er just their taste may be in criticism, it will fail in creation.
It is only in moments of ease and amusement that they will think of
their villa: they make it a mere plaything, and regard it with a kind of
petty exultation, which, from its very nature, will give liberty to the
light fancy, rather than the deep feeling, of the mind. It is not
thought necessary to bestow labor of thought, and periods of
deliberation, on one of the toys of life; still less to undergo the
vexation of thwarting wishes, and leaving favorite imaginations,
relating to minor points, unfulfilled, for the sake of general effect.

168. This feeling, then, is the first to which we would direct
attention, as the villa architect's chief enemy: he will find it
perpetually and provokingly in his way. He is requested, perhaps, by a
man of great wealth, nay, of established taste in some points, to make a
design for a villa in a lovely situation. The future proprietor carries
him upstairs to his study, to give him what he calls his "ideas and
materials," and, in all probability, begins somewhat thus:--"This, sir,
is a slight note: I made it on the spot: approach to Villa Reale, near
Pozzuoli. Dancing nymphs, you perceive; cypresses, shell fountain. I
think I should like something like this for the approach: classical, you
perceive, sir; elegant, graceful. Then, sir, this is a sketch, made by
an American friend of mine: Whee-whaw-Kantamaraw's wigwam, King of
the--Cannibal Islands, I think he said, sir. Log, you observe; scalps,
and boa-constrictor skins: curious. Something like this, sir, would look
neat, I think, for the front door; don't you? Then, the lower windows,
I've not quite decided upon; but what would you say to Egyptian, sir? I
think I should like my windows Egyptian, with hieroglyphics, sir; storks
and coffins, and appropriate moldings above: I brought some from
Fountains Abbey the other day. Look here, sir; angels' heads putting
their tongues out, rolled up in cabbage leaves, with a dragon on each
side riding on a broomstick, and the devil looking on from the mouth of
an alligator, sir.[32] Odd, I think; interesting. Then the corners may
be turned by octagonal towers, like the center one in Kenilworth Castle;
with Gothic doors, portcullis, and all, quite perfect; with cross slits
for arrows, battlements for musketry, machicolations for boiling lead,
and a room at the top for drying plums; and the conservatory at the
bottom, sir, with Virginia