Hints to househunters and householders / by Ernest Turner.

  • Turner, Ernest.
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hints to househunters and householders / by Ernest Turner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    49/210 (page 27)
    which it quits the south-east front—to sunset, at whatever hour that may be. The north-west front from 4.30 P.M. to sunset. It is not always easy, however, to ascertain with any certainty what are the respective aspects of the different fronts of a strange house. Inquiry may of course be made of the agent. But it will be found that his views on the compass question are tinged with subjectivity. According to him all the four walls face south ; not—of course—simultane- ously, but successively ; except—of course—the larder, which looks—of course—due north. It need hardly be said, however, that this mono- scopic theory breaks down under the test of reduction to practice. In a town, where the run of the streets is known, the thing speaks plainly enough for itself; as also where there is a fair view of a weathercock, which, though pretty sure to be wrong with regard to the wind, is commonly more or less accurate in its points of the compass. In the country the safest plan is to refer to your pocket compass. If you do not possess this useful appliance you must guess roughly from the general look of things. For instance ; a wall thickly covered with ivy probably faces north. One with a luxuriant Gloire de Dijon, or clematis or passion-flower, is almost certainly south to south-west. A Virginia creeper is doubtful, but suggests west. Then—