“To the greatest talent is united in your work that kindly feeling towards those who have to labour for their daily food that will carry you on triumphantly. That your undertaking may meet with a deserved and most abundant reward, is the sincere hope of yours, &c.,
“M. B.”
The suggestion contained in the last extract, as to the title, is one upon which we are glad to make a few remarks, because the same suggestion has been embodied in the observations of other friends, in different ways.
We have confined ourselves to the simple term “Builder,” as best descriptive of all classes and crafts concerned in the art of building itself, and the arts with which it is intimately allied. Were we to attempt to give a title that should specifically explain the branches of art and science to be treated in this work, we should occupy half a page. Not only setting up houses or edifices, but, as we have said before, preparing the materials—aye, even to the very question of the planting and the culture of the oak and the pine, on which the future carpenter is to exercise his ingenuity. As to the brick-field, the quarry, the limekiln, the mine, the forest—consider what enters into the composition and completion of a building, what machines and implements are employed in working and preparing the materials, and its erection—what in the furnishing and fittings—what in the garden and other appurtenances. Consider all these, and you have engineering and machinery, cabinet-work and upholstery, and finally landscape art, included. And as to building science, or architecture, consider also its extensive range: the cottage, the middle-rate dwelling-house, the mansion, the villa, the palace—there is the labourer’s house of the country, and the labourer’s and workman’s house of the town; the farmer’s dwelling in the one, and the tradesman’s in the other—the farm-yard buildings and the corresponding workshop, warehouse, and factory—the country “box” and the citizen’s suburban retreat—the mansion of the country squire and that of the wealthy town merchant—the parsonage, the church—the humble village church!—the street of the pretty country village, the formal lines and gay shops of the crowded city—the traveller’s way-side inn, the town hotel—the petty sessions house, the county courts, prisons, workhouses, almshouses, asylums, barracks—the halls of our cities, the concert-rooms, the theatres, the great market-houses, the exchange for our merchants, the parliament-houses, the palace, the cathedral!
Our subterranean structures, in drains and tunnellings; our pavements and highways; our bridges, aqueducts, and viaducts; our railroads, our lighthouses, harbours, docks, ports, defences. Consider these, and we have not half exhausted the list—we dare not longer particularize—consider these, and the numerous crafts and callings engaged in them, and it will be at once seen that we should only weaken the force and destroy the comprehensiveness of our title, The Builder, by any attempt to make it more comprehensive.
The following excellent letter has come to hand since the foregoing summary was penned:—
“Sir,
“The delight with which any one connected with the erection of an edifice seizes a book or paper, bearing the title (The Builder) heading your new publication, can be duly appreciated by those who have carefully studied the ‘Practical Builder,’ as published by Mr. Peter Nicholson, in the enlarged edition of 1822.
“In the perusal of which the idea of a work similar to the one shewn forth in the precursor number of The Builder, has very often engaged my most serious attention, leaving no doubt on my mind of the very favourable reception the work would have from all parties engaged in the Building department.
“Begin and continue on the broad principle of practical utility, making most prominent, works already executed, or in the course of erection, with a copious description, as also, plans, elevations, sections, and details of the most prominent features of the building or structure, illustrated, and the work, from its great utility, will take a place amongst the magazines of the present day, second only to the great magazine of the north.[1]