Miss Edgeworth calls proverbs "thewisdom of nations." If herassertion is correct, the said wisdom has decided strongly against building a house for one's own habitation.* Nevertheless, there are people who, looking at the present rapid and certainly very imperfect development of houses which are built " to let," feel inclined to try what they can do to secure for themselves a well-built dwelling, which will not be in a chronic state of disrepair. There is something to be said on their side; but when such a resolution is taken, and outlay is not a matter of consideration, we recommend the amateur builder not to be his own architect, but to employ a good practical professional architect, who will listen to any suggestions he may care to make, and be willing to carry out his plans if they are judicious. A good and respectable builder is then necessary. It is better to contract for the building with him, at a fixed price and specified time, as no amateur builder ever yet calculated exactly the expense of bricks and mortar, and many men have been ruined by over-building themselves.

* Proverb: - "Fopls build houses for wise men to live in".

The architect will submit a plan of the house, which should be carefully studied before it is accepted; and great consideration should be given cis to the facilities for draining, the admission of sunshine into the rooms, and the proper ventilation. While the house is building, the future owner should keep an eye on the building to see that the bricks are new and water-tight, that the foundation is deep enough, that the drainage-fall is sufficient, and that the pipes and syphons of drains are well cemented together. The want of cement in drain-pipes often causes an escape of noxious air from them, or, should it occur in the gas-pipes, of gas. He should also see that the woodwork is well done. The respectability of the builder employed will guarantee that the wood is well-seasoned - unseasoned wood will crack and shrink and be a perpetual annoyance and trouble if it is used for skirting-boards, doors, etc. etc. The floors should also be looked to: if the planks are not laid evenly and smoothly the edges will cut the carpets out; if they are not well fastened down also, they will create unpleasantness.

The proprietor should also take care that the staircase is well lighted, as nothing is more disagreeable than dark stairs.

For persons of small property there are Building Societies, which furnish the means of purchasing or building a house by weekly instalments of payment or yearly subscription, and also are useful as modes of investment for small weekly sums.