22[Figure 22]THE
ARCHITECTURE
OF
Leone Batiſta Alberti.
ARCHITECTURE
OF
Leone Batiſta Alberti.
Of Buildings for particular Perſons. Of the Caſtles or Habitations of a
King or a Tyrant; their different Properties and Parts.
King or a Tyrant; their different Properties and Parts.
We ſhewed in the laſt Book, that
Buildings ought to be variouſly ac
commodated, both in City and
Country, according to the Neceſſi
ties of the Citizens and Inhabitants; and that
ſome belong'd to the Citizens in common,
others to thoſe of greater Quality, and others
to the meaner Sort; and finiſh'd our Account
of thoſe of the firſt Kind. The Deſign of this
fifth Book is to conſider of the ſupplying the
Neceſſaries and Conveniencies for particular
Perſons. And in this copious and difficult
Subject we ſhall make it our Study, to the ut
moſt of our Ability and Induſtry, to omit
nothing really material or inſtructive, and not
to ſay any thing more for the Embelliſhment
of our Diſcourſe than for the neceſſary Expla
nation of our Subject. Let us begin therefore
with the nobleſt. The nobleſt are certainly
thoſe who are entruſted with the ſupreme Au
thority and Moderation in publick Affairs.
This is ſometimes a ſingle Perſon, and ſome
times Many. If it is a ſingle Perſon, that Per
ſon ought certainly to be him that has the
greateſt Merit. We ſhall therefore firſt con
ſider what is neceſſary to be done for one that
has the ſole Power in himſelf. But we muſt
previouſly enquire into one very material Dif
ſerence; what Kind of a Governour this is;
whether one that with Juſtice and Integrity
rules over willing Subjects; one not guided ſo
much by his own Intereſt, as the Good and
Welfare of his People: or ſuch a one as would
have Things ſo contrived with Relation to his
Subjects, that he may be able to continue his
Dominion over them, let them be ever ſo uneaſy
under it. For the Generality of particular
Buildings, and the City itſelf ought to be laid
out differently for a Tyrant, from what they
are for thoſe who enjoy and protect a Govern
ment as if it were a Magiſtracy voluntarily put
into their Hands. A good King takes Care to
have his City ſtrongly fortified in thoſe Parts,
which are moſt liable to be aſſaulted by a foreign
Enemy: a Tyrant, having no leſs Danger to
fear from his Subjects than from Strangers, muſt
fortify his City no leſs againſt his own People,
than againſt Foreigners: and his Fortifications
muſt be ſo contrived, that upon Occaſion he
may employ the Aſſiſtance of Strangers againſt
his own People, and of one Part of his People
againſt the other. In the preceding Book, we
ſhewed how a City ought to be fortified againſt
foreign Enemies: Let us here conſider how it is
to be provided againſt the Inhabitants them
ſelves.
Buildings ought to be variouſly ac
commodated, both in City and
Country, according to the Neceſſi
ties of the Citizens and Inhabitants; and that
ſome belong'd to the Citizens in common,
others to thoſe of greater Quality, and others
to the meaner Sort; and finiſh'd our Account
of thoſe of the firſt Kind. The Deſign of this
fifth Book is to conſider of the ſupplying the
Neceſſaries and Conveniencies for particular
Perſons. And in this copious and difficult
Subject we ſhall make it our Study, to the ut
moſt of our Ability and Induſtry, to omit
nothing really material or inſtructive, and not
to ſay any thing more for the Embelliſhment
of our Diſcourſe than for the neceſſary Expla
nation of our Subject. Let us begin therefore
with the nobleſt. The nobleſt are certainly
thoſe who are entruſted with the ſupreme Au
thority and Moderation in publick Affairs.
This is ſometimes a ſingle Perſon, and ſome
times Many. If it is a ſingle Perſon, that Per
ſon ought certainly to be him that has the
greateſt Merit. We ſhall therefore firſt con
ſider what is neceſſary to be done for one that
has the ſole Power in himſelf. But we muſt
previouſly enquire into one very material Dif
ſerence; what Kind of a Governour this is;
whether one that with Juſtice and Integrity
rules over willing Subjects; one not guided ſo
much by his own Intereſt, as the Good and
Welfare of his People: or ſuch a one as would
have Things ſo contrived with Relation to his
Subjects, that he may be able to continue his
Dominion over them, let them be ever ſo uneaſy
under it. For the Generality of particular
Buildings, and the City itſelf ought to be laid
out differently for a Tyrant, from what they
are for thoſe who enjoy and protect a Govern
ment as if it were a Magiſtracy voluntarily put
into their Hands. A good King takes Care to
have his City ſtrongly fortified in thoſe Parts,
which are moſt liable to be aſſaulted by a foreign
Enemy: a Tyrant, having no leſs Danger to
fear from his Subjects than from Strangers, muſt
fortify his City no leſs againſt his own People,
than againſt Foreigners: and his Fortifications
muſt be ſo contrived, that upon Occaſion he
may employ the Aſſiſtance of Strangers againſt
his own People, and of one Part of his People
againſt the other. In the preceding Book, we
ſhewed how a City ought to be fortified againſt
foreign Enemies: Let us here conſider how it is
to be provided againſt the Inhabitants them
ſelves.