Honesty in Building.

Auckland Star, Volume XVI, Issue 3807, 21 October 1882, Page 2 (Supplement)

Honesty in Building.

HONESTy is, perhap?, raoro abused than that of any other ethical or intellectual virtue. It is applied as a cloak for ignorance, as the apology for bad manners, or even for worse purpoaos. The man who, without regard to time, place, or company, gratifies his vanity by blurting out Ms crude notions on any possible subject, is too often called an honest fellow. In fact, he is only so ill-bred and si ignorant as to be supposed incapable of deceit. That may be so, or not. We have known cases—and no doubt somo will recur (o the memories of moat [at our readers—in which a man may be held to have purposely adopted the dlsguisa of incivility, have Iked for years under the title of " Hoaest Tom Speakf >rth," and at length, generally ton late for human retribution, have been discovered to have left behind him only au unexplained family of children. The honesty which causes this kind of pitying or even of affectionate regard h simply that, so far as it exists at all, of not telling lies: or rather of not putting matters m such a light as may be most agreeable to the sympathies of others. This kind of honesty is sometimes applied to building. A man will declaim against the imposture of , stucco, and will give you hideous brick work in place of it. " Houest brick and mortar," lie calls it. But he omits to mention two points. One, that the imperfections of English stucco are mainly due to the -very rude and imperfect way in which we treat our lime. Xhosc who aro most familiar with the use made of this material in Italy, from scarlioia work to the preparation for tre?co pointing, will be aware that this is (he case, Secondly, while there is a real beauty in bvick work it requires so muck care in the selection of clay, aad in the making, burning, and lay. ing of bricK? to insure it, that noble brickwork id almost a lost art in tfnglaud. Uur honest friend, therefore, only gives the cheapest and meanest material that comes o hand, and excuses that slovenliness of his by calling it ■' honeat."-" The Builder."