1It is that the Angles, the Lines and all the
Parts have a certain Variety, but not too much
nor too little of it, but ſo ordered both for
Uſe and Beauty, that the entire Parts may an
ſwer to the entire, and like Parts to like. Right
Angles are very convenient; the Acute are
never uſed even in mean inconſiderable Plat
forms, unleſs upon abſolute Neceſſity, or the
Conſtraint of the Nature and Manner of the
Situation, or to make ſome other Part of the
Platform more graceful. The obtuſe Angles,
have been thought very convenient, but it has
always been obſerved as a Rule never to place
them any where in unequal Numbers. The
circular Platform is eſteemed to be the moſt
capacious of all, and the leaſt expenſive to en
cloſe either with Wall or Rampart. The
neareſt to this is ſaid to be that which has ſe
veral Sides, but then they muſt be all alike and
anſwerable to each other, and equal through
out the whole Platform. But thoſe are com
mended moſt of all, which are moſt conveni
ent for raiſing the Wall to the juſt Heighth of
the Work, as are thoſe which have ſix and
eight Sides. I have ſeen a Platform of ten
Angles very commodious and majeſtick. You
may make them very well of twelve, nay, ſix
teen Angles. I myſelf have ſeen one of twenty
four; but theſe are very rare. The Side Lines
ought to be ſo ordered, that thoſe which are
oppoſite may be equal to them, nor ſhould we
ever in any Work apply a long Line to correſ
pond to a ſhort one; but let there be a juſt
and reaſonable Proportion, according to the
Degree of the Thing, among all the Parts.
We would have the Angles ſet towards that
Side, which either any Weight of Earth, or the
Violence and Aſſaults of Waters or Winds may
threaten and endanger; to the Intent that the
Force and Shock that beats upon the Edifice
may be broken and ſplit into ſeveral Parts, re
ſiſting the Attack (to uſe ſuch an Expreſſion)
with the ſtout Corner of the Wall, and not
with one of the weak Sides. But if the other
Lineaments of the Structure hinder you from
diſpoſing of ſuch an Angle in ſuch a Part as
you could deſire, at leaſt make uſe of a curve
Line; that being a Part of a Circle, and the
Circle itſelf according to the Philoſophers be
ing all Angles. Further, the Seat muſt be
either upon a Plain, or on the Side or Top of
a Hill; if it is on a Plain, it is neceſſary to
raiſe the Earth and make ſomething of an E
minence; for beſides that, ſuch a Situation in
a Plain adds much of Dignity, if you neglect to
do it, you will find very great Inconveniences.
For the overflowing of Rivers and Rains gene
rally leaves Mud upon level Grounds, which by
degrees raiſes the Earth higher and higher,
which ſtill increaſes, if through Negligence the
Rubbiſh and Dirt, which gathers every Day be
not removed. Frontinus the Architect uſed to
ſay, that ſeveral Hills were riſen in Rome in his
Time by the continual Fires. But we in our
Days ſee it in a Manner quite buried under
Ground with Filth and Rubbiſh. In the
Dutchy of Spoletto, I have ſeen a ſmall ancient
Temple, which at firſt was built in a Plain,
that is now almoſt wholly buried by the raiſ
ing of the Earth; that Plain reaching to the
Foot of the Hills. But why ſhould I menti
on Buildings that ſtand under Mountains?
That noble Temple by the Wall of Ravenna,
which has for its Covering a Cup of Stone of
one ſingle Piece, though it be near the Sea and
far enough from the Hills, is above a fourth
Part ſunk in the Earth, through the Injury of
Time. But how high this Eminence ought
to be raiſed for each Platform, ſhall be ſhewn
in due Time, when we come to treat of that
Subject more particularly, and not ſummarily
as we do here. It is certain every Situation
ſhould be made ſtrong, either by Nature or
Art. And therefore it is not amiſs to follow
their Method, who adviſe firſt to try the Good
neſs of the Earth by digging in ſeveral Places at
ſome Diſtance the one from the other, whe
ther it be firm or looſe, or ſoft, fit or unfit to
bear the Weight of the Wall. For if it ſtands
upon a Deſcent, we muſt have a Care that the
upper Part does not lie too heavy and break
down the lower; or that the lower Part, if
any Accident ſhould ſhake it, does not pull
the upper down along with it. I would have
this Part of the Building, which is intended to
be the Baſis of all the Reſt, particularly ſtrong
and tightly knit together in all its Parts. If
the Seat be upon the Summit of an Hill, either
it ſhould be raiſed where it is not even, or elſe
be made level by plaining away the Top. But
here we are to conſider, that we ſhould always
chuſe that Way (though ſtill with a due Re
gard to the Dignity of the Work) which is leaſt
troubleſome and expenſive. Perhaps it may be
proper to pare away ſome of the Top of the
Hill, and enlarge and add to the Sides. For
which Reaſon that Architect, whoever he was,
ſhewed a great deal of Contrivance, that built
Alatro, a Town of the Campagna di Roma,
ſeated upon a Rocky Hill; for he ſo ordered
Parts have a certain Variety, but not too much
nor too little of it, but ſo ordered both for
Uſe and Beauty, that the entire Parts may an
ſwer to the entire, and like Parts to like. Right
Angles are very convenient; the Acute are
never uſed even in mean inconſiderable Plat
forms, unleſs upon abſolute Neceſſity, or the
Conſtraint of the Nature and Manner of the
Situation, or to make ſome other Part of the
Platform more graceful. The obtuſe Angles,
have been thought very convenient, but it has
always been obſerved as a Rule never to place
them any where in unequal Numbers. The
circular Platform is eſteemed to be the moſt
capacious of all, and the leaſt expenſive to en
cloſe either with Wall or Rampart. The
neareſt to this is ſaid to be that which has ſe
veral Sides, but then they muſt be all alike and
anſwerable to each other, and equal through
out the whole Platform. But thoſe are com
mended moſt of all, which are moſt conveni
ent for raiſing the Wall to the juſt Heighth of
the Work, as are thoſe which have ſix and
eight Sides. I have ſeen a Platform of ten
Angles very commodious and majeſtick. You
may make them very well of twelve, nay, ſix
teen Angles. I myſelf have ſeen one of twenty
four; but theſe are very rare. The Side Lines
ought to be ſo ordered, that thoſe which are
oppoſite may be equal to them, nor ſhould we
ever in any Work apply a long Line to correſ
pond to a ſhort one; but let there be a juſt
and reaſonable Proportion, according to the
Degree of the Thing, among all the Parts.
We would have the Angles ſet towards that
Side, which either any Weight of Earth, or the
Violence and Aſſaults of Waters or Winds may
threaten and endanger; to the Intent that the
Force and Shock that beats upon the Edifice
may be broken and ſplit into ſeveral Parts, re
ſiſting the Attack (to uſe ſuch an Expreſſion)
with the ſtout Corner of the Wall, and not
with one of the weak Sides. But if the other
Lineaments of the Structure hinder you from
diſpoſing of ſuch an Angle in ſuch a Part as
you could deſire, at leaſt make uſe of a curve
Line; that being a Part of a Circle, and the
Circle itſelf according to the Philoſophers be
ing all Angles. Further, the Seat muſt be
either upon a Plain, or on the Side or Top of
a Hill; if it is on a Plain, it is neceſſary to
raiſe the Earth and make ſomething of an E
minence; for beſides that, ſuch a Situation in
a Plain adds much of Dignity, if you neglect to
do it, you will find very great Inconveniences.
For the overflowing of Rivers and Rains gene
rally leaves Mud upon level Grounds, which by
degrees raiſes the Earth higher and higher,
which ſtill increaſes, if through Negligence the
Rubbiſh and Dirt, which gathers every Day be
not removed. Frontinus the Architect uſed to
ſay, that ſeveral Hills were riſen in Rome in his
Time by the continual Fires. But we in our
Days ſee it in a Manner quite buried under
Ground with Filth and Rubbiſh. In the
Dutchy of Spoletto, I have ſeen a ſmall ancient
Temple, which at firſt was built in a Plain,
that is now almoſt wholly buried by the raiſ
ing of the Earth; that Plain reaching to the
Foot of the Hills. But why ſhould I menti
on Buildings that ſtand under Mountains?
That noble Temple by the Wall of Ravenna,
which has for its Covering a Cup of Stone of
one ſingle Piece, though it be near the Sea and
far enough from the Hills, is above a fourth
Part ſunk in the Earth, through the Injury of
Time. But how high this Eminence ought
to be raiſed for each Platform, ſhall be ſhewn
in due Time, when we come to treat of that
Subject more particularly, and not ſummarily
as we do here. It is certain every Situation
ſhould be made ſtrong, either by Nature or
Art. And therefore it is not amiſs to follow
their Method, who adviſe firſt to try the Good
neſs of the Earth by digging in ſeveral Places at
ſome Diſtance the one from the other, whe
ther it be firm or looſe, or ſoft, fit or unfit to
bear the Weight of the Wall. For if it ſtands
upon a Deſcent, we muſt have a Care that the
upper Part does not lie too heavy and break
down the lower; or that the lower Part, if
any Accident ſhould ſhake it, does not pull
the upper down along with it. I would have
this Part of the Building, which is intended to
be the Baſis of all the Reſt, particularly ſtrong
and tightly knit together in all its Parts. If
the Seat be upon the Summit of an Hill, either
it ſhould be raiſed where it is not even, or elſe
be made level by plaining away the Top. But
here we are to conſider, that we ſhould always
chuſe that Way (though ſtill with a due Re
gard to the Dignity of the Work) which is leaſt
troubleſome and expenſive. Perhaps it may be
proper to pare away ſome of the Top of the
Hill, and enlarge and add to the Sides. For
which Reaſon that Architect, whoever he was,
ſhewed a great deal of Contrivance, that built
Alatro, a Town of the Campagna di Roma,
ſeated upon a Rocky Hill; for he ſo ordered