1Wall, nor would it be amiſs to add a Tower,
which is not at all inconſiſtent with a religious
Edifice. The Monaſtery for thoſe Recluſe
who to Religion join the Study of the liberal
Arts, that they may be the more ready to pro
mote the Good of Mankind, according to the
Obligation of their Character, ought to be nei
ther within the Noiſe and Hurry of Tradeſ
men, nor too far remote from the Acceſs of the
Citizens. And as they are a great many in
Family, and there is generally a great Con
courſe of People to hear them Preach and Diſ
pute concerning ſacred Things; they require a
very large Houſe. They can be placed no where
better than among ſome publick Buildings,
ſuch as Theatres, Circuſſes, or Squares, where
the Multitude going for their Pleaſure may
more eaſily by the Exhortations, Example and
Admonition of the Religious, be drawn from
Vice to Virtue, and from Ignorance to Know
ledge.
which is not at all inconſiſtent with a religious
Edifice. The Monaſtery for thoſe Recluſe
who to Religion join the Study of the liberal
Arts, that they may be the more ready to pro
mote the Good of Mankind, according to the
Obligation of their Character, ought to be nei
ther within the Noiſe and Hurry of Tradeſ
men, nor too far remote from the Acceſs of the
Citizens. And as they are a great many in
Family, and there is generally a great Con
courſe of People to hear them Preach and Diſ
pute concerning ſacred Things; they require a
very large Houſe. They can be placed no where
better than among ſome publick Buildings,
ſuch as Theatres, Circuſſes, or Squares, where
the Multitude going for their Pleaſure may
more eaſily by the Exhortations, Example and
Admonition of the Religious, be drawn from
Vice to Virtue, and from Ignorance to Know
ledge.
CHAP. VIII.
Of Places for Exerciſe, publick Schools, and Hoſpitals both for Men and
Women.
Women.
The Ancients, and eſpecially the Greeks,
uſed in the very Middle of their Cities
to erect thoſe Edifices which they called
Palæſtræ, where thoſe who applied themſelves
to Philoſophy, attended publick Diſputations.
They were large ſpacious Places full of Win
dows, with a free Proſpect on all Sides, and
raiſed Seats, and Porticoes running round ſome
green flowery Meadow. Such a Structure is
extremely proper for theſe Perſons, who may
be reckoned a Kind of Religious; and I would
have thoſe who delight in the Study of Learn
ing, be provided with every Thing that may
induce them to ſtay with their Tutors with
Pleaſure, and without Uneaſineſs or Satiety.
For this Reaſon, I would have the Meadow,
the Portico, and every Thing elſe ſo laid out,
that nothing whatſoever could be better con
trived for Recreation. In Winter let them re
ceive the kindly Beams of the Sun, and in Sum
mer be ſhady and open to gentle refreſhing
Breezes. But of the Delicacies of this Kind of
Structures we ſhall ſpeak more particularly in
another Place. Only if you do reſolve to erect
publick Schools, where the Learned may meet
and converſe, place them in that Situation
which may be moſt convenient and pleaſant for
them. Let there be no Noiſes of working Trades,
no noiſome ill Smells; and do not let it be a
Place for idle People to loyter in; but let it
have more the Air of a Solitude, ſuch as be
comes Men of Gravity employed about the no
bleſt and moſt curious Enquiries: In a Word,
it ſhould have more of Majeſty than Nicety.
As for Hoſpitals where the Prieſt is to exerciſe
his Charity towards the Poor and Diſtreſſed,
they are to be built with much Thought, and
a good Deal of Variety; for one Place is pro
per for harbouring the Diſtreſſed, and another
for curing and foſtering the Sick and Infirm:
Among theſe laſt too we ſhould take Care to
make a good Deal of Diſtinction, that while
we are providing for a few uſeleſs People, we
do not neglect more that might really be of
Service. There have been ſome Princes in Italy
that would never ſuffer any tattered Cripples
to go about their Cities begging Charity from
Door to Door; but as ſoon as ever they came,
an Order was brought to them not to be ſeen
in that City without working at ſome Trade
above three Days: For there is hardly any ſo
maimed but what may do ſome Work or other;
and even a blind Man may turn a Rope
maker's Wheel, if he can do nothing elſe. As
for thoſe who are entirely oppreſſed and dif
abled by ſome heavier Infirmity, they were
taken care of by Magiſtrates appointed on pur
poſe to provide for ſick Strangers, and diſtri
buted regularly to inferior Hoſpitlers, to be
looked after. And by this Means theſe poor
Wretches did not wander about begging Re
lief, perhaps in vain; and the City was not of
fended by miſerable and filthy Objects. In
Tuſcany, always famous for Religion and Pie
ty, there are noble Hoſpitals, built at a vaſt
Expence; where as well Strangers as Natives,
are furniſhed plentifully with all Manner of
Neceſſaries for their Cure. But as the Sick are
of various Sorts, ſome afflicted with Leproſy or
Plague, with which they might infect thoſe who
are in Health, and others, if ſuch an Expreſ
ſion may be allowed, with more wholſome
uſed in the very Middle of their Cities
to erect thoſe Edifices which they called
Palæſtræ, where thoſe who applied themſelves
to Philoſophy, attended publick Diſputations.
They were large ſpacious Places full of Win
dows, with a free Proſpect on all Sides, and
raiſed Seats, and Porticoes running round ſome
green flowery Meadow. Such a Structure is
extremely proper for theſe Perſons, who may
be reckoned a Kind of Religious; and I would
have thoſe who delight in the Study of Learn
ing, be provided with every Thing that may
induce them to ſtay with their Tutors with
Pleaſure, and without Uneaſineſs or Satiety.
For this Reaſon, I would have the Meadow,
the Portico, and every Thing elſe ſo laid out,
that nothing whatſoever could be better con
trived for Recreation. In Winter let them re
ceive the kindly Beams of the Sun, and in Sum
mer be ſhady and open to gentle refreſhing
Breezes. But of the Delicacies of this Kind of
Structures we ſhall ſpeak more particularly in
another Place. Only if you do reſolve to erect
publick Schools, where the Learned may meet
and converſe, place them in that Situation
which may be moſt convenient and pleaſant for
them. Let there be no Noiſes of working Trades,
no noiſome ill Smells; and do not let it be a
Place for idle People to loyter in; but let it
have more the Air of a Solitude, ſuch as be
comes Men of Gravity employed about the no
bleſt and moſt curious Enquiries: In a Word,
it ſhould have more of Majeſty than Nicety.
As for Hoſpitals where the Prieſt is to exerciſe
his Charity towards the Poor and Diſtreſſed,
they are to be built with much Thought, and
a good Deal of Variety; for one Place is pro
per for harbouring the Diſtreſſed, and another
for curing and foſtering the Sick and Infirm:
Among theſe laſt too we ſhould take Care to
make a good Deal of Diſtinction, that while
we are providing for a few uſeleſs People, we
do not neglect more that might really be of
Service. There have been ſome Princes in Italy
that would never ſuffer any tattered Cripples
to go about their Cities begging Charity from
Door to Door; but as ſoon as ever they came,
an Order was brought to them not to be ſeen
in that City without working at ſome Trade
above three Days: For there is hardly any ſo
maimed but what may do ſome Work or other;
and even a blind Man may turn a Rope
maker's Wheel, if he can do nothing elſe. As
for thoſe who are entirely oppreſſed and dif
abled by ſome heavier Infirmity, they were
taken care of by Magiſtrates appointed on pur
poſe to provide for ſick Strangers, and diſtri
buted regularly to inferior Hoſpitlers, to be
looked after. And by this Means theſe poor
Wretches did not wander about begging Re
lief, perhaps in vain; and the City was not of
fended by miſerable and filthy Objects. In
Tuſcany, always famous for Religion and Pie
ty, there are noble Hoſpitals, built at a vaſt
Expence; where as well Strangers as Natives,
are furniſhed plentifully with all Manner of
Neceſſaries for their Cure. But as the Sick are
of various Sorts, ſome afflicted with Leproſy or
Plague, with which they might infect thoſe who
are in Health, and others, if ſuch an Expreſ
ſion may be allowed, with more wholſome