an occasional idea from, in order to help out some meagre crotchet of their own. Do they associate for mutual improve- ment? Do they seek the library, to take the dusty Vitruvius, or Chambers, from the shelf? Do they strive to mas- ter the great subject in hand ? Ah, no ! The ephemeral tale, that ekes out the school girl's hours of idleness, is most likely to find their sympathy, too ; and even this would be desirable in prefer- ence to the worse means of spending time, which too many indulge in. One spirit there may be in an office, even among a crowd of such baneful in- fluences, possessed of courage enough to resist temptation, and energy enough to advance on the track he has chosen. His superiority is no sooner asserted, than' it is seen and acknowledged by the head of the office, who, glad to have one on whom he can rely, helps and urges him on, giving him privileges and opportunities, he does not deem it wise to throw away upon the others. This young man bids fair to be more than a mere draughtsman. He will be an architect, and will succeed, too ; for, the world is ever ready to be benefited, by the addition to its ranks of just such men. It would be well for Architecture, in America, if we had more of this stuff, to make our model men from. But, a lhtle empty superciliousness, an affec- tation of taste, a feeling of envious dis- liking for the efforts of all but them- selves, unfortunately make up the com- mon characteristics of our office youths to-da}-. Let us hope for a revival of common sense, and common energy, in the future, more worthy of the American name.