4

INTRODUCTION.

hension, have entered with zeal into their concerns, and pushedtheir interest as far as their influence could extend.

In opposition, what is an Architect’s title to patronage, or howis he bred to his profession ? With a genius early directed to thatparticular pursuit, with an education which enables him fully tounderstand its principles, and practical execution, he is in the con-stant habit of selecting, comparing, and arranging on his ta-blets, every excellence that comes under his cognizance, with hismind alive and all his powers devoted to its perfection. He tra-vels that he may be an eye-witness of what has been atchieved,that no circumstance of convenience or beauty may be unknownto him, and that he may be competent and able to bring to thewishes of his employers, every advantage that can be derived fromobservation, study, and taste.

Probably it will be putting this matter in a clearer light, todraw an analogy with two other professions similarly circum-stanced. An architect is to a builder, what a physician is toan apothecary. The physician, from study of the human frameand knowledge of the economy of the animal system, and of theproperties of the ingredients of medicine, and their action on thehuman frame, draws a prescription, suiting the patient’s case,which it is the business of the apothecary only to prepare andadminister. But there are not wanting instances, nay it is buttoo common, that many of the latter profession have usurped theplace of the former, from possessing only a mechanical know-ledge of pharmacy, and some little acquaintance with practice, inpartial cases, from the prescriptions of physicians. Numbershave but too fatally experienced the consequences of such illjudged application, when remedy was too late; and the properperson in either profession is then called in, only as it were to