and in the forms of the mouldings employed, the same as the common vernacular styles with which our workmen are familiar.

They are described by Mr. Ridge somewhat as follows: "The Queen Anne revival shows the influence of the group of styles known as the Elizabethan, Jacobite, and the style of Francis I., which are now indeed to be arranged under the general head of 'free classic;' but it has also been influenced by what is known as the 'cottage architecture' of that period."

These cottages, which were cominon in the home counties, are partly timbered, partly covered with tile hangings, and have tall and spacious chimneys of considerable merit. They have really nothing by which to fix their date. Their details partook strongly of the classic character, while the boldness of their outline bore striking resemblance to the picturesque and ever-varying Gothic. Nevertheless, they were very genuine and striking buildings, and have been taken freely as suggestions upon which to work by Mr. Norman Shaw, in Leyswood, Cragside, and a house at Harrow Weald, which are certainly some of the most beautiful and suitable specimens of modern cottage architecture in England; and those erected by the British Government at the Centennial Grounds at Philadelphia are adequate illustrations of this style.

I have frequently noticed that whereas formerly the introduction of any novelty excited a certain amount of adverse criticism, that it took some time to remove (such as "All Souls," in Fourth Avenue, which, though a good specimen of Italian Gothic, bore for years the sobriquet of the "Beefsteak Church"), the Queen Anne, from its thorough adaptability to the uses to which it was applied, seemed never to call forth. any comment of this kind, and, as an evident exponent of domestic requirements, became popular at once, not only among the educated, but even among the rustic population.

Mr. J. J. Stevenson, one of the most celebrated architects in England, in his admirable article in the January number of Harper's Magazine (1876), after styling Gothic as the "artistic expression of an obsolete mode of construction," and proving most conclusively the inappropriateness of this style for domestic uses, concludes as follows: "As there is a common language which every one more or less understands, so there is a common architecture which arose with the growth of modern thought, and has been the architectural style of the country for the last three centuries, which every builder naturally follows, which every workman has been apprenticed to, and more or less understands. But while our language has been kept up to a reasonable mark of artistic excellence by a high standard

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of criticism and the constant effort of educated minds, our vernacular architecture is characterized by the vulgarity and commonplaceness of the men in whose hands it has been left. The interest of refined and educated minds for the last thirty years has been directed, not to improving the vernacular style, but to the hopeless attempt of supplanting it by another (the Gothic), which appeared at first to flourish, but has not taken root in the soil of the country."

Now, this vernacular style is precisely what this book is intended to advocate, it being none other than the free classic, or Queen Anne.

In America it is the privilege of nearly all classes to build for themselves homes in the country, where, for such rent as they would pay for a flat or tenement in town, they can secure an entire house with sufficient ground for a garden and ornamental lawn; and, if not immediately in a village, sufficient acres can be obtained to afford the luxury of a horse and cow, the products of the little farm going far toward the support of an extra man, and with good management may be made a source of profit also.

Railroads and steamboats have now become so numerous that all classes, from the humblest mechanic to the wealthy banker, can have their homes in the country, reaching them in about the same time and as cheaply-or nearly so-as the old omnibus ride from the City Hall to the upper part of the city. It is not an occasion of wonder, then, that there are so many ready to avail themselves of this rapid transit, and that we see studded along the lines of our railroads picturesque and cheerful homes, where the heads of families are not only recuperating from the deleterious effects of the confinement of city life, but are, with the aid of fresh air and wholesome food, laying the foundation for greater strength and increased happiness for their children.

The following is quoted from the New York Herald of April 19th, 1877: "New York is gradually, year by year, becoming the home of the very rich and very poor. The middle classes are surely, rapidly, and permanently removing to the neighboring localities; the ample railroad facilities to all places embracing a radius of twenty miles around the city, together with cheap rents, pure air, and freedom from infectious diseases caused by dirty streets and other causes prevailing in large cities, tending to make residences in such places more and more sought for every year by old New York residents."

In the selection of a site, of course, the sanitary considerations are paramount. Next should be the advantage of fine scenery. Our country abounds in beautiful ocean, river, and mountain views, equal to, if not

surpassing, those of Europe. Yet how seldom is this considered in locating our homes! It is too often the case that an unattractive, barren spot is selected inland, apart from views, devoid of trees or other natural beauties. If a pretty pond or brook should enliven the scene, the former is probably filled up, or, at least, stoned around like a dock, and the brook is, as likely as not, turned into a sewer. Of course there are reasons why these beautiful sites cannot always be chosen. One is, they are apt to be lonely. Society is a consideration, and society, strange to say, will not bear you out in the love for the picturesque; so that your family must either possess superior resources within themselves, or have the means of entertaining largely in order to find contentment in the "Happy Valley."

There is a method adopted in England, however, by which fine scenery and agreeable company may not be incompatible. It is by a number of families clubbing together, and procuring an attractive spot, filled with shady nooks and pleasant streams, which, by mutual agreements and some slight restrictions, can be laid out in a picturesque manner for building.

The park system has been attempted in this country, but hitherto it has generally failed of success, for the reason that the projectors lacked

the knowledge necessary to select the locations, to say nothing of laying out or conducting the parks when complete. Instead of employing an educated landscape-gardener, who would take advantage of its topography, and with care and judgment would accommodate the roads to the natural curves and best positions for building, they are satisfied if only an outline survey be made, the roads laid out on the checker-board pattern, and the lots numbered in the auctioneer's office. The proprietors then cause the place to be extensively advertised, and the lots sold to the highest bidder. The result is that the ground is seldom improved, because one does not know who his next-door neighbor may be, or what he may do; or if one has the temerity to build and settle, he finds the roads are left to grow up with weeds, and there are no funds to keep them in order; moreover, he discovers that none of the owners intends building, as each has bought only on speculation, and will not sell unless for extravagant prices. Like the dog in the manger, these speculative owners neither improve the land nor allow any one else to do so.

Now, as parks on this system have hitherto proved a failure, could not the community plan be adopted, combining real business and real taste, making judicious laws and restrictions simply with the view of facilitating improvements and keeping up the enterprise? Of course the value of this would not be solely of a social character; for if each one takes pains to keep up his own place and contributes to the care of the roads, he enjoys the advantages of cultivated surroundings as if the whole were his private estate. It has been objected that, by this method, they experience too much restraint; that all their ground is common lawn; that they cannot keep a horse or cow, etc. But there can be no objection to having each place enclosed, though pains should be taken to have a tasteful barrier. All kinds of fencing would not be suitable for a park. An inexpensive plain wire-work painted the color of the grass, so as to be as nearly invisible as possible, would be the most appropriate.

Perhaps as satisfactory a way of arranging these conditions would be to submit all plans of improvement to the censorship of a commission; but it would be wisest to have as little constraint as possible, for men of education and taste in our day seldom go very wide of the mark. No one is expected to grow potatoes on his lawn, or build a barn in front of his house.

DESIGN No. 1.

1. Porch; 2. Main hall; 3. Kitchen, 10×17; 4. Living-room, 10×12.—Estimated cost, $2200.

In this series of cottages, it would, perhaps, be appropriate to commence with the gate entrance, in connection with the porter's lodge, at the entrance of such a park as we have just described, in which we might expect to find, each on its appropriate site, the following designs.

The lodge should not be so large or conspicuous as to be mistaken for the mansion, but should be more simple in its architecture, although ac

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cording sufficiently with it to show its relationship. For this reason we build the foundation only of brick, while the first story is of less pretentious material. Here the simple clapboard construction appears; and to give it variety and, at the same time, to show its connection with the mansion, the second story is covered with cut ornamental shingles, while the roof should be of slate. One of the most important requirements is that there should be an agreeable effect of color. Let, therefore, the clapboards on the first story be of French gray-a color harmonizing with the brick-the shingles buff, and, if the house be well shaded, the trimmings might be of Indian red with black chamfers. If there is not much shade, however, a kind of salmon color with Indian-red chamfers would appear well: the roof to be of dark or red slate. Red for roofs seems to be growing much in favor, and some of the quarries in Vermont are producing admirable slates for this purpose; but the introduction of various colors I consider objectionable, as it is apt to destroy the repose, and appears frivolous.

Ground-plan for Design No. 1.

The chimney, being of red brick, unpainted, might be relieved occasionally with brick of dark color, or even black.

As black bricks are difficult to procure in this country, the following recipe for producing them, by T. M. C., taken from the American Architect, may be valuable:

Black Bricks. The black bricks used about Boston are colored by heating red-hot, and dipping the exposed surface into a pan containing half an inch or so of melted coaltar. Soft bricks are the best. Hard bricks or hard spots prevent the tar from penetrating the surface, as it should do, to a depth of one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an iuch, and the coating peels off.