SECTION II.

“ In the 16 th century the noblemen’s mansions began to relax from fortified castles into socialhalls; and as self-defence was not so immediately the object of thought, conveniencetook its place: happily, the manners of the baron visibly softened as his windows en-larged ; the vigilant warder no longer attended his gate, and his dungeon becameuntenanted and useless.”

The following Plate I., is an attempt to combine modern con-

venience with the splendour of an ancient quadrangular form. Thewindows, instead of looking into a court, as they were wont, for security,and when the charms of landscape were not felt, or if felt, disregarded,are turned outwards, and the chief apartments so arranged as to alloweach to have its proper aspect. The suite, which forms three sides of aquadrangle, comprises a private room, library, great chamber or drawing-room, music-room, parlour, hall or dining-chamber, (with a minstrel’sgallery* over the recess for the “ cupboard,”)f house-keeper’s room, &c.all opening into a corridor, continued as an open cloister on the fourth oreast side, and thus completing the figure. The domestic offices are onthe north side in a lesser court: their extent would of course be regulatedby the scale of the proprietor’s establishment. Care must, however, be

* So late as the reign of Elizabeth, minstrels were retained in the houses of the greatfamilies. It appears by the Northumberland household-book, that the earl kept three, viz.“ a taberett, a luyte, and a rebecc.” Though unnecessary in our time, owing to the change ofmanners, this gallery is not only ornamental, but applicable to other useful purposes,t See observations on furniture, Section V.