ANIMADVERSION

ON

CHIMNIES.

It is strange that customs, not securing any advantages, which cannot be obviated by surer and more easy means, and for the discontinuance of which such arguments may be urged, as cannot be withstood, should be persevered in and admitted. Nevertheless, that the fact is so, might be substantiated by references, obvious and numerous, to the practices of mankind. But I am not going into copious and general animadversion: my remarks shall be restrained to the consideration of a single example of erroneous and most reprehensible observance; to which the many fatal accidents, the melancholy catastrophies, thence derivable, and which happened in the course and range of the late terrific storm of wind, &c. have drawn my particular attention, and will, I cannot hesi

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tate to conclude, ensure that of every person, interested for the security of himself, his family, his neighbours, and his fellow mortals, however circumstanced, and wherever placed.

The objectionable practice to which I would advert, may, when instanced, appear too inconsequential for the seriousness with which it is here prefaced: but this imagination will doubtless be dismissed; the sentiment will fail as soon as the reader shall call to mind, and have reflected upon, the principal instruments of artificial destruction to the inhabitants of such of our towns, and indeed to the occupiers of houses whether in town or country as were visited by the tremendous storm of the 5th of December, 1822.-What were these instruments, or agents, of artificial destruction, no less ridiculous than deadly?— They were the chimnies of our houses; the common funnels and outlets of our smoke-nothing more-by these, even by these, have so many injuries been inflicted, and so many deaths accomplished; so many unwary members of the little domestic group killed or maimed, at their fire-side; so many horrid examples of similar disaster in the hour of defenceless sleep, "the in

nocent sleep."-Such have been the lamentable, the shameful results of overthrown and "toppled down" chimnies.And here the question immediately occurs, whence does a blast of wind possess such power and authority over these appendages to our houses?-Wherefore is it, that a commotion of the atmosphere seldom happens, without manifesting that the roofs of our habitations are coverings, not protections; for,that the fall of a chimney is always ready to penetrate and destroy them?

All this happens, from a simple, obvious, and well-known cause; (viz.) that the elevation of our chimnies is in such casestoo high.-Such, in a few words, is the explication and the fact: a fact, than which none can be adduced more justly chargeable with absurdity, and with criminal disregard of human safety. To learn, that lives, dear to their families, and greatly valuable, perhaps, to general society, should have fallen sacrifices to a long chimney, or stacks of chimnies!!! what a retrospect of gloom have we here to look back upon!-Yet so it is: from these masses of ponderous and feeble architecture, falling upon roofs and forcing their way from the attic to the ground

floor of the house, have more lives been destroyed, or serious injuries received, than from any other operations, by land, consequent on the violence of the storm. But, what is the advantage derivable from high chimnies?—I shall be told, that they are intended to prevent the annoyance of smoke below. Yet, we all know, that by raising a chimney till it overtops every neighbouring object, no security is established against the evil of which we are speaking; and we also know, that, where such evil exists, it can be remedied without the raising of said chimney, and where that device might be practised in vain. But, suppose we, that by advancing a chimney to a formidable height, and, by no other means, the annoyance of smoke could assuredly be obviated; would the convenience prove a compensation for the loss of security, and, what is more, the loss of its perception?-Strange, that any provident person, that a family of persons, more especially, should consent to live in the horrible apprehension, as often as a gale of wind blows, of having their brains knocked out, or even their limbs broken, for the sake of guarding against a puff, or it may be, a volume of smoke, however

ódious we must allow that it becomes during its obstinate and murky visitations. But, as the inconvenience of smoke can be removed by various means, more easy and far more sure than by the lengthening of our chimnies, all plea for this perilous steeple building is rendered not only trifling and vain, but, looking to future, probable results, it becomes wholly inadmissible and criminal: it becomes so, because it cannot be offered without an attempt to justify an act, hostile to the tranquillity, and frequently destructive of the life of man.

Contemplating the mischief of falling chimnies, in reference to towns, where, if a family regard not their own composure and safety by day or by night, they cannot be justified by the erection of towering chimnies, to hold their neighbours in constant peril, or even in alarm; recollecting at the same time, that the intended effect of guarding against the annoyance by smoke can be wrought much more certainly by other well known practices, long ago successfully introduced, and now established among us; does it not become very desirable, that the laws should interfere for the preservation of families and