that characterizes all the operations of the public mind, and it is an example of the principle of expediency which has long since expelled the doctrine of right. It is at once a negative of civilization, and an infallible symptom of decline. Decline may be beautiful-meretriciously so —but it is still decline. We do not anticipate a revival of national domestic architecture, for we do not suppose that any revival of the great moral laws of nature will take place in this country; we only protest against false appearances of beauty being taken for real ones, and against temporary appearances of strength or fitness being preferred to what will stand the test of ages.

The condition of our ordinary domestic national architecture of the present day is still of the most meagre, and fleeting, and paltry character; it is nothing else than what might result from a rifacciamento of all the possible and impossible styles that have ever been heaped up and pitched upon the shoulders of a people not naturally discerning in matters of taste. As a nation, we are completely in the hands of a legion of builders, whose "books" are of the most unscientific and anæsthetical description-full of repetitions of weak and ineffective forms, sections, and elevations, whether of parts or wholes, of mouldings or ornaments. Until some architect, or body of architects, of real science and taste, shall undertake to compile a completely new set of "books" for the builders, the common domestic architecture of this country--no matter what may be the style abused in it-whether "small Doric," or "heavy Palladian," or "chaste Norman," or "florid Gothic," our common domestic architecture will never have a chance to become improved. The ordinary street architecture of this blessed nineteenth century of progress and probity is far behind that of the seventeenth, whether in solidity or effect; it is even behind the dear old dumpy Dutch taste of Queen Anne's days; it is sui generis; and we devoutly wish the whole genus a speedy extinction. The efforts of architectural archæologists cannot be directed to a more generally useful object than to the amendment

of the practices of builders, and to the infusion of new ideas into their heads.

In this inconsistent age of the world, when expenditure in unessential things causes undue parsimony and retrenchment in those that are indispensable, and when ornament comes in for that share of cost which ought to be devoted to solidity of construction, it is important that men of science and art should derive from the study of the past those lessons of pure taste, and of common sense, which may enable them to enlighten the mass of mankind as to the best way of employing their resources. We should not then see millions of money thrown away on stucco façades, when the same money, laid out in plainer but bolder stone-work, would have produced a grander effect, and more durable buildings. We should not then see millions lavished on palaces, when the same number of hundreds of thousands would have been amply sufficient, and more appropriate. We should see symptoms of national grandeur pervading national monuments, and, if the fleeting and declining character of the nation permitted it, we might hope to witness a revival of good taste and practice, even in private constructions. But until this occurs-if it ever occur-we may indeed go on labouring and observing desultorily as amateur archæologists; but the architecture of our country will remain a chaos of confused absurdities, striking and pleasing to some for the time being, but destined in future times to disappear, and to be forgotten, along with its promoters.

H. L. J.

CASTRA CLWYDIANA.

No. II.

II. MOEL GAER, PART OF MOEL FAMMA.

WE next proceeded to the above-named encampment, which lies about a mile and a quarter northwards of Moel Fenlli, and is about four miles from Ruthin. The form and structure of this encampment exhibit more design and skill than that which we have just quitted. It crowns the summit of a hill of very inconsiderable altitude, when compared with Moel Famma, towering above it on the east, from which it juts out westward towards the vale like a promontory-its only approachable side, however, for the purpose of attack, is on the east, where it is connected by a narrow neck of land, itself precipitous to the north and south, to the mountain already named; and, on this side, it will be observed a third agger is added, which following the contour-line of the hill, is brought very near the intermediate one on the north-east, and then is carried round an excrescence from the hill, which, had it been left unfortified, would have afforded a resting place for an enemy attacking the position. The area enclosed by the inner rampart, measuring in the broadest part, east and west, about 500 feet-north and south, about 600 feetrises rather abruptly from the rampart on the north-west and west, and on the south-east, as far as that part where the third agger commences; here the inner rampart is higher than the area, and in traversing the neck of land already mentioned, northwards, follows the course of a ridge of rock, with which nature had fortified it. The hill being unapproachable on the west and south-east, it is probable that the ramparts were never very high on these sides. Now there is but little more than a trace of them, with the exception of those protecting the western gate, the elevation of which, though probably not now so great as it once was, is very visible. Nearly opposite to this, on