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Plaw, John, 1744 or 5-1820 / Sketches for country houses, villas, and rural dwellings; calculated for persons of moderate income, and for comfortable retirement.
(1800)
Preface., pp. [3]-8
Page [3]
'IFHIE flattering reception my two former Works of Defigns for Buildings
have experienced from a generous Public, calls for my beft thanks, and
leads
me to hope that the one now -offered will not be unwelcome, and that it
will add
a ufeful variety to the fimilar works already publiffhed. The efforts of
the mind
areeve pogrffve and it is only by a fleady ,perfeverance in the pruto
. ar e erVor ufi
f
knowled-gre we can hope to attain to any degree of perfe~tion.
I beg leave to obferve, the following Defigns are conftru~ed on the
principles
of fymmetry and correfpondence of parts; bccaufe I am aware fomne perfons
think Dwellings on an humble. fcale, and Cottages, ought r'ather to be
irregular in
their forms, and broken in their parts, taking certain ftrudures for examples,-,
which, in my opinion, fhould rather ferve as beacons of danger, wtrnings
of
bad tafte. What man of genius would think of building a new Houfe, having
the patchwork and bungling appearance of an old one? Such, to be confiftent,.
will no doubt add the props and thores ufually attendant on fuch firudur'es..
As I have good reafon to believe the few admirers of fuch crude fuggeftions
for Habitations, are, from experience, aware of the unfitnefs and unprofitable-
nefs of fuch buildings, I fhall leave them to their own condemnation,
obferving
only, that in the habitations of Man it is proper and neceffary to combine
the
utile with the dulce.
To me it appears, that the moft fimple forms and finifbings, whether
in the
Greek or Gothic ftyle, are beft, which have convenience within a fiall
compafsd
not to exceed the bounds that are fufficlient and comfortable; the general
ap-
pearance fnug, low, compaa, and dreffed in artlefs and unaffeted attire:
fuch,
in m idea, apprvach neareft to the true Cottage or comfortable Retreat,.
whether
te Imboffm'da high upon the mountain's brow,.
Or noddingio'er theireamthatglides belowf"
T he
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