Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/968

 792 Tlie Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [June, Student. — Certainly. Every line in Nature is a line of beauty. It may be irregular or regular, curved, or angular, it is nevertheless beautiful, if it is nat- ural. The human figure, in its perfec- tion, is a most fitting study for the stu- dent of Architecture, the acquirement of a knowledge of it will always afford suggestions that will greatly assist in the development of grace and dignity in his designs. Enquirer. — Mr. Mullet, the Archi- tect of the Construction Bureau at Wash- ington, formerly lived in Cincinnati. Civis. — We quite agree with our cor- respondent, that gutters under the side- walks of our streets would be a very great blessing, as saving our fair friends from wading through constantly recur- ring torrents, from spouts, on rainy days. The deluging of brick side-walks, by the lavatory process, so much in vogue in Philadelphia and Amsterdam, is sufficiently suggestive of wet feet, without the rush of many waters, through which the trembling pedestrian has to plough, in the vain hope of dry land somewhere. Terra Cotta. — It is possible to make the front of a wall with terra cotta tiles, and also the inside, and fill in the heart of the wall with concrete. But the tiles must be moulded expressly for that pur- pose, having a flange above and below, sufficiently long to form a good key. Something of this sort, is now in prac- tice in England. For inside facing it would not be so uniform as plastering. Sylla. — Your ideas on ventilation are neither novel nor correct. Note. — In answer to several enquiries respecting the Bronze Door Knobs de- scribed at page 689, in the preceding number of the Review, we would state that all further information can be had by addressing J. B. Shannon, 1009 Market street, Philadelphia, the manu- facturer of these admirable pieces of artistic door furniture. S. — Study it. Earth Closets are beginning to at- tract attention. We have no doubt of their utility for country use, but we can- not see much advantage to be gained by introducing them in cities. The water-closet is no doubt open to the disadvantages of being subject to the action of frost, and also liable to go out of order. But, apart from the power of deodorization, the earth-closet is less satisfactory than the water-closet, owing in part to the much greater trouble at- tendant on it. This trouble may not be greater than that of the removal of ashes it is true. But that is a trouble and a constant one. X. — Apply to our Publishers. PERIODICALS. The Western Monthly, for May, comes to us from its publishers, Reed, Brown & Co., replete with pleasant read- ing matter and instruction. This month's illustration is an excellent portrait on steel of Hon. Richard J. Oglesby, Governor of Illinois, accompanied by a well written bi- ographic sketch. His is one of those lives we all delight to consider. Born of poor parents, left an orphan at nine years old, we find him struggling with disadvautages, but emerging at last and becoming one of the trio of self- made statesmen, Lincoln, Yates and Oglesby, all of the Great West. The article on American Education is well worthy of attention. The sketch of William Ewart Glapstone, the present Prime Minister of England, will amply repay perusal. And the paper on Utah is interest- ing in the extreme. Altogether the Western Monthly improves upon itself and is very creditable to its publishers, whose deserved success we trust will be soon and ceitain. Les Promenades de la Ville he Paris. — We have been favored with specimen sheets of this fine work, containing several exquisite wood engravings of the gems of the Bois de Boulogne The work is in the folio form and will be complete in two volumes, to be issued in thirty parts, splendidly illustrated. We have already alluded to the advent of this splendid work of art iu this month's Re- view, and will duly notice it in full when it comes to hand. The Probe. By Joseph Parrish, M. D. — The second number of this useful and deeply interesting quarterly has just been issued from the Sanitarium at Media, in this State. There are few publications which in so small a compass contain such salutary lessons to our race as are to be found in the pages of this humane friend of the for- lorn inebriate. Here is to be found not alone a diagnosis of the fearful malady, but directions for reform and an assurance of cure.