access by an opening at each corner. The effect
of the whole is extremely pleasant, and the
design of the buildings reflects great credit on the
architect. It is very remarkable to see how
much may be done with little expense, by a
judicious architect, to make the poorest domestic
architecture agreeable to the eye.

To plan such a range of buildings, intended
for such a purpose as these are meant to fulfil,
is by no means so easy a thing as some people
might imagine. It must be remembered that
the very object of building these houses was to
bring together an enormous number of very
poor people, never accustomed to live where
any amount of cleanliness was so much as
possible. It was necessary to render it almost
impracticable for those of the inhabitants who had
not previously been able to form any habits of
cleanliness, to make the place unbearable to those
who had. Accumulation of dirt, foul air, dark
corners, stuffed-up passages, these and the like
dangers must be carefully guarded against, and
light and air must be everywhere.

Are the dangers indicated above, guarded
against in all our dwelling-houses at the West-
end? Do air and light pervade all the nooks
and corners of a modern residence? More so
than they did, no doubt. The new neighbourhoods
are generally better planned as to these
matters than the old parts of Bloomsbury, or
even May-fair; but there is still enough folly
and ignorance shown in the construction of
modern houses to make many a West-end tenant
wish that Columbia-square were in a fashionable
neighbourhood, and that he had the happy chance
of getting lodgings there.

Nothing could be better than the arrangement
of these buildings, which is due to the thoughtful
skill of Mr. H. A. Darbishire, the architect
who planned them. It has been said that the
square is open at each of the four corners. The
corridors on every floor receive light and air
from windows opening upon these free spaces.
As they communicate also with a staircase, open
to the air and carried up the entire central
portion of each building, a complete system of
ventilation is established. Into these long corridors
the different suites of apartments open.

These are of various sizes and rents, but each
is complete in itself. The commonest arrangement,
and that for which probably there is the
greatest demand, is one of two rooms. The
first of these is the living-room of the family,
and is fitted with a good kitchen range with a
boiler and oven, and an enclosed place by the
side of the fireplace for coals. This room will
measure ordinarily, twelve feet by ten; the
bedroom, opening into it, about twelve feet by eight.
The rooms are lighted and aired by large windows,
and are further ventilated by apertures in the
external wall, and in the wall which communicates
with the main corridor.

In addition to these tenements there are others
of three rooms, adapted to larger families; there
are single rooms to let, as well; sometimes these
single rooms are occupied by additional members
of families living in the two-roomed suites;
sometimes, but very rarely, by single people.
It is for the use of families chiefly, that these
blocks are intended, and by families they are
chiefly tenanted.

Some discretion is exercised, and most rightly,
in deciding how many members of a family the
rooms will hold: though the utmost license
consistent with common decency and propriety is
allowed. Combinations of families are entirely
discouraged. In the event of a family, composed
say of a man and his wife, being in possession of
one of the three-roomed suites, it would consist
with the regulations of the place that a relative
of either the husband or the wife should sleep in
one of the rooms: sharing with his relations the
common living-room. In a two-roomed suite,
however, no such thing would be allowed: the father
and mother being the only adult persons permitted
in so small a tenement. If there be a brother, a
father, or mother, who wishes to live with the
family, he or she must pay for an additional
single room. Under-letting is entirely
prohibited.

To compensate for this loss of emolument, the
rents of these clean and delightful residences are
arranged on the lowest scale possible. Single
rooms range, according to size, from two
shillings to two and ninepence per week; suites
of two rooms are to be had at three and
sixpence, three and eightpence (these with addi-
tional conveniences), and four and sixpence: the
last being of extra size. The three-roomed
suites are four shillings, four and sixpence, and
five and sixpence per week, according to size and
convenience.

It should be mentioned that between the
suites of apartments, dividing them in most
cases from each other, are double arrangements
of lavatories, baths, and other conveniences,
communicating directly with the open air, and
with the corridors as well. The drainage
connected with these parts of the building is excellent.
A trap opens in the floor of each corridor,
down which the inhabitants of the different
rooms shoot their dust and refuse, into a great
dust-hole underneath. Surely, every one who
lives in a house where the dust-bin is so placed
as that the dustmen have to carry its contents
through the house to get to their carts, has
to envy the inhabitants of this Columbia-square.
And, indeed, they look enviable. There is a
prosperous appearance about the whole place;
and the children who play in the open ground
in the middle of the square, are as superior in
neatness and cleanliness to the children who live
in the neighbouring gutters, as the rooms in
Columbia-square are, to the rooms in Virginia-row
close by.

It gives one new hope and courage to observe
the success of this undertaking, and the good
effect of the place upon its inhabitants. Those
children playing in the open space, are clean,
because it is possible, and even easy, to make them
so. At the top of each of the four blocks
of which the square is composed, under the
roof, occupying nearly the whole length of the
building, is a great laundry and drying space,