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FRAGMENT VI.
ON CASTLES.
IT has been frequently observed, that an Artist's fame must
depend on what he has written or designed, rather than on the
imperfect manner in which his works have been executed. The
annexed sketch is a picturesque attempt to add a House and
Garden to a romantic situation, near the head of a spring, which
spreads its waters through the whole course of a narrow but
richly clothed valley. The old Mansion was so deeply placed
in the bottom, that the sun could never cheer it during the
winter months; I proposed, therefore, that a part of this old
building should remain as offices, and a new suite of rooms be
built on a higher level: and although it was deemed more ex-
pedient to add to the old house, this airy castle rose in my
imagination; I will therefore avail myself of this imaginary
specimen to explain certain leading principles, for -all of which
combined I can refer to no irregular Gothic buildings, except
such as are in ruins; for although many attempts have recently
been made to produce modern Gothic Castles, yet the great,
principle on which the picturesque effect of all Gothic edifices
must depend, has too generally been overlooked: viz. irregu-
* larity of outline; first, at the top by towers, and pinnacles or
chimneys; secondly, in the outline of the faces or elevations, by
projections and recesses; thirdly, in the outline of the apertures,
by breaking the horizontal lines with windows of different