1then be reckoned ſo by a hundred; and they
abounded in ſuch an incredible Number of in
genious Men who exerciſe their Talent this
Way, that we are told there was at one Time
no leſs than ſeven hundred Architects at Rome,
whoſe Works were ſo noble that the extraor
dinary Praiſe which is beſtowed upon them,
is hardly equal to their Merit. And as the
Wealth of the Empire was ſufficient to bear the
Expence of the moſt ſtately Structures, ſo we
are told that a private Man, by Name Tatius,
at his own proper Charges built Baths for the
People of Oſtia with an hundred Columns of
Numidian Marble. But ſtill though the Con
dition of their State was thus flouriſhing, they
thought it moſt laudable to join the Magnifi
cence of the moſt profuſe Monarchs, to the an
cient Parſimony and frugal Contrivance of their
own Country: But ſtill in ſuch a Manner, that
their Frugality ſhould not prejudice Conveni
ency, nor Conveniency be too cautious and
fearful of Expence; but that both ſhould be
embelliſhed by every thing that was delicate or
beautiful. In a Word, being to the greateſt
Degree careful and exact in all their Buildings,
they became at laſt ſo excellent in this Art,
that there was nothing in it ſo hiden or ſecret
but what they traced out, diſcovered and
brought to light, by the Favour of Heaven,
and the Art itſelf not frowning upon their En
deavours: For the Art of Building having had
her ancient Seat in Italy, and eſpecially among
the Hetrurians, who beſides thoſe miraculous
Structures which we read to have been erected
by their Kings, of Labyrinths and Sepulchres,
had among them ſome excellent ancient Writ
ings, which taught the Manner of building
Temples, according to the Practice of the An
cient Tuſcans: I ſay, this Art having had her
ancient Seat in Italy, and knowing with how
much Fervour ſhe was courted there, ſhe ſeems
to have reſolved, that this Empire of the World,
which was already adorned with all other Vir
tues, ſhould be made ſtill more admirable by
her Embelliſhments. For this Reaſon ſhe gave
herſelf to them to be throughly known and un
derſtood; thinking it a Shame that the Head
of the Univerſe and the Glory of all Nations
ſhould be equalled in Magnificence by thoſe
whom ſhe had excelled in all Virtues and Sci
ences. Why ſhould I inſiſt here upon their
Porticoes, Temples, Gates, Theatres, Baths,
and other gigantick Structures; Works ſo a
mazing, that though they were actually exe
cuted, ſome very great foreign Architects
thought them impracticable. In ſhort, I need
ſay no more than that they could not bear to
have even their common Drains void of Beau
ty, and were ſo delighted with Magnificence
and Ornament, that they thought it no Profu
ſion to ſpend the Wealth of the State in Build
ings that were hardly deſigned for any thing
elſe. By the Examples therefore of the Anci
ents, and the Precepts of great Maſters, and
conſtant Practice, a thorough Knowledge is to
be gained of the Method of raiſing ſuch mag
nificent Structures; from this Knowledge
ſound Rules are to be drawn, which are by no
means to be neglected by thoſe who have not
a Mind to make themſelves ridiculous by build
ing, as I ſuppoſe nobody has. Theſe Rules it
is our Buſineſs here to collect and explain, ac
cording to the beſt of our Capacity. Of theſe
ſome regard the univerſal Beauty and Orna
ment of the whole Edifice; other the particu
lar Parts and Members taken ſeparately. The
former are taken immediately from Philoſophy
and are intended to direct and regulate the
Operations of this Art; the others from Ex
perience, as we have ſhewn above, only filed
and perfected by the Principles of Philo
ſophy. I ſhall ſpeak firſt of thoſe wherein this
particular Art is moſt concerned; and as for
the others, which relate to the Univerſality,
they ſhall ſerve by Way of Epilogue.
abounded in ſuch an incredible Number of in
genious Men who exerciſe their Talent this
Way, that we are told there was at one Time
no leſs than ſeven hundred Architects at Rome,
whoſe Works were ſo noble that the extraor
dinary Praiſe which is beſtowed upon them,
is hardly equal to their Merit. And as the
Wealth of the Empire was ſufficient to bear the
Expence of the moſt ſtately Structures, ſo we
are told that a private Man, by Name Tatius,
at his own proper Charges built Baths for the
People of Oſtia with an hundred Columns of
Numidian Marble. But ſtill though the Con
dition of their State was thus flouriſhing, they
thought it moſt laudable to join the Magnifi
cence of the moſt profuſe Monarchs, to the an
cient Parſimony and frugal Contrivance of their
own Country: But ſtill in ſuch a Manner, that
their Frugality ſhould not prejudice Conveni
ency, nor Conveniency be too cautious and
fearful of Expence; but that both ſhould be
embelliſhed by every thing that was delicate or
beautiful. In a Word, being to the greateſt
Degree careful and exact in all their Buildings,
they became at laſt ſo excellent in this Art,
that there was nothing in it ſo hiden or ſecret
but what they traced out, diſcovered and
brought to light, by the Favour of Heaven,
and the Art itſelf not frowning upon their En
deavours: For the Art of Building having had
her ancient Seat in Italy, and eſpecially among
the Hetrurians, who beſides thoſe miraculous
Structures which we read to have been erected
by their Kings, of Labyrinths and Sepulchres,
had among them ſome excellent ancient Writ
ings, which taught the Manner of building
Temples, according to the Practice of the An
cient Tuſcans: I ſay, this Art having had her
ancient Seat in Italy, and knowing with how
much Fervour ſhe was courted there, ſhe ſeems
to have reſolved, that this Empire of the World,
which was already adorned with all other Vir
tues, ſhould be made ſtill more admirable by
her Embelliſhments. For this Reaſon ſhe gave
herſelf to them to be throughly known and un
derſtood; thinking it a Shame that the Head
of the Univerſe and the Glory of all Nations
ſhould be equalled in Magnificence by thoſe
whom ſhe had excelled in all Virtues and Sci
ences. Why ſhould I inſiſt here upon their
Porticoes, Temples, Gates, Theatres, Baths,
and other gigantick Structures; Works ſo a
mazing, that though they were actually exe
cuted, ſome very great foreign Architects
thought them impracticable. In ſhort, I need
ſay no more than that they could not bear to
have even their common Drains void of Beau
ty, and were ſo delighted with Magnificence
and Ornament, that they thought it no Profu
ſion to ſpend the Wealth of the State in Build
ings that were hardly deſigned for any thing
elſe. By the Examples therefore of the Anci
ents, and the Precepts of great Maſters, and
conſtant Practice, a thorough Knowledge is to
be gained of the Method of raiſing ſuch mag
nificent Structures; from this Knowledge
ſound Rules are to be drawn, which are by no
means to be neglected by thoſe who have not
a Mind to make themſelves ridiculous by build
ing, as I ſuppoſe nobody has. Theſe Rules it
is our Buſineſs here to collect and explain, ac
cording to the beſt of our Capacity. Of theſe
ſome regard the univerſal Beauty and Orna
ment of the whole Edifice; other the particu
lar Parts and Members taken ſeparately. The
former are taken immediately from Philoſophy
and are intended to direct and regulate the
Operations of this Art; the others from Ex
perience, as we have ſhewn above, only filed
and perfected by the Principles of Philo
ſophy. I ſhall ſpeak firſt of thoſe wherein this
particular Art is moſt concerned; and as for
the others, which relate to the Univerſality,
they ſhall ſerve by Way of Epilogue.
CHAP. IV
That Beauty and Ornament in every Thing ariſe from Contrivance, or the
Hand of the Artificer, or from Nature; and that though the Region indeed
can hardly be improved by the Wit or Labour of Man, yet many other
Things may be done highly worthy of Admiration, and ſcarcely credible.
Hand of the Artificer, or from Nature; and that though the Region indeed
can hardly be improved by the Wit or Labour of Man, yet many other
Things may be done highly worthy of Admiration, and ſcarcely credible.
That which delights us in Things that
are either beautiful or finely adorned,
muſt proceed either from the Contrivance and
Invention of the Mind, or the Hand of the
Artificer, or from ſomewhat derived immedi
ately from Nature herſelf. To the Mind be
are either beautiful or finely adorned,
muſt proceed either from the Contrivance and
Invention of the Mind, or the Hand of the
Artificer, or from ſomewhat derived immedi
ately from Nature herſelf. To the Mind be