Alberti, Leone Battista, Architecture, 1755

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1in different Places, running from the Ground
quite up above the Roof, to confine the Flame,
if any ſhould happen, and prevent it catching
from one Roof to another.
Marts ought to be
fixed by the Sea-ſidé, upon the Mouths of Ri­
vers, and the Meeting of ſeveral great Roads.
The Docks or Arſenals for Shipping ſhould
have large Baſons or Canals of Water, wherein
to receive ſuch Veſſels as want refitting, and
from which they may be conveniently launched
out again to Sea; but we ſhould take Care
that this Water be not a ſtanding one, but be
kept in conſtant Motion.
Shipping is very
much rotted by ſoutherly Winds, and cracked
by the mid-day Heat; but the Aſpect of the
riſing Sun preſerves it.
All Granaries, or other
Structures built for the laying up of Stores, ab­
ſolutely require a Drineſs both of Air and Si­
tuation.
But we ſhall ſpeak more fully of
the Particulars, when we come to the Conve­
niencies belonging to private Perſons, to whoſe
uſe they are indeed referred; only we ſhall ſay
ſomething here of the Places for laying up Salt.
A Storehouſe for Salt ought to be made in the
following Manner.
Make up the Ground
with a Layer of Coal to the Height of one
Cubit or Foot and an half, and ſtamp it down
very tight; then ſtrew it with Sand pounded
together with clean Chalk, to the Height of
three Hands breadths, and lay it exactly level;
and then pave it with ſquare Bricks baked till
they are quite black.
The Face of the Walls
on the Inſide ought to be made of the ſame
Sort of Bricks; but if you have not a ſufficient
Quantity of them, you may build it with ſquare
Stone, not either with ſoft Stone or Flint, but
with ſome Stone of a middle Nature between
thoſe two, only very hard; and let this Sort of
Work go the Thickneſs of a Cubit into the
Wall; and then let the whole Inſide be lined
with Planks of Wood, faſtened with braſs Nails,
or rather joynted together without any Nails
at all, and fill up the intermediate Space be­
tween the Lining and the Wall, with Reeds.
It would alſo have a mighty good Effect to
dawb over the Planks with Chalk ſteeped in
Lees of Oil, and mixed with Spart and Ruſhes
ſhred ſmall.
Laſtly, all publick Buildings of
this Nature ought to be well fortified with
ſtout Walls, Towers, and Ammunition, againſt
all Manner of Force, Malice, or Fraud either
of Robbers, Enemies or ſeditious Citizens.
I
think I have now ſaid enough of publick
Structures, unleſs it may be thought neceſſary
to conſider of one Particular more which con­
cerns the Magiſtrate, and that not a little;
namely, that it is neceſſary he ſhould have
Places for the Confinement of ſuch as he has
condemned either for Contumacy, Treachery
or Villany.
I obſerve that the Ancients had
three Sorts of Priſons.
The firſt was that
wherein they kept the Diſorderly and the Igno­
rant, to the Intent that every Night they might
be doctored and inſtructed by learned and able
Profeſſors of the beſt Arts, in thoſe Points
which related to good Manners and an honeſt
Life.
The Second was for the Confinement
of Debtors, and for the Reformation of ſuch
as were got into a licentious Way of Living.
The laſt was for the moſt wicked Wretches and
horrid Profligates, unworthy of the Light of the
Sun or the Society of Mankind, and ſoon to be
delivered over to capital Puniſhment or perpe­
tual Impriſonment and Miſery.
If any Man is
of Opinion that this laſt Sort of Priſon ought
to be made like ſome ſubterraneous Cavern, or
frightful Sepulchre, he has certainly a greater
Regard to the Puniſhment of the Criminal than
is agreeable either to the Deſign of the Law or
to Humanity; and though wicked Men do by
their Crimes deſerve the higheſt Puniſhment,
yet the Prince or Commonwealth ought never
to forget Mercy in the Midſt of Juſtice.
There­
fore let it be ſufficient to make this Sort of
Buildings very ſtrong and ſecure, with ſtout
Walls, Roofs and Apertures, that the Perſon
confined may have no Means of making his
Eſcape; which may in a great Meaſure be ob­
tained, by the Thickneſs, Depth and Height of
the Walls, and their being built with very hard
and large Stones, joyned together with Pins of
Iron or Braſs.
To this you may, if you pleaſe,
add Windows grated with ſtrong Bars of Iron
or Wood; though in reality nothing of this Sort
whatſoever can fully ſecure a Priſoner always
thoughtful of his Liberty and Safety, nor pre­
vent his making his Eſcape, if you let him uſe
the Strength which Nature and Cunning have
beſtowed upon him, and on which Account
there is an excellent Admonition contained in
this Saying, that the vigilant Eye of a Goaler is
a Priſon of Adamant.
But in other Reſpects,
let us follow the Method and Cuſtoms of the
Ancients.
We muſt remember that in a Pri­
ſon there muſt be Privies and Hearths for Fire,
which ought to be contrived to be without
either Smoake or ill Smells.
the following
Plan of an entire Priſon may anſwer all the a­
forementioned Purpoſes.
Encloſe with very
high and ſtrong Walls, without any Apertures,

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