nglish one: while the
former allows of and encourages architectural display, and indeed
requires a much more solid system of construction; but the latter leads
to the running up of cheap, slight, shabby-genteel houses, and represses
all attempts at external ornament as superfluous from its expense. Upon
this subject, we appeal to the experience of all who have dwelt for any
length of time on the Continent, not to those who merely run across the
water for six weeks or so, and come back as blind as they went; but
rather to those who have given themselves time and opportunity enough
for the film of national prejudice to wear away from before their eyes,
and have been at length able to use that natural good sense with which
most Englishmen are blessed by Providence. To them we would say, that
the plan of several families tenanting one large dwelling, clubbing
together, as it were, for the erection of a handsome and commodious
edifice, and just so far sacrificing their independence as to consent
occasionally to run up against their neighbour in the common court-yard,
or perchance to see his coat-tails whisking by their door up or down
stairs, is the more sensible of the two. There is practically a great
saving of walls, of spaces of support, as the architects term it, in
this plan: great saving in roofing; and, from the mere dimensions of the
building, a certain degree of grandeur is necessarily given to it. This
plan requires the edifice to be built court-fashion, and sometimes will
admit of a good garden being appended: it also requires that a most
useful servant, a porter, in a suitable lodge, should be kept by the
little social community; and every body knows what an useful body the
porter, or _concierge_, as the French call him, may be made. Just as
bachelors join together in clubs to the great promotion of their
individual comfort, and certainly to the outward advantage of a city, so
should families join together for their civic residences; they would all
derive benefit from their mutual support, and the appearance of a town
would be immediately improved.

We do not say that any joining together of houses should take place in
country, nor even in suburban residences. No; there let every man have a
house to himself; the foundation of the whole system is quite different:
and there is also a certain class of persons who should always have
separate dwellings in a town; but to these subjects we will revert on
another occasi