architecture which is wholly novel and exceedingly pleasing. A wood ceiling has the disadvantage of absorbing light, plaster has the great advantage of reflecting it, so that in the majority of cases the latter is the most practically suitable material for the purpose; and by taking advantage of its adaptation to a light system of surface decoration, which relieves without unduly disturbing the flat surface of the ceiling, and also of its susceptibility of enrichment, to any degree, by painting and gilding, we shall add to our domestic architecture an element perfectly consistent with the style we are endeavouring to develope, and thoroughly adapted to the wants of our own day.

To recapitulate:-we have for our ceilings a considerable range to choose from. We have first the purely constructive floor, shewing beams, joists, &c., as is so frequent in the old houses of France and Italy. These may be rendered highly ornamental by moulding and carving the timbers, by the use of beautiful corbels, and by the addition of painted decoration. Secondly, the partially constructive ceiling, shewing the beams but concealing the joists with wood panelling. Thirdly, the non-constructive ceiling, in which all the timbers are hidden by wood panelling. Fourthly, either of the two last, with plaster substituted for boarding in the plain spaces within the panels, or the whole surface between the beams. Fifthly, the diapered plaster ceilings above suggested, either concealing all the timbers or shewing the principal beams, and with either plaster cornices, as above suggested, or wood cornices, as may be preferred.

All these are capable of every variety of simplicity

or richness, and are open to any degree of enrichment by colouring which may be desired.

CHIMNEY.PIECES.

In chimney-pieces there is room for great variety. Not only may we ring every change between the actual reproduction of a mediæval chimney-piece and a mere Gothic rendering of the ordinary modern type, but each of these changes is open to an infinity of varieties of design, and of combinations of material.

Medieval chimney-openings themselves present a considerable diversity of type.

We have the opening flat with the wall, covered by a straight lintel, an arch or a lintel on brackets; we have the same decorated by projecting pillars and panelled frieze, with a corniced shelf, or with some other kind of frontispiece framing the opening; and we also have the hooded chimney-piece, overhanging the opening, and supported on pillars or brackets, or both, and of an infinity of different designs, from the most rigidly simple form, providing for the practical requirements in the plainest possible manner, to the richest designs. These forms, with certain modifications, are perfectly consistent with modern convenience, and, consequently, quite open to us. In lofty rooms, the hooded chimney possesses great dignity. The beauty of many which remain is very great. The Edwardian castles give excellent specimens of the plainer forms, and richer specimens are occasionally found in the precincts of cathedrals, in the domestic parts of abbeys, &c. Of those which are not hooded, very rich specimens are found at Windsor, Hampton

court, Tattershall and Kenilworth castles, &c., but they are usually of a later date than those on the hooded type. Of the latter kind splendid specimens exist abroad, both in France, Germany, and Italy. In designing on any of these types, we have great opportunities of adding richness and novelty by the introduction of varied material,-as marbles of different colours, mosaic-work, encaustic tiles, carved and inlaid woods, &c.

The modern chimney-piece, in its usual form, is a very mean contrivance. It pretends to great massiveness, while it is in reality a mere box, formed often of the thinnest slabs of marble. This artifice we must repudiate, and either go to the expense of real massiveness, or rest satisfied with less ambitious designs or material.

The only excuse for this marble joinery is when it is used as a means of introducing marbles of varied colour, and then care should be taken not to produce an effect of deceptive massiveness; simple design, with moderate but real substance, is infinitely to be preferred to an ostentatious display of smartness with artificial bulk: and where marble, honestly used, would be too costly, it is better to use plain stone, though it is well in this case to select a hard, closegrained material, which will bear occasional washing. If it becomes necessary to paint them, they should be decoratively painted,-not a mere stone-colour; indeed, a plain stone chimney-piece, well decorated by painting, is a very legitimate thing.

In buildings of considerable architectural character the chimneys present a fine field for decoration of a high order, such as sculpture, inlaying, mosaic, paint

ing on porcelain, &c.; indeed, there is hardly any internal feature which offers greater opportunities for beauty of design and novelty of treatment.

GRATES.

While on the subject of chimney-pieces, I may add a word on that of grates.

In old times the dog-bars were in almost universal use, with or without an ornamental iron back (called, I believe, a reredos). Certainly nothing can look handsomer, and more in character with a Gothic fireplace, than the noble ornamental dog-bars we often see in ancient mansions; but we must beware of two not unnatural errors on the subject. First, the idea that they are in any degree essential to the style; and, secondly, that they are an antiquated feature, now become obsolete. They are neither the one nor the other, but form one of the thousand instances in which the medieval builders, &c., carried out the great principle of decorating objects of practical utility. Dog-bars are neither essentially Gothic, nor is their use obsolete. They are simply the natural mode of providing for a wood-fire. They are no further medieval than that wood was in those days the ordinary fuel, and no further obsolete than that in most parts of England such has now ceased to be the case. In France, where wood is still the ordinary fuel, dogbars are still in constant use, though usually without much attempt at ornamental character; but in England, where coal is the common fuel, it would clearly be absurd to use a contrivance only suited to wood.

We often see grates designed for Gothic or Elizabethan buildings, as if the designer was halting be

tween two opinions,-admitting the claims of coal to a provision suited to its requirements, yet hankering after the beauty of the old dog-bars. Thus the grate is made for a coal-fire; but great standards, as if for dog-bars, are attached to its flanks, of no imaginable use but to obstruct the warmth from all persons not directly in front of the fire. This is a manifest absurdity, and ought at once to be exploded. If we want a wood-fire, let us have dog-bars; but if we are to have coal, let us construct our grates to suit it, without any idle hankering after contrivances suited to other wants. There is, however, another system, against which I have not so much to say; it is simply this— to provide dog-bars as for a wood-fire, but to make also a moveable grate, which can be laid across these dog-bars, and in which a coal-fire can be made. This is a perfectly rational contrivance, provided only that the practical conditions really suggest it. Where it is really the case that a fire may be wanted sometimes. of wood, and sometimes of coal, as may often occur in houses in the country, I can conceive nothing better; but do not let us invent improbable conditions as an excuse for the introduction of a favourite form; but in towns and places where the use of wood-fires is unlikely, let us honestly provide for what is wanted, and make grates for coal, giving them a character suited to the style in which we are working, without mimicing forms which resulted from different necessities.

There are a great number of modes of constructing grates suited to coal-fires, and there can be no reason why the inhabitant of a Gothic house should be debarred from following his individual fancies as to the grate he may prefer, any more than his neighbour