1the Things neceſſary and uſeful to the Family.
The Family conſiſts of the following Perſons:
The Husband, the Wife, their Children and
Relations, and all the different Sorts of Ser
vants attendant upon theſe; beſides which,
Gueſts too are to be reckoned as Part of the
Family. The Things uſeſul to the Family are
Proviſions and all Manner of Neceſſaries, ſuch
as Cloths, Arms, Books, and Horſes alſo. The
principal Member of the whole Building, is
that which (whatever Names others may give
it) I ſhall call the Court-yard with its Portico;
next to this is the Parlour, within this the Bed
chambers, and laſtly, the private Rooms for
the particular Uſes of each Perſon in the Fa
mily. The other Members of the Houſe are
ſufficiently known by their Uſes. The Court
yard therefore is the principal Member, to
which all the other ſmaller Members muſt cor
reſpond, as being in a Manner a publick Mar
ket-place to the whole Houſe, which from this
Court-yard derives all the Advantages of Com
munication and Light. For this Reaſon every
one deſires to have his Court-yard as ſpacious,
large, open, handſome and convenient as poſ
ſible. Some content themſelves with one Court
yard, others are for having more, and for en
cloſing them all with very high Walls, or ſome
with higher and ſome with lower; and they
are for having them ſome covered and others
open, and others again half covered and half
uncovered; in ſome they would have a Portico
only on one Side, in others on two or more,
and in others all round; and theſe Porticoes,
laſtly, ſome would build with flat, others with
arched Rooſs. Upon theſe Heads I have no
thing more to ſay, but that Regard muſt be had
to the Climate and Seaſon, and to Neceſſity
and Convenience; ſo as in cold Countries to
ward againſt the bleak North-wind, and the
Severity of the Air and Soil; and in hot Cli
mates, to avoid the troubleſome and ſcorching
Rays of the Sun. Admit the pleaſanteſt
Breezes on all Sides, and ſuch a grateſul Quan
tity of Light as is neceſſary; but do not let
your Court-yard be expoſed to any noxious
Vapours exhaled from any damp Place, nor to
frequent haſty Showers from ſome overlooking
Hill in the Neighbourhood. Exactly anſwer
ing the Middle of your Court-yard place your
Entrance, with a handſome Veſtibule, neither
narrow, difficult or obſcure. Let the firſt Room
that offers itſelf be a Chapel dedicated to God,
with its Altar, where Strangers and Gueſts may
offer their Devotions, beginning their Friend
ſhip by Religion; and where the Father of the
Family may put up his Prayers for the Peace
of his Houſe and the Welfare of his Relations.
Here let him embrace thoſe who come to viſit
him, and if any Cauſe be referred to him by his
Friends, or he has any other ſerious Buſineſs
of that Nature to tranſact, let him do it in this
Place. Nothing is handſomer in the Middle
of the Portico, than Windows of Glaſs, through
which you may receive the Pleaſure either of
Sun or Air, according to the Seaſon. Martial
ſays, that Windows looking to the South, re
ceive a pure Sun and a clear Light; and the
Ancients thought it beſt to place their Porti
coes fronting the South, becauſe the Sun in
Summer running his Courſe higher, did not
throw in his Rays, where they would enter in
Winter. The Proſpect of Hills to the South,
when thoſe Hills, on the Side which you have
a View of, are continually covered with Clouds
and Vapours, is not very pleaſant, if they are
at a great Diſtance; and if they are near, and
in a Manner juſt over your Head, they will
incommode you with chill Shadows and cold
Rimes; but if they are at a convenient Dif
tance, they are both pleaſant and convenient,
becauſe they defend you from the ſouthern
Winds. Hills towards the North reverberating
the Rays of the Sun, encreaſe the Heat; but at
a pretty good Diſtance, they are very delight
ful, becauſe the Clearneſs of the Air, which is
always ſerene in ſuch a Situation, and the
Brightneſs of the Sun, which it always enjoys,
is extremely chearful to the Sight. Hills to the
Eaſt and ſo likewiſe to the Weſt, will make
your Mornings cold and the Dews plentiſul,
if they are near you; but both, if at ſome toler
able Diſtance, are wonderfully Pleaſant. So
too, Rivers and Lakes are inconvenient if too
near, and afford no Delight, if too far off:
Whereas, on the Contrary, the Sea, if it is at
a large Diſtance, makes both your Air and Sun
unhealthy; but when it is cloſe to you, it does
you leſs Harm, becauſe then you have always
an Equality in your Air. Indeed there is this
to be ſaid, that when it is at a great Diſtance,
it encreaſes the Deſire we have to ſee it. There
is a good Deal too in the Point to which we
lie open to it: For if you are expoſed to the
Sea towards the South, it ſcorches you; if to
wards the Eaſt, it infeſts you with Damps; if
to the Weſt, it makes your Air cloudy and full
of Vapours; and if to the North, it chills you
with exceſſive Cold. From the Court-yard
we proceed to the Parlours, which muſt be
The Family conſiſts of the following Perſons:
The Husband, the Wife, their Children and
Relations, and all the different Sorts of Ser
vants attendant upon theſe; beſides which,
Gueſts too are to be reckoned as Part of the
Family. The Things uſeſul to the Family are
Proviſions and all Manner of Neceſſaries, ſuch
as Cloths, Arms, Books, and Horſes alſo. The
principal Member of the whole Building, is
that which (whatever Names others may give
it) I ſhall call the Court-yard with its Portico;
next to this is the Parlour, within this the Bed
chambers, and laſtly, the private Rooms for
the particular Uſes of each Perſon in the Fa
mily. The other Members of the Houſe are
ſufficiently known by their Uſes. The Court
yard therefore is the principal Member, to
which all the other ſmaller Members muſt cor
reſpond, as being in a Manner a publick Mar
ket-place to the whole Houſe, which from this
Court-yard derives all the Advantages of Com
munication and Light. For this Reaſon every
one deſires to have his Court-yard as ſpacious,
large, open, handſome and convenient as poſ
ſible. Some content themſelves with one Court
yard, others are for having more, and for en
cloſing them all with very high Walls, or ſome
with higher and ſome with lower; and they
are for having them ſome covered and others
open, and others again half covered and half
uncovered; in ſome they would have a Portico
only on one Side, in others on two or more,
and in others all round; and theſe Porticoes,
laſtly, ſome would build with flat, others with
arched Rooſs. Upon theſe Heads I have no
thing more to ſay, but that Regard muſt be had
to the Climate and Seaſon, and to Neceſſity
and Convenience; ſo as in cold Countries to
ward againſt the bleak North-wind, and the
Severity of the Air and Soil; and in hot Cli
mates, to avoid the troubleſome and ſcorching
Rays of the Sun. Admit the pleaſanteſt
Breezes on all Sides, and ſuch a grateſul Quan
tity of Light as is neceſſary; but do not let
your Court-yard be expoſed to any noxious
Vapours exhaled from any damp Place, nor to
frequent haſty Showers from ſome overlooking
Hill in the Neighbourhood. Exactly anſwer
ing the Middle of your Court-yard place your
Entrance, with a handſome Veſtibule, neither
narrow, difficult or obſcure. Let the firſt Room
that offers itſelf be a Chapel dedicated to God,
with its Altar, where Strangers and Gueſts may
offer their Devotions, beginning their Friend
ſhip by Religion; and where the Father of the
Family may put up his Prayers for the Peace
of his Houſe and the Welfare of his Relations.
Here let him embrace thoſe who come to viſit
him, and if any Cauſe be referred to him by his
Friends, or he has any other ſerious Buſineſs
of that Nature to tranſact, let him do it in this
Place. Nothing is handſomer in the Middle
of the Portico, than Windows of Glaſs, through
which you may receive the Pleaſure either of
Sun or Air, according to the Seaſon. Martial
ſays, that Windows looking to the South, re
ceive a pure Sun and a clear Light; and the
Ancients thought it beſt to place their Porti
coes fronting the South, becauſe the Sun in
Summer running his Courſe higher, did not
throw in his Rays, where they would enter in
Winter. The Proſpect of Hills to the South,
when thoſe Hills, on the Side which you have
a View of, are continually covered with Clouds
and Vapours, is not very pleaſant, if they are
at a great Diſtance; and if they are near, and
in a Manner juſt over your Head, they will
incommode you with chill Shadows and cold
Rimes; but if they are at a convenient Dif
tance, they are both pleaſant and convenient,
becauſe they defend you from the ſouthern
Winds. Hills towards the North reverberating
the Rays of the Sun, encreaſe the Heat; but at
a pretty good Diſtance, they are very delight
ful, becauſe the Clearneſs of the Air, which is
always ſerene in ſuch a Situation, and the
Brightneſs of the Sun, which it always enjoys,
is extremely chearful to the Sight. Hills to the
Eaſt and ſo likewiſe to the Weſt, will make
your Mornings cold and the Dews plentiſul,
if they are near you; but both, if at ſome toler
able Diſtance, are wonderfully Pleaſant. So
too, Rivers and Lakes are inconvenient if too
near, and afford no Delight, if too far off:
Whereas, on the Contrary, the Sea, if it is at
a large Diſtance, makes both your Air and Sun
unhealthy; but when it is cloſe to you, it does
you leſs Harm, becauſe then you have always
an Equality in your Air. Indeed there is this
to be ſaid, that when it is at a great Diſtance,
it encreaſes the Deſire we have to ſee it. There
is a good Deal too in the Point to which we
lie open to it: For if you are expoſed to the
Sea towards the South, it ſcorches you; if to
wards the Eaſt, it infeſts you with Damps; if
to the Weſt, it makes your Air cloudy and full
of Vapours; and if to the North, it chills you
with exceſſive Cold. From the Court-yard
we proceed to the Parlours, which muſt be
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