more powerful than the fragrance of the plants, therefore the conservatory should always be separated from the house by a lobby or small anti-room. But the greatest objection arises from its want of conformity to the neighbouring mansion, since it is difficult to make the glass roof of a conservatory architectural, whether Grecian or Gothic.

An arcade is ill adapted to the purpose, because by the form of an arch the light is excluded at the top, where it is most essential in a green-house, for this reason, the flat Gothic arch of Henry the Eighth is less objectionable, yet in such buildings we must suppose the roof to have been taken away to make room for glass; of this kind is the conservatory in front of Rendlesham House.

In the adaptation of ancient forms to modern uses and inventions, we are often under the necessity of deviating from the rules of true Gothic. Under such circumstances it is perhaps better to apply old expedients to new uses, than to invent a new and absurd stile of Gothic or Grecian architecture. At Plas-Newyd, where the house partakes of a Gothic character, I suggested the addition of a green-house, terminating a magnificent enfilade through a long line of principal apartments. The hint for this model is taken from the chapter rooms to some of our cathedrals, where an octagon roof is supported by a slender pillar in the middle, and if this were made of cast-iron, supporting the ribs of a roof of the same materials, there would be no great impropriety in filling the interstices with glass, while the side window frames might be removed entirely in summer, making a beautiful pavilion at that season when the plants being removed, a green-house is generally a deserted and unsightly object. The effect of this building by moonlight is shewn in the annexed sketch. And there are many summer evenings when such a pavilion would add new interest to the magnificent scenery of water and mountains with which Plas-Newyd every where abounds. P. 104.

In the ninth chapter, Mr. Repton proceeds to the defence of the art, or rather to his objections against regulating

* In a conversation I had the satisfaction to enjoy with the late carl of Orford, at Strawberry Hill, he shewed me the gradual progress of his knowledge in Gothic architecture by various specimens in that house, in which he had copied the forms of mouldings without always attending to the scale or comparative proportion; and his lordship's candour pointed out to me the errors he had at first committed. This error, in the imitators of Gothic, often arises from their not considering the difference of the materials with which they work: if in the mullions of a window, or the ribs of a ceiling, they copy in wood or plaster, ornaments originally of stone, they must preserve the same massive proportions, that were necessary in that material, or they must paint it like wood, and not like stone: but if the architects of former times had known the use we now make of cast-iron, we should have seen many beautiful effects of lightness in their works; and surely in our's, we may be allowed to introduce this new material for buildings, in the same manner that we may fairly suppose they would have done, had the invention been known in their time: but wherever cast-iron is used in the construction, it ought to be acknowledged as a support, either by gilding, or bronze, or any expedient that may shew it to be metal, and not wood or stone, otherwise it will appear unequal to its office,'

the science of landscape-gardening by the rules of the landscape-painter. This he executes very successfully.

The best painters in landscape have studied in Italy, or France, where the verdure of England is unknown: hence arises the habit acquired by the connoisseur of admiring brown tints and arid foregrounds in the pictures of Claude and Poussin, and from this cause he prefers the bistre sketches to the green paintings of Gainsborough. One of our best landscape painters studied in Ireland, where the soil is not so yellow as in England; and his pictures, however beautiful in design and composition, are always cold and chalky.

Autumn is the favourite season of study for landscape painters, when all nature verges towards decay, when the foliage changes its vivid green to brown and orange, and the lawns put on their russet hue. But the tints and verdant colouring of spring and summer will have superior charms to those who delight in the perfection of nature, without perhaps ever considering whether they are adapted to the painter's landscape.

It is not from the colouring only, but the general composition of landscapes, that the painter and landscape gardener will feel the difference in their respective arts; and although each may occasionally assist the other, yet I should no more advise the latter, in laying out the scenery of a place, to copy the confined field of vision, or affect the careless graces of Claude or Poussin, than I should recommend as a subject proper for a landscape painter the formal rows or quincunx position of trees in geometric gardening. It has been wittily observed, that "the works of nature are well executed, but in a bad taste;" this, I suppose, has arisen from the propensity of good taste, to display the works of nature to advantage; but it does not hence follow that art is to be the standard for nature's imitation; neither does it disgrace painting, to assert that nature may be rendered more pleasing than the finest picture; since the perfection of painting seldom aims at exact or individual representation of nature. A panorama gives a more natural idea of ships at sea, than the best picture of Vanderveld; but it has little merit as a painting, because it too nearly resembles the original, to please as an effort of imitative art. My sketches, if they were more highly finished, would be a sort of panorama, or fac simile, of the scenes they represent, in which little effect is attempted on the principle of composition in painting; but, like a profile shadow or sillouette, they may please as portraits, while they offend the connoisseur as paintings. The art I profess is of a higher nature than that of painting, and is thus very aptly described by a French author. "Il est la poesie et à la peinture ce que la réalité est à la description et l'original à la copie." P. 109.

These remarks are very judicious, and deserve attention: they are illustrated by some projected improvements at Sufton-Court and Attingham.

Ancient and modern gardening are next considered; but the remarks are few, and not very important. Mr. Repton

judges well in advising to preserve the terraces, particularly those belonging to houses which, from their venerable antiquity, render such an addition not unsuitable. Indeed to others they are often a great advantage; and we have been frequently disgusted, when, on surveying grounds with the latest improvements, we have been carried only through sheep-walks, each of us following his companion-for sheep-walks, by comparison, they were. The miscellaneous chapter is entertaining, rather than interesting. We are not particularly pleased with hiding the neat retired house with a Doric portico, nor with the open view of the cottage at Blaize Castle. On the whole, however, Mr. Repton's opinions and taste merit our commendation. What he minutely attends to, through the work, is proportion; not only of one part to another, but a general suitability, as it may be styled, of the parts to the whole. His defence of cottages, also, we read with pleasure; and his observations on ornaments are, in general, judicious.

Architecture forms the next part of the work; and Mr. Repton treats it with ability-the result of close attention. He is not minutely scientific; but his directions are referable to the comforts and conveniences of society in its present state. The style of buildings, in different æras, is well discriminated; and the Gothic ornaments, as in temper with the castle and the church, are properly distinguished. The aspect of a house he would direct towards the south. The Jesuits, who understood the comforts and the luxuries of this life better than any other men, preferred the east; and much is to be said in its favour, even in this climate. To see every object gilded through almost the whole of the day, without the glare or the heat of the sun, is, to us, no slight advantage. A library should have always an eastern aspect; and by trees, or other contrivances, the green rays should be almost exclusively reflected.

The style of a magnificent house should, in our author's opinion, be the Gothic, or, rather, consist of that extended varied front, to which courtesy, in these times, allows the appellation of Gothic. All within, is, however, to be modern; and no external parts are to be permitted, which will interfere with the light, the comforts, and conveniences, of the habitation. Two or three of our author's remarks, in favour of this style, we shall add.

5. This degree of irregularity seems often to have been studied in order to produce increased grandeur by an intricacy and variety of parts. A perfect correspondence of two sides assists the mind in grasping the whole of a design on viewing only one half; it therefore, in fact, lessens the apparent magnitude, while the difficulty with which dissimilar parts are viewed at once, increases the apparent dimensions, provided the eye be not distracted by too much variety.

The frequency of Gothic towers having been placed at a different angle with the walls of the chapel, must have been more than accident. The position of the tower at Magdalen, with respect to the chapel, is a circumstance of great beauty when seen from the centre of the cloisters, because two sides are shewn in perspective. And upon actual measurement it will be discovered that few quadrangular areas are correctly at right angles.

And lastly, The effect of perspective, and of viewing the parts of a building in succession, was either studied, or chance has given it a degree of interest, that makes it worthy to be studied: since every part of a building is best seen from certain points of view, and under certain relative circumstances of light, of aspect, of distance, or of comparative size.

The great scale on which Gothic architecture was generally executed, is one source of the grand impression it makes on the mind, since the most correct model of a cathedral would convey no idea of its grandeur. The false Gothic attempts of our modern villas, offend as much by their littleness as by the general incorrectness of detail.' P. 198.

A general idea prevails, that in most cases it is better to rebuild than repair a very old house, and the architect often finds less difficulty in making an entire new plan, than in adapting judicious alterations; but if a single fragment remains of the grandeur of former times, whether of a castle, an abbey, or even a house of the date of queen Elizabeth, I cannot too strongly inforce the propriety of preserving the original character of such antiquity, lest every hereditary mansion in the kingdom should dwindle into the insignificance of a modern villa.' P. 202.

The chapter on colours contains some minute observations of importance in the choice of furniture, &c.; with a very ingenious philosophic paper on the colour of shadows, by Mr. Milner. We are sorry that the extent to which discussions of this kind would lead us, prevents our enlarging on it. The subject, also, is only remotely referable to that before us.

On the whole, we have been highly pleased with this work; and, though far from agreeing with our author in all his positions, we think that they all merit strict attention, and an unbiassed examination. So much good sense, such careful and extensive observation, is perspicuous through the whole, that, where we differ, we distrust ourselves, rather than the writer's authority. We ought to add, that our extracts do not afford the most advantageous, or strictly, perhaps, a fair view of the work. The reason is, that many of the most valuable remarks are connected with its plates and descriptions of houses, which we could not render interesting, or often intelligible, without the same assistance. To give this information will, we trust, be alone sufficient to obviate any disadvantage that might otherwise result to the ingenious author from the plan we have been compelled to pursuc.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE.

POLITICS.

ART. 13.-The Parallel between England and Carthage, and between France and Rome, examined. By a Citizen of Dublin. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Murray. 1803.

WE have not yet seen a more animated or a more able philippic. With all the information which ancient history affords, and with an accuracy and extent of knowledge on this subject which few can boast, the citizen of Dublin' examines the foolish bombast of modern Frenchmen, in their comparison of England and France to Carthage and Rome,

Ut pueris placeant, et declamatio fiant.'

He shows, indeed, that France may be Rome, as it has been equally deceitful, cruel, and treacherous; but that England cannot be Carthage. In extent of dominion, indeed, in maritime supremacy, the parallel holds; but the government of England is not that of a senate, who can, at the will of one man, refer a question to the people: her battles are not fought by mercenaries; her expeditions are not paralysed by a faction. We cannot give the parallel or the contrast in stronger words than those of our author himself. With these we shall conclude our article.

in war.

France then, in the vices of her policy, resembles Rome; in a want of faith in treaty, and in a sanguinary and unnecessary cruelty In territory and population she is inferior to other European state's. Rome had no rival in either. France has a system of policy always fluctuating and governed by faction. Rome always pursued the same plan of policy, though she was governed by annual magistrates. While Rome was spreading her conquests over the world, she was regulated individually by a sense of order, fru gality, and morality. France is now practising the vices and the profligacy which sunk the Roman eagles in the dust. Rome in her wars has always been victorious. France in the last 120 years has lost a greater number of battles than she gained, and in almost every war she has been compelled to solicit peace. The impulse of a nation impelled the acts of Rome. The varying, capricious passions of an individual impel the acts of France. In all the points of virtue and of glory the parallel fails on the part of France.

Carthage is a favourite comparison in the eye of the first consul, because Carthage has been destroyed. But Britain is not like Carthage. We have a constitution and a system of law; a constitution formed by the wisdom of our ancestors, maintained by their valour, and confirmed by their virtue. We have laws made by ourselves, emanating from the general interest and the general will.