INTRODUCTION.

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credited, even tlie noble mansions, “ faire rooms of state,” and “ brave furniture,” of thesixteenth century, on which antiquaries delight to expatiate, would not be deemed particu-larly inviting at present; and if the condition of such residences was far more frowsy thanromance writers care to confess, or romance readers to believe, what must have been thatof the dwellings of the middling and humbler classes ?

Baron d’ Haussez has led not only his readers but ourselves astray—at least so we fearit will be thought; and yet what has been above said is not altogether irrelevant to thepurpose of these pages, because, if correct, his remarks tend to render it questionablewhether a work like the present, professing to offer many examples of “ the Gothic archi-tecture ” he denounces, be entitled to public encouragement. As it is not, however, somuch the style itself, as the abuse and misapplication of it, which he condemns, the objec-tion he has raised against it falls to the ground, if it can be shown that it can be divestedof the imperfections he attributes to it. “ As objects of perspective,” he says, “ theseGothic structures have a pleasing effect, but as houses are more intended for habitation thanto gratify the sight, common sense should point out the propriety of adapting a mansion tothe wants and exigencies of civilization.” So far we perfectly concur with him; for what-ever style be employed, it certainly is absurd to study external appearance and effect at thesacrifice of internal propriety and convenience.

Without knowing what houses of this kind the Baron inspected, and from which he drewhis conclusions, it is impossible to say how far his censure is justified by the specimens hebeheld; since it cannot be denied that many crude and tasteless designs have been bothpublished and executed, which do not possess even the half merit Baron d’ Haussez con-cedes, namely that of being “ pleasing objects of perspective.” To say the truth, fewthings can be more despicable in their way, than some of the Gothic, or castellated, man-sions and villas that have been sent forth to the world, upon paper. Essentially anti-picturesque in every respect, betraying utter ignorance both as regards composition anddetail, and equal clumsiness and want of judgment in respect to ordinary comfort, sucharticles of manufacture—for designs, they cannot be termed, are calculated to bring archi-tecture into contempt, being apparently intended as Byron rather oddly phrases it, whenspeaking of a sister art, “ to impose upon the nonseme of mankind.” Some of a betterclass exhibit more that is praiseworthy for character and effect, than commendable for eitherconvenience or economy; while in others again, little more seems to be attended to than agood but very common-place arrangement of the rooms and such parts as doors and fire-places within, without any further study or aim.

The imperfections and inconsistencies which are to be discovered in far too many modernspecimens of—or rather attempts at, our ancient English architecture, are not be attributedto deficiencies in the style itself, but to want of judgment in the selection of models, to wantof taste in composition and detail, and to ignorance and false economy in execution.Neither the castellated nor the ecclesiastical style, varied as they are in themselves, offer muchthat can suitably be transferred to a domestic habitation. In the former more especially

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