1long the Flection, Diſtribution, Diſpoſition,
and other Things of the like Nature which
give Dignity to the Work: To the Hand, the
amaſſing, adding, diminiſhing, chipping, po
liſhing, and the like, which make the Work
delicate: The Qualities derived from Nature
are Heavineſs, Lightneſs, Thickneſs, Clearneſs,
Durability, &c. which make the Work wond
erful. Theſe three Operations are to be adapt
cd to the ſeveral Parts according to their various
Uſes and Offices. There are ſeveral Ways of
dividing and conſidering the different Parts:
But at preſent we ſhall divide all Buildings
either according to the Parts in which they
generally agree, or to thoſe in which they ge
nerally differ. In the firſt Book we ſaw that
all Edifices muſt have Region, Situation, Com
partition, Walling, Covering, and Apertures;
in theſe Particulars therefore they agree. But
then in theſe others they differ, namely, that
ſome are Sacred, others Profane, ſome Pub
lick, others Private, ſome deſigned for Neceſ
ſity, others for Pleaſure, and ſo on. Let us be
gin with thoſe Particulars wherein they agree.
What the Hand or Wit of Man can add to
the Region, either of Beauty or Dignity, is
hardly diſcoverable; unleſs we would give in
to thoſe miraculous and ſuperſtitious Accounts
which we read of ſome Works. Nor are the
Undertakers of ſuch Works blamed by pru
dent Men, if their Deſigns anſwer any great
Conveniency; but if they take Pains to do
what there was no Neceſſity for, they are juſt
ly denied the Praiſe they hunt after. For who
would be ſo daring as to undertake, like Staſi
crates, (according to Plutarch) or Dinocrates
(according to Vitruvius) to make Mount Athos
into a Statue of Alexander, and in one of the
Hands to build a City big enough to contain
ten thouſand Men? Indeed I ſhould not diſ
commend Queen Nitocris for having forced
the River Euphrates, by making vaſt Cuts, to
flow three Times round the City of the Aſſy
rians, if ſhe made the Region ſtrong and ſecure
by thoſe Trenches, and fruitful by the over
flowing of the Water. But let us leave it to
mighty Kings to be delighted with ſuch Un
dertakings: Let them join Sea to Sea by cut
ting the Land between them: Let them level
Hills: Let them make new Iſlands, or join old
ones to the Continent: Let them put it out
of the Power of any others to imitate them,
and ſo make their Names memorable to Poſte
rity: Still all their waſt Works will be com
mended not ſo much in Proportion to their
Greatneſs as their Uſe. The Ancients ſome
times added Dignity not only to particular
Groves, but even to the whole Region, by
Means of Religion. We read that all Sicily
was conſecrated to Ceres; but theſe are Things
not now to be inſiſted upon. It will be of great
and real Advantages, if the Region be poſſeſſed
of ſome rare Quality, no leſs uſeful than extra
ordinary: As for Inſtance, if the Air be more
temperate than in any other Place, and always
equal and uniform, as we are told it is at
Moroe, where Men live in a Manner as long as
they pleaſe; or if the Region produces ſome
thing not to be found elſewhere and very de
ſirable and wholeſome to Man, as that which
produces Amber, Cinnamon, and Balſam; or
if it has ſome divine Influence in it, as there is
in the Soil of the Iſland Eubœa, where we are
told nothing noxious is produced. The Situ
ation, being a certain determinate Part of the
Region, is adorned by all the ſame Particulars
as beautify the Region itſelf. But Nature ge
nerally offers more Conveniencies, and thoſe
more ready at Hand, for adorning the Situati
on than the Region; for we very frequently
meet with Circumſtances extreamly noble and
ſurpriſing, ſuch as Promontories, Rocks, brok
en Hills vaſtly high and ſharp, Grottoes, Ca
verns, Springs and the like; near which, if we
would have our Situation ſtrike the Beholders
with Surprize, we may build to our Hearts
deſire. Nor ſhould their be wanting in the
Proſpect Remains of Antiquity, on which we
cannot turn our Eyes without conſidering the
various Revolutions of Men and Things, and
being filled with Wonder and Admiration. I
need not mention the Place where Troy once
ſtood, or the Plains of Leuctra ſtained with
Blood, nor the Fields near Traſumenus, and a
thouſand other Places memorable for ſome
great Event. How the Hand and Wit of Man
may add to the Beauty of the Situation, is not
ſo eaſily ſhewn. I paſs over Things com
monly done; ſuch as Plane-trees brought by
Sea to the Iſland of Tremeti to adorn the Situ
ation, or Columns, Obelisks and Trees left by
great Men in order to ſtrike Poſterity with Ve
neration; as for Inſtance, the Olive-tree planted
by Neptune and Minerva, which flouriſhed for
ſo many Ages in the Citadel of Athens: I like
wife paſs over ancient Traditions handed down
from Age to Age, as that of the Turpentine
tree near Hebron, which was reported to have
ſtood from the Creation of the World to the
Days of Joſephus the Hiſtorian. Nothing can
and other Things of the like Nature which
give Dignity to the Work: To the Hand, the
amaſſing, adding, diminiſhing, chipping, po
liſhing, and the like, which make the Work
delicate: The Qualities derived from Nature
are Heavineſs, Lightneſs, Thickneſs, Clearneſs,
Durability, &c. which make the Work wond
erful. Theſe three Operations are to be adapt
cd to the ſeveral Parts according to their various
Uſes and Offices. There are ſeveral Ways of
dividing and conſidering the different Parts:
But at preſent we ſhall divide all Buildings
either according to the Parts in which they
generally agree, or to thoſe in which they ge
nerally differ. In the firſt Book we ſaw that
all Edifices muſt have Region, Situation, Com
partition, Walling, Covering, and Apertures;
in theſe Particulars therefore they agree. But
then in theſe others they differ, namely, that
ſome are Sacred, others Profane, ſome Pub
lick, others Private, ſome deſigned for Neceſ
ſity, others for Pleaſure, and ſo on. Let us be
gin with thoſe Particulars wherein they agree.
What the Hand or Wit of Man can add to
the Region, either of Beauty or Dignity, is
hardly diſcoverable; unleſs we would give in
to thoſe miraculous and ſuperſtitious Accounts
which we read of ſome Works. Nor are the
Undertakers of ſuch Works blamed by pru
dent Men, if their Deſigns anſwer any great
Conveniency; but if they take Pains to do
what there was no Neceſſity for, they are juſt
ly denied the Praiſe they hunt after. For who
would be ſo daring as to undertake, like Staſi
crates, (according to Plutarch) or Dinocrates
(according to Vitruvius) to make Mount Athos
into a Statue of Alexander, and in one of the
Hands to build a City big enough to contain
ten thouſand Men? Indeed I ſhould not diſ
commend Queen Nitocris for having forced
the River Euphrates, by making vaſt Cuts, to
flow three Times round the City of the Aſſy
rians, if ſhe made the Region ſtrong and ſecure
by thoſe Trenches, and fruitful by the over
flowing of the Water. But let us leave it to
mighty Kings to be delighted with ſuch Un
dertakings: Let them join Sea to Sea by cut
ting the Land between them: Let them level
Hills: Let them make new Iſlands, or join old
ones to the Continent: Let them put it out
of the Power of any others to imitate them,
and ſo make their Names memorable to Poſte
rity: Still all their waſt Works will be com
mended not ſo much in Proportion to their
Greatneſs as their Uſe. The Ancients ſome
times added Dignity not only to particular
Groves, but even to the whole Region, by
Means of Religion. We read that all Sicily
was conſecrated to Ceres; but theſe are Things
not now to be inſiſted upon. It will be of great
and real Advantages, if the Region be poſſeſſed
of ſome rare Quality, no leſs uſeful than extra
ordinary: As for Inſtance, if the Air be more
temperate than in any other Place, and always
equal and uniform, as we are told it is at
Moroe, where Men live in a Manner as long as
they pleaſe; or if the Region produces ſome
thing not to be found elſewhere and very de
ſirable and wholeſome to Man, as that which
produces Amber, Cinnamon, and Balſam; or
if it has ſome divine Influence in it, as there is
in the Soil of the Iſland Eubœa, where we are
told nothing noxious is produced. The Situ
ation, being a certain determinate Part of the
Region, is adorned by all the ſame Particulars
as beautify the Region itſelf. But Nature ge
nerally offers more Conveniencies, and thoſe
more ready at Hand, for adorning the Situati
on than the Region; for we very frequently
meet with Circumſtances extreamly noble and
ſurpriſing, ſuch as Promontories, Rocks, brok
en Hills vaſtly high and ſharp, Grottoes, Ca
verns, Springs and the like; near which, if we
would have our Situation ſtrike the Beholders
with Surprize, we may build to our Hearts
deſire. Nor ſhould their be wanting in the
Proſpect Remains of Antiquity, on which we
cannot turn our Eyes without conſidering the
various Revolutions of Men and Things, and
being filled with Wonder and Admiration. I
need not mention the Place where Troy once
ſtood, or the Plains of Leuctra ſtained with
Blood, nor the Fields near Traſumenus, and a
thouſand other Places memorable for ſome
great Event. How the Hand and Wit of Man
may add to the Beauty of the Situation, is not
ſo eaſily ſhewn. I paſs over Things com
monly done; ſuch as Plane-trees brought by
Sea to the Iſland of Tremeti to adorn the Situ
ation, or Columns, Obelisks and Trees left by
great Men in order to ſtrike Poſterity with Ve
neration; as for Inſtance, the Olive-tree planted
by Neptune and Minerva, which flouriſhed for
ſo many Ages in the Citadel of Athens: I like
wife paſs over ancient Traditions handed down
from Age to Age, as that of the Turpentine
tree near Hebron, which was reported to have
ſtood from the Creation of the World to the
Days of Joſephus the Hiſtorian. Nothing can