and root-houses. But, though I allow that these useful objects ought to be first attended to, I cannot consent that the others should be excluded; and, indeed, I think most of your readers will agree with me that all exclusive plans are bad, for the simple reason that they are exclusive. Let a gentleman first attend to his own dwelling-house, the residence of himself, and of those servants and domestic animals on which so much of his own enjoyments and comforts depends; for, till his own family is at ease, he cannot be expected to think much of the enjoyments of others. Let him next see that every human being that lives on his estates, and labours for him, or pays him rent, is commɔdiously, conveniently, and comfortably lodged. After that, let him examine into the improvements which may be made in the lodgings of the useful quadrupeds and other animals on his demesne, or on his tenanted lands; and, having satisfied his own conscience and the opinion of good men, in all these particulars, let him then turn to the pleasing task of adding ornament to utility; of superadding to works of art what the wise and beneficent Author of nature (if we, dim-sighted and shortlived mortals, may presume thus to speak) always adds to his works, something calculated to entice and invite.

The communications which I propose to make to you, I wish to be considered in the light of hints and ideas for these inviting superadditions: some of them may not be approved of, as being too rustic; others, as being too finical or refined; some, as being paltry, and of temporary durability; and others, as being too grave and substantial for objects of ornament. I will venture to say, however, that no one design that I shall send you will be found without something to recommend it; and, if you insert one or more of them occasionally in your work, it will, in the course of a few volumes, contain a rich assemblage of ideas on this department of rural architecture.

As many of these designs will be original, some copied from published works, and others drawn from objects which have been erected, there will be no limit to either their number or variety; but still I would beg to solicit assistance from every reader of your Magazine who can help me, as well as from yourself, who have, no doubt, seen many garden decorations on the Continent, where the taste for such buildings is more in fashion than it is in Britain. For all such assistance as I may receive, I shall, with your permission, make due acknowledgment, and I hope some of those talented ladies and gentlemen, who furnish so many beautiful designs for execution on their own grounds (such as Lady Grenville at Dropmore, and the Earl of Essex at Cashiobury), for example, will not disdain to lend their aid to my humble labours in their service.

As I am more an artist than an author, my descriptions shall be

short; and, as I do not think the order in which the sketches are given can be of much consequence, I shall adopt that which best suits my own convenience.

The round seat, with a thatched roof (fig. 57.), was erected by the Duke of Marlborough, at White Knights, about the year

1812, and is described by Hofland as "formed entirely of straight branches of the maple and the larch, beneath a circular thatched dome: the rustic pillars support an architrave of taste and beauty, displayed in the most simple materials. Thin slices from the heart of the yew tree, form medallions, which are grafted into small sprays of larchwood, with so much

symmetry as to produce a surprising effect; and the pebbled floor is disposed in leaves and circles, with equal simplicity and grace. On the back of this bower is a seat which fronts the park."

Sundials are useful and interesting ornaments to gardens, and especially to parterres, whether geometrical or picturesque. Mr. Austin, the manufacturer of artificial stone, has paid great attention to the construction of sundials, and has several of very beautiful forms. I may observe of Mr. Austin's artificial stone, that he has now brought it to such perfection, that it is harder and more durable than Portland stone.

58

59

Figs. 58. and 59. are forms of sundials, with dial-plates and gnomons, of the common kind, which may be purchased for very moderate prices.

Fig. 60. is a globe sundial, representing the earth, upon which, when the sun shines, the time may be seen on either side on the equinoctial line, where the light and shade divide. The time is also denoted in summer by the shadow of the pin at the north pole on the arctic circle, and in winter at the south pole on the antarctic circle.

A much larger dial is in preparation by Mr. Austin, marked with the outlines of the several countries,

60

the signs of the zodiac, &c.; the enlightened hemisphere of which will show that part of the earth upon which the sun then shines, the centre of which will be the meridian or noon at all places thereon; and the division of light and shade will show the rising and setting of the sun. At the intersection of the longitude and latitude (the meridian of the place on which the dial stands) is intended to be introduced a flag, to turn with the wind, the staff of which will represent the pole of the horizon. The pedestal is to be octangular, upon which will be engraven the names of the several winds, as Boreas, Zephyrus, &c., also the rhombs, or 3Ft. thirty-two points of the compass. The whole will form

a noble and interesting object for the lawn, and an endless source of instruction and amusement for the school, as most of the problems upon the terrestrial globe may be solved by it in a manner much superior to that usually adopted; and, in fine weather, lectures may be delivered on it in the open air.

ART. VII. On an effectual Method of cutting off the Communication between the damp Foundation of a Wall built upon a moist Subsoil, and the Part of the Wall above the Ground; and on a Mode of securing the Inside of a Wall from Damp forced through the Brickwork by driving Rains. By JOHN ISAAC HAWKINS, Esq., Civil Engineer.

IN

In consequence of reading the excellent paper of Mr. Kent (p. 34.), I am induced to send you an account of the method I took to cure one or two of the evils against which he warns his readers.

Soon after I had taken a lease (ten years since) of the cottage I now occupy, I discovered that the damp ascended the walls to the height of a yard above the ground, and that my furniture began to be injured by mildew. Finding that the foundation

was laid upon a subsoil of clay, and knowing that a cure would be effected by interposing a waterproof medium throughout the thickness of the wall, just above the level of the ground, I proceeded in the following manner: - First, I made a hole through the wall, over the ground course, taking out two courses in height and two bricks in length; consequently, the hole was 6 in. high and 18 in. wide. I filled up half this hole, at one end, with two courses of sound bricks, laid in Roman cement. It is clear that the operation could not injure the wall, the width of 18 in. not allowing of any settlement. Two courses more, of 9 in. in width, were next removed, making the hole again 18 in. wide; the half of which was then filled up with bricks and cement as before. The operation was repeated until the whole of the walls of the house were underpinned by two courses of hard bricks and three joints of Roman cement; constituting a waterproof septum, through which the damp cannot rise.

Local circumstances prevented easy access to two or three spots; and, my bricklayer not taking care that there should be three perfect joints of Roman cement in every part, the moisture still rises, in a few neglected places, in a small degree. But, with these few exceptions, the cottage, generally speaking, has been as free from damp, for nearly ten years, as if built upon a dry subsoil. The cost of 120 ft. run of wall, for the most part 14 in. thick, was about 157.

In recommending this plan, I would strongly enforce the necessity of performing the operation under every part of the house, partition walls, and chimneys. I yielded to the fears of my bricklayer, and suffered the stacks of chimneys to remain untouched; the hearths on the ground floors are, therefore, damp, except when a constant fire is kept up. There was, in reality, no danger of any sinking of the stack, as Roman cement, when of good quality, expands in setting, and affords as perfect a support as the bricks and mortar which were taken away; or, rather, a more perfect support than they had afforded.

In building a house on a moist subsoil, where the expense of a waterproof foundation might be an object, a couple of courses of brick, laid in Roman cement, immediately above the level of the ground, would prevent the damp rising above those courses. I have seen a single course of slate used for this purpose with good effect; and that is, perhaps, as impervious to water as three joints of Roman cement.

Mr. Kent's just observations on the absorbing qualities of place bricks are applicable, also, in a considerable degree, to the inferior stocks of which my cottage is built. The outer walls above the first floor are only 9 in. thick; and the driving rains used to force the wet quite through them, and through the plastering, throwing off the papering of the rooms. I cured this

evil by scraping off all the plastering inside the rooms, and replacing it by a coat of Roman cement; since which time, no symptoms of damp have appeared on the inside of these walls. JOHN ISAAC HAWKINS. Pancras-Vale, near Hampstead, London, March 15. 1834.

ART. VIII. On the Art of Brickmaking among the Chinese.
By JAMES MAIN, Esq.

As the Chinese are excellent potters, it is not to be wondered at that they are also excellent brickmakers. This is sufficiently apparent not only in respect to the perfect forms and durability of their common building-bricks and tiles, but in the great variety of forms and different sizes of their bricks. For common wall-work in courses, their bricks in dimensions resemble those of Europe; but, in so warm a climate as that of the south of China, many ornamental lozenged openings are required in the walls of houses, to promote ventilation; and many ornamental projections, either vertical, horizontal, or curvilinear, are required by the national taste. To execute these features, the builder never need cut a brick; the proper forms are furnished by the brickmaker according to orders issued from the architect. Hence there are moulded headers for plinths, beveled stretchers for sills, the same for lintels, &c. For mullions they have bricks of various sizes and designs, which fit as parts of the general structure with great exactness, whether as referable to ornamental effect, or security of the building.

Economy in all things is the ruling passion of the Chinese; and to this may be attributed the pains they bestow in preserving every particle of their brick-earth; and saving the time of the builder, which would be lost in reducing his bricks to the required form; and which, it seems, they consider more than compensates for the expense of the moulds.

In this country, coping bricks and tiles are sometimes furnished by the brickmaker; but few of this fraternity appear willing to leave their old beaten track. Of late years, the spirit of the celebrated and successful Wedgwood seems to be diffusing itself among the lower grades of the workers in clay; and I look forward with hope that, by means of the Architectural Magazine, many such hints as the above may be promulgated, and adopted in practice; more especially if recommended by yourself to those owners of brick-fields who may have inclination and means to carry into execution what may be proposed to them.

Chelsea, March 8. 1834.

J. MAIN.

CONSIDERABLE variety in the forms of bricks existed in this country before the government duty was laid on them, as it appears evident from the houses