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forms and heights; and lastly, in the outline of the base, by
the building being placed on ground of different levels. To all
these must be added, detached buildings, which tend to spread
the locality, and extend the importance of the principal pile, in
which some one feature ought to rise boldly above the rest of the
irregular mass, while the whole should be broken, but not too
much frittered into parts by smaller towers, or clusters of lofty
chimneys. After all, no building can appear truly picturesque,
unless in its outline the design be enriched by vegetation (such
as ivy, or other creeping plants); and the colouring, by those
weather stains, which time alone can throw over the works of
Art, to blend them with the works of Nature, and bring the
united composition into pleasing harmony.
The usual manner in which books of Architecture have
represented the elevations of buildings has been either geome-
trically, without perspective to denote the projecting and reced-
ing parts, or else perspectively as a bird's eye view supposed to
be taken from     an imaginary spot in the air. However intel-
ligible these may be to professed Architects, they are as little
comprehended by general observers, as the ground plan of a
building by those who are not ashamed to acknowledge they
do not understand a plan.*
* The antiquities of this country, and the beauties of Gothic outline, have been of
late more forcibly elucidated by various picturesque works; of which, that by Hearne
and Byrne took the lead; and I cannot omit a tribute to the beautiful combination of
correct Gothic Remains and Landscape Scenery displayed in the Antiquities of England
published by Mr. Britton. These works have already been followed by many other
ingenious productions, tending to increase the knowledge of English Antiquities, and
the study of picturesque effect.