Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/906

 738 The Architectural -Review and American Builders' Journal. [June, our power lies, the want it is its chosen office to supply. In the volume on which we are about to enter, we propose to present addi- tional features. Our rising generation shall have its interests well attended to in the practical as well as theoretical lessons we will give. And this we look upon as the chief plank of the grand plat- form on which we stand — the education of the young mind in the history, the beauties, and the component, parts of Architecture. To our professional brethren, we again hold out the hand of good fellowship, and assure them that our pages are freely open to them — that their interest is our interest; for, are we not all engaged zealously in the one cause, the propa- gation of a knowledge of that art which is foremost amongst the requirements and adornments of man's earthly exist- ence. To all our readers in common we present our thanks for their favor ; and beg for its continuance. That we may make the Architec- tural Review fulby worthy of the patronage we seek, shall be our unre- mitting effort, aided and strengthened in the future by the experience at' the past. VENTILATION WANTED IN GERMANY. ~VTEVER, perhaps, has a company 4~N of more highly educated and re- fined people been gathered within the Avails of the Sing Academy at Berlin, than was assembled there recently to hear the Passionsmusic of Bach. All lovers of excellent ^ music, who have travelled abroad, must remember the Hall of the Sing Academy with par- ticular pleasure. In its classic style and decorations it would be difficult to find a single feature which would offend the most critical taste. For acoustic effects its arrangements and proportions are admirable. Not so its ventilation, of which there is absolutely none. The door of entrance is even hung with heavy cloth, lest perchance a feeble draft of air might inconvenience those sitting close by. It matters not from whose lungs the breath may come, (and the boxes opposite me were graced by ro3 r alty,) the atmosphere in smy room which is occupied by well nigh two thousand persons, becomes very speedily tainted. What can be its condition when there has been no change of air for three hours ! Ought one to have felt disappointed and surprised when the soprano in singing one of those affecting recita- tives in the second part, suddenly sank exhausted in the middle of her per- formance, and the audience though lis- tening to one of the greatest productions of musical genius, performed in a man- ner unrivalled elsewhere in the world, looked wearied and anxious to go. The absolute neglect and ignorance of ever, thing pertaining to ventilation among people in other respects so re- markably learned and clever, strikes me with a daily growing wonder. I have yet to see during a life of more than half a j T ear in Germany the first indication of a crack, crevice, hole, egress, exit, aperture or orifice, which even dimly suggested that the people desired fresh air. When my present landlady discovered that I slept with ray windows open, she was loud in her expressions of horror; and a doctor who lived in the vicinity being appealed to, predicted that a persistence in the practice would be attended with serious, if not fatal, consequences. Think of asking an American occupjdng a re- spectable position in society, whether