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   In every attempt to decorate, it is of great importance to consider the
comparative size and the ultimate object of the house or apartment.     
 That
style which is admirably suited for one class of buildings, is altogether
inap-
propriate for another; and we must, therefore, before we can give an opinion
of the styles adopted by any nation, ascertain the habits of the people,
and
the character of their structures.   Acting upon this principle, it is impor-
tant that we should ascertain the extent and arrangement of the houses or
villas, in the decoration of which the Romans expended their talent and
wealth, before we describe the several styles adopted in their domestic archi-
tecture.
   All the Roman villas of which we have any account, were large and
superb structures, and were constructed of stone or brick, in some one of
the
orders of architecture, with a rigid regard to the ordonnance of the style.
It
has consequently been supposed by some writers, that the word villa was
confined in its application to large mansions in rural situations; but with
what
reason the term has been thus restricted in its meaning, we do not know.
That 'all the villas which are spoken of and described by ancient authors
were of immense extent, and finished in the most sumptuous manner, without
regard to expense, must be admitted; but it does not follow that all Roman
villas were as large and as sumptuously decorated. On the other hand, there
is reason to believe, that they were exceptions, and that they would not
have
been described with so much minuteness had they been merely varieties of
a
certain class of buildings, commonly possessed by wealthy, noble, or luxuriant
citizens.  We can, however, only describe those which are mentioned in the
writings of the ancients.   Of the external appearance of these buildings
we
need not speak in this volume, as the decorator has, properly speaking, nothing
to do with the exterior of a building.   It will therefore be sufficient
to say,
that these villas were of a commanding and elegant form, and would probably
have been called palaces by modern observers, had even their ruins remained
to the present day.