Of the still more modern mansions, which exhibit the prey ailing modes in private dwellings, we shall select two examples of houses for noblemen, and two others on a smaller scale for country gentlemen. The first is a de sign of Mr James Wyatt, for Castle Coolc, the seat of Viscount flelmore, in the county of Fermagh in Ireland. The main or central building is 115 feet in length, and 80 in depth ; its middle part, in the entrance front, is occupied by a quadrangular hall 41X31 ; an elliptical saloon 35x30 extends to the opposite front ; between them a passage, of eight feet in width, is divided from the hall by two whole and two semi-columns ; on one side of the hall is a breakfast room, and on the thcr a library, each 36 x24; on one side of the saloon is a dining and on the other a drawing room, each 36x ; between the drawing room and library is a very magnificent stair case 36x18, having its first flight of steps in the middle of the space ; between the dining and breakfast room is a back stair 18 x15, and a beauffiter 20x12 feet. On each side of the main building, the wings extend, nearly in a straight line with it, for 82 fey t each ; and they are each 52 feet in depth; on the entrance front, immediately adjacent to each side of the main building, there is a green house 52 X15 ; behind these arc passages seven feet six inches in width, and bed rooms and dressing rooms, each 21 x20; also two water closets; the extremity ofone wing is occupied by a nursery of three apartments, two 26 x 16, and one 18 x12 ; the other extremity has a billiard 100111 26 x16 ; a bed-room 26 x 16, and a dressing room 18 x12. These apartments occupy the whole of the principal floor, (sec Plate CLXXX.) In this design, for a nobleman, the apartments are upon a moderate scale, and are well disposed ; the stairs are centrical ; the bed-rooms and nursery are sufficiently retired ; and the latter having a communication with the back stairs, relieves all the public apartments ; the only matter not distinctly made out is the mode of lighting the passages. Exteinally in the entrance front, there being only four columns in the central portico, and these placed immediately against the pilasters, do not appear to form a feature sufficiently bold for the edifice. The colonnades of the green houses, and those in the exti cute divisions of the wings, with their accompanying niches, have a rich effect ; there being four columns with two niches, and two square recesses at each end of the wings, that part is rendered suffici ently important ; but the full columns being placed close to the walls, gives too much the effect of an unconnected screen. In the back front, the four columns placed upon the end of the elliptical saloon, seem upon too small a for Greek architecture. But, upon the whole, this building, both with regard to grandeur of effect and judi cious arrangement, is well deserving the attention of the architectural student.
The other example of a nobleman's house we have se lected. is a design of Mr Joseph Ilonomi, for Rosencath Castle, a scat of the Duke of Argyle, upon the banks of the river Clyde, nearly opposite to the town of Greenock. The whole length is 184 feet, the depth 66, besides pro jections of 11 feet in the central part of each front, the one s ware, the other circular, and each having before them an insulated portico. The chief peculiarities of this building are, its'breadth being equally divided by a stiaight passage 11 feet 6 inches in w idth along the whole of its length, and having a Brit ing way under the entrance portico. These circumstances render the ar rangemer it simple and commodious. (See PlatcCLX X XI.) The hall is 25 x 25 ; the vestibule 60.6X 11.6 ; library 32.6 diameter, with two large circular recesses ; dining room 31.6x22 ; music room 36x 22 ; study 24 x22 ; billiard room 3I.6x 22 ; bed-chambers (upon this principal floor) 22 x 19.3 ; di 18.6 12, and 16 x 12. There
are two water closets. The principal stair 32x 12 has its access ill arranged, and is too confined. The back stair is placed inconveniently at one extremity of the pas sage. Externally., both fronts are decorated with co lumns, which produce a fine effect. The entrance por tico consists of five columns, which would be an absurdity if the driving way- was not designedly along the front, and under the portico. The front stair had better been straight than elliptical. This design displays originality of genius, and a disposition to simplily, truly laudable.
Of the smaller dwellings of country gentlemen, we may mention Bowden Park in Wiltshire, a seat of Bar nard Dickenson, Esq. designed by Mr James Wyatt. The main building is only 70X57. The inferior build ings, containing the offices and a green-house 50X 18, lie immediately behind, and encompass a small court. The entrance hall is elliptical 23X28, of which about 10 feet project before the line of the front. On one side of the ball is a dining-room, and on the other a drawing-room, each 30x20. Immediately behind it are a principal and back stair, a small lobby, and a china closet. A water closet projects from it into the court, but is entered from the staircase. The space occupied by the best stair (ex tension of the lobby 15X 10 which is before it) is 22x 15, of which the china closet occupies the space under the landing. The lobby or passage to the back stair and dining-room is 15X7. The back stair is 12X7. On one side of these stairs is a breakfast room, which looks from a circular end into the before-mentioned green house; and on the other a library, each 20x20. The connection with the offices is by the back stair, into a passage which communicates with a butler's pantry 13X8, besides a closet, a housekeeper's room 18 x 15, with a store-room 12.6X8, and a pantry 12.6x6.6, a kitchen 21x 18, with a scullery 18 X 8.6, a dairy 13x10, and a larder 10X6, a servants' hall 21 x20, and a shoe room This appears to be an excellent house on a small scale, only the kitchen seems much too distant from the dining-room, and the servants' hall still more so from the entrance hall. Externally, we are rather surprised to find an architect of Mr Wyatt's acknowledged good taste, placing columns so frequently in the convexity of a circle, so narrow as that formed by the projection of the end of this entrance hall. The columns being car ried up the whole height of the building, accords with our ideas of propriety.
The other instance of a moderate sized and very com pact house, is exemplified in that of Oxberton in Not tinghamshire, designed by Mr William Wilkins for F. F. Foljambe, Esq. It occupies only a space 72X68, ex clusive of a circular projection of a part of one side about 17 feet. The entrance hall is 20.6x16, on one side of which is a breakfast room 22 x16, and, on the other, a cabinet for natural history 22 x16. Immediately behind the hall are some small closets, and a small circular lobby 5.6 diameter. Beyond these is the principal stair 20X 15.6. On one side of which is the drawin-room, with the be fore mentioned circular end, it is 36x24. On the other side is Mr Foljambe's dressing-room 22X14, and a pas sage 5 feet wide leading to the office. Behind these is a dining-room 30X22, and a library 28 x19 ; also a passage between them 6 feet wide, leading to a small back porch. We arc not in possession of the plan of the offices. This is an example of singularly compact arrangement, and proves the advantages derived by placing the stair in the middle of the house. We observe the want of a back Externally, the whole is very plain, except a Doric portico of four columns 4 feet diameter, without bases, the shafts fluted to an edge. This portico occupies the whole height of the front, and being Greek Doric, appears two massive for so small a building.