1ons, ordained that no Houſe ſhould be more
than one Story high: To which Regulations a
Country-houſe is not ſubject. It was reckoned
one of the Glories of Babylon, that their Houſes
had Inhabitants in the fourth Story. Ælius
Ariſtides, the Orator, praiſing Rome in a pub
lick Oration, cried it up as a miraculous Work
of the Romans to have built upon great Houſes
other Houſes as great: a handſome Piece of
Flattery; but it ſhewed the Numerouſneſs of
the People much more than the Magnificence
of the Buildings themſelves. We are told that
in Height of Houſes the City of Rome was out
done by Tyre, which by that means was former
ly very near being wholly deſtroyed by Earth
quakes. It is one very great Beauty and Con
venience in a Building to have no more Aſcents
and Deſcents in it than are abſolutely neceſſary;
and it is certainly a very true Saying, that
Stairs are nothing but Incumbrances to a Houſe,
from which Incumbrances I find the Ancients
were very ſtudious to keep clear. But in the
Country there is no Manner of Neceſſity for
ſetting one Houſe thus upon another: For on
ly taking a larger Platform we may make
whatever Conveniencies we think fit upon the
ſame Floor; which I ſhould like extremely
well in Town too, if it could be had. There
is another Sort of private Houſes, in which the
Dignity of the Town-houſe, and the Delights
and Pleaſures of the Country-houſe are both
required; of which we ſaid nothing in the for
mer Books, reſerving it purpoſely for this very
Place: And theſe are the Pleaſure-houſes juſt
without the Town, or the Villa's which are by
no means to be paſſed by without ſome Obſer
vations, though I ſhall be as brief in them as
poſſible. Accordingly I ſhall here lay together
all that I have to ſay of each of theſe three
Sorts of Structures, and firſt of the Villa cloſe
to the Town. The Saying among the Anci
ents, Let him that buys a Country-houſe ſell
his Houſe in Town, and let him that has Buſi
neſs in Town, never think of a Houſe in the
Country, ſeems to imply, that a Villa near
Town is extremely convenient. The Phyſici
ans adviſe us to dwell in the cleareſt and open
eſt Air that we can find; and there is no room
to doubt but a Country-houſe ſeated upon an
Eminence, muſt of Courſe be the Beſt: But
then on the other Hand, the Maſter of a Fa
mily, upon account of his private Buſineſs, or
the publick Affairs, may be obliged to be often
in the City; for which Purpoſe a Houſe in
Town ſeems neceſſary: But then as the former
is inconvenient for Buſineſs, ſo the latter is
prejudicial to the Health. It is a common
Thing for the Generals of Armies to remove
their Camps often, to avoid being incommod
ed by ill Smells: What can we think then of a
great City, where ſuch vaſt Quantities of Filth,
and ſo long kept, are continually exhaling their
offenſive Steams? To reconcile this Dilemma
therefore, I do not think that of all the Struc
tures which are raiſed for the Conveniency of
Mankind, there is any ſo commodious or ſo
healthy as the Villa; which at the ſame Time
as it lies in the Way for Buſineſs, is not wholly
deſtitute of pure Air. Cicero deſired his Friend
Atticus to build him a Villa in a Place of emi
nent Note: But I, for my Part, am not for ha
ving it in a Place of ſuch Reſort, that I muſt
never venture to appear at my Door without
being compleatly dreſſed. I would have it
afford me the Pleaſure which the old Gentle
man in Terence boaſts he enjoyed, of being never
tired either with the Town or Country. Martial
too gives a very juſt Deſcription of his Way of
Living in ſuch a Villa.
than one Story high: To which Regulations a
Country-houſe is not ſubject. It was reckoned
one of the Glories of Babylon, that their Houſes
had Inhabitants in the fourth Story. Ælius
Ariſtides, the Orator, praiſing Rome in a pub
lick Oration, cried it up as a miraculous Work
of the Romans to have built upon great Houſes
other Houſes as great: a handſome Piece of
Flattery; but it ſhewed the Numerouſneſs of
the People much more than the Magnificence
of the Buildings themſelves. We are told that
in Height of Houſes the City of Rome was out
done by Tyre, which by that means was former
ly very near being wholly deſtroyed by Earth
quakes. It is one very great Beauty and Con
venience in a Building to have no more Aſcents
and Deſcents in it than are abſolutely neceſſary;
and it is certainly a very true Saying, that
Stairs are nothing but Incumbrances to a Houſe,
from which Incumbrances I find the Ancients
were very ſtudious to keep clear. But in the
Country there is no Manner of Neceſſity for
ſetting one Houſe thus upon another: For on
ly taking a larger Platform we may make
whatever Conveniencies we think fit upon the
ſame Floor; which I ſhould like extremely
well in Town too, if it could be had. There
is another Sort of private Houſes, in which the
Dignity of the Town-houſe, and the Delights
and Pleaſures of the Country-houſe are both
required; of which we ſaid nothing in the for
mer Books, reſerving it purpoſely for this very
Place: And theſe are the Pleaſure-houſes juſt
without the Town, or the Villa's which are by
no means to be paſſed by without ſome Obſer
vations, though I ſhall be as brief in them as
poſſible. Accordingly I ſhall here lay together
all that I have to ſay of each of theſe three
Sorts of Structures, and firſt of the Villa cloſe
to the Town. The Saying among the Anci
ents, Let him that buys a Country-houſe ſell
his Houſe in Town, and let him that has Buſi
neſs in Town, never think of a Houſe in the
Country, ſeems to imply, that a Villa near
Town is extremely convenient. The Phyſici
ans adviſe us to dwell in the cleareſt and open
eſt Air that we can find; and there is no room
to doubt but a Country-houſe ſeated upon an
Eminence, muſt of Courſe be the Beſt: But
then on the other Hand, the Maſter of a Fa
mily, upon account of his private Buſineſs, or
the publick Affairs, may be obliged to be often
in the City; for which Purpoſe a Houſe in
Town ſeems neceſſary: But then as the former
is inconvenient for Buſineſs, ſo the latter is
prejudicial to the Health. It is a common
Thing for the Generals of Armies to remove
their Camps often, to avoid being incommod
ed by ill Smells: What can we think then of a
great City, where ſuch vaſt Quantities of Filth,
and ſo long kept, are continually exhaling their
offenſive Steams? To reconcile this Dilemma
therefore, I do not think that of all the Struc
tures which are raiſed for the Conveniency of
Mankind, there is any ſo commodious or ſo
healthy as the Villa; which at the ſame Time
as it lies in the Way for Buſineſs, is not wholly
deſtitute of pure Air. Cicero deſired his Friend
Atticus to build him a Villa in a Place of emi
nent Note: But I, for my Part, am not for ha
ving it in a Place of ſuch Reſort, that I muſt
never venture to appear at my Door without
being compleatly dreſſed. I would have it
afford me the Pleaſure which the old Gentle
man in Terence boaſts he enjoyed, of being never
tired either with the Town or Country. Martial
too gives a very juſt Deſcription of his Way of
Living in ſuch a Villa.
You tell me, Friend, you much deſire to know,
What in my Villa I can find to do?
I eat, drink, ſing, play, bathe, sleep, eat again,
Or read, or wanton in the Muſes Train.
What in my Villa I can find to do?
I eat, drink, ſing, play, bathe, sleep, eat again,
Or read, or wanton in the Muſes Train.
THERE is certainly a vaſt deal of Satisfaction
in a convenient Retreat near the Town, where
a Man is at Liberty to do juſt what he pleaſes.
The great Beauties of ſuch a Retreat, are being
near the City, upon an open airy Road, and
on a pleaſant Spot of Ground. The greateſt
Commendation of the Houſe itſelf is its making
a chearful Appearance to thoſe that go a little
Way out of Town to take the Air, as if it
ſeemed to invite every Beholder: And for this
Reaſon I would have it ſtand pretty high, but
upon ſo eaſy an Aſcent, that it ſhould hardly
be perceptible to thoſe that go to it, till they
find themſelves at the Top, and a large Pro
ſpect opens itſelf to their View. Nor ſhould
there be any Want of pleaſant Landskips,
flowery Meads, open Champains, ſhady Groves,
or limpid Brooks, or clear Streams and Lakes
ſor ſwimming, with all other Delights of the
ſame Sort, which we before obſerved to be ne
ceſſary in a Country Retreat, both for Conve
nience and Pleaſure. Laſtly, what I have al
ready ſaid conduces extremely to the Pleaſant
neſs of all Buildings, I would have the Front
and whole Body of the Houſe perfectly well
in a convenient Retreat near the Town, where
a Man is at Liberty to do juſt what he pleaſes.
The great Beauties of ſuch a Retreat, are being
near the City, upon an open airy Road, and
on a pleaſant Spot of Ground. The greateſt
Commendation of the Houſe itſelf is its making
a chearful Appearance to thoſe that go a little
Way out of Town to take the Air, as if it
ſeemed to invite every Beholder: And for this
Reaſon I would have it ſtand pretty high, but
upon ſo eaſy an Aſcent, that it ſhould hardly
be perceptible to thoſe that go to it, till they
find themſelves at the Top, and a large Pro
ſpect opens itſelf to their View. Nor ſhould
there be any Want of pleaſant Landskips,
flowery Meads, open Champains, ſhady Groves,
or limpid Brooks, or clear Streams and Lakes
ſor ſwimming, with all other Delights of the
ſame Sort, which we before obſerved to be ne
ceſſary in a Country Retreat, both for Conve
nience and Pleaſure. Laſtly, what I have al
ready ſaid conduces extremely to the Pleaſant
neſs of all Buildings, I would have the Front
and whole Body of the Houſe perfectly well