These young ladies are not instructed to declaim with grace, or sing
with taste; but if they are less amusing, they are infinitely more
useful and interesting companions to those they afterwards associate
with, whether in the character of wives or friends. Several of them
have married very well in the neighbourhood. There is no sentiment more
cold, or of shorter continuance, than admiration. We grow weary of a
set of features, though ever so beautiful. Between folly, and a homely
person, there is this difference; the latter is constantly the same, at
least with imperceptible alteration, whilst folly is ever putting on
some new appearance, and giving, by that means, fresh pain and disgust.
However true this may be, I believe it would require some rhetoric to
convince a young man not to prefer the folly that accompanies beauty,
to wisdom and deformity. Though Sir Francis Bacon assures us in his
natural philosophy, that our taste is never better pleased than with
those things which at first created a disgust in us. He gives particular
instances of porter, olives, and other things, which the palate seldom
approves of at first; but when it has once got a relish of them,
generally retains it for life.
The streets, which were built on each side of the _Tribuna_, were
uniform, and the houses ornamented with emblematical figures of the
different trades intended for the possessors. She permitted them to
live rent-free for the two first years, and admitted none but such who
excelled in their art. This was certainly very political--By encouraging
them in this manner, it enabled them at first to work, and sell their
manufactures at a moderate rate; which insured them the business of
the neighbouring counties that would otherwise have sent at a greater
distance, for what could be equally produced at home.[6]
The size of the houses decreases gradually from the centre of every
street. As Lady Frances spared no expense in the execution, Mr Adams
directed it with the greatest taste and propriety. The smallest houses
are, indeed, exteriorly, the handsomest, on account of their twisted
columns; yet, as they convey an idea of weakness, they always displease
when they are made use of as supports to heavy buildings. The different
orders succeed each other, from the Corinthian to the Tuscan, according
to the size of the houses. Mr Hogarth observes on this head, that the
bulks and proportions of objects are governed by fitness and propriety;
that it is this which has established the size and proportion of
chairs, tables, and all sorts of utensils and furniture; has fixed the
dimensions of pillars, arches, etc. for the support of great weights;
and so regulated all the orders in architecture.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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