s a regularly planned, mechanical, well-disciplined
building; each of its parts answering to its opposite, each of its
ornaments matched with similarity. The Italian (where it has no high
pretense to architectural beauty) is a rambling and irregular edifice,
varied with uncorresponding masses: and the mind of the Italian we find
similarly irregular, a thing of various and ungovernable impulse,
without fixed principle of action; the Englishman's, regular and uniform
in its emotions, steady in its habits, and firm even in its most trivial
determinations.

160. Lastly, the size of the whole is diminutive, compared with the
villas of the south, in which the effect was always large and general.
Here the eye is drawn into the investigation of particular points, and
miniature details; just as, in comparing the English and Continental
cottages, we found the one characterized by a minute finish, and the
other by a massive effect, exactly correspondent with the scale of the
features and scenery of their respective localities.

161. It appears, then, from a consideration of these several points,
that, in our antiquated style of villa architecture, some national
feeling may be discovered; but in any buildings now raised there is no
character whatever: all is ridiculous imitation, and despicable
affectation; and it is much to be lamented, that now, when a great deal
of public attention has been directed to architecture on the part of the
public, more efforts are not made to turn that attention from mimicking
Swiss _chalets_, to erecting English houses. We need not devote more
time to the investigation of _purely_ domestic English architecture,
though we hope to derive much instruction and pleasure from the
contemplation of buildings partly adapted for defense, and partly for
residence. The introduction of the means of defense is, however, a
distinction which we do not wish at present to pass over; and therefore,
in our next paper, we hope to conclude the subject of the villa, by a
few remarks on the style now best adapted for English scenery.

V.

THE ENGLISH VILLA.--PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION.

162. It has lately become a custom, among the more enlightened and
refined of metropolitan shopkeepers, to advocate the cause of propriety
in architectural decoration, by ensconcing their shelves, counters, and
clerks in classical edifices, agreeably ornamented with ingenious
devices, typical of the class of articles to which the