1Men do with our Arms. For this Reaſon, the
ſame Diſtention and Contraction of the Mem
bers and Nerves which we uſe in pulling,
thruſting or lifting, we are to imitate in our
Engines. I ſhall only add one Piece of Ad
vice more, which is, that whenever you are to
move any great Weight, in any Manner what
ſoever, you would go about it carefully, cauti
ouſly and deliberately, remembering the many
uncertain and irrecoverable Accidents and
Dangers which ſometimes happen in Attempts
of this Nature, even to the moſt experienced:
For you will never get ſo much Honour and
Reputation if what you undertake, ſucceeds, as
you will incur Blame and the Imputation of
Raſhneſs, if it fails. We ſhall now leave this
Subject, to proceed to the outward Coat of
the Wall.
ſame Diſtention and Contraction of the Mem
bers and Nerves which we uſe in pulling,
thruſting or lifting, we are to imitate in our
Engines. I ſhall only add one Piece of Ad
vice more, which is, that whenever you are to
move any great Weight, in any Manner what
ſoever, you would go about it carefully, cauti
ouſly and deliberately, remembering the many
uncertain and irrecoverable Accidents and
Dangers which ſometimes happen in Attempts
of this Nature, even to the moſt experienced:
For you will never get ſo much Honour and
Reputation if what you undertake, ſucceeds, as
you will incur Blame and the Imputation of
Raſhneſs, if it fails. We ſhall now leave this
Subject, to proceed to the outward Coat of
the Wall.
CHAP. IX.
That the Incruſtations which are made upon the Wall with Mortar, muſt be
three in Number: How they are to be made, and to what Purpoſes they are
to ſerve. Of the ſeveral Sorts of Mortar, and in what Manner the
Lime is to be prepared for making them: Of Baſs-relieves in Stuc-work
and Paintings, with which the Wall may be adorned.
three in Number: How they are to be made, and to what Purpoſes they are
to ſerve. Of the ſeveral Sorts of Mortar, and in what Manner the
Lime is to be prepared for making them: Of Baſs-relieves in Stuc-work
and Paintings, with which the Wall may be adorned.
In all Incruſtations there muſt be at leaſt
three Coats of Mortar; the firſt is called
Rough-caſting, and its Office is to ſtick as cloſe
as poſſible to the Wall and to bind on the two
outer Coats; the Office of the outer Coat, is
to make the Work ſhew neat, ſmooth, and po
liſhed; that of the middle Coat, which we call
Plaiſtering, is to prevent any Faults or Defects
in either of the other two. The Defects are
theſe: If the two laſt, that is to ſay, the Plaiſt
ering and the outer Coat are ſharp, and to uſe
ſuch an Expreſſion, tenacious of the Wall, as
the Rough-caſt ought to be, their Acrimony
will occaſion an infinite Number of Cracks in
them in drying. And if the Rough-caſt be
ſoft, as the outer Coat ſhould be, it will not
take hold of the Wall as it ought, but will fall
off in Pieces. The oftener we plaiſter the Wall
over, the better we may poliſh it, and the
longer it will endure the Injuries of Time.
Among the ancient Buildings I have ſeen ſome
which have been done over no leſs than nine
Times. The firſt of theſe ſhould be very ſharp,
and made of Pit-Sand and Brick beaten not
too fine, but about the Size of ſmall Gravel,
and laid on about the Thickneſs of three
Inches. For the Plaiſtering, or middle Coat,
River-Sand is better, and is leſs apt to crack.
This Coat too ſhould be ſomewhat rough, be
cauſe to a ſmooth Surface nothing will ſtick
that you lay on. The laſt of all ſhould be as
white as Marble; for which Reaſon, inſtead of
Sand you ſhould uſe the whiteſt Stone that can
be got pounded ſmall; and it will be ſufficient
if this Coat be laid on about half an Inch thick,
ſor when it is much more, it will not eaſily
dry. I know ſome that, out of good Huſ
bandry, make it no thicker than a Piece of
Shoe-leather. The ſecond Coat, or Plaiſter
ing, ought to be ordered according to its Proxi
mity to either of the other two. In Moun
tains where there are Stone-pits, you meet
with certain Veins extremely like a tranſparent
Alabaſter, which are neither Marble nor Tarres,
but of a Kind of middle Nature between both,
and very friable. If this be beat ſmall and
mixed up inſtead of Sand, it will ſhew full of
little Sparks that will ſhine like a fine Sort of
Marble. In many Places we ſee Nails ſtuck
into the Wall to keep on the Plaiſtering, and
Time has proved to us that it is better to have
them of Braſs than of Iron. I am very much
pleaſed with thoſe who, inſtead of Nails, ſtick
little Pieces of Flint in between the Joints of
the Stone; which they drive in gently with a
wooden Hammer. The freſher and rougher
the Wall itſelf is, the faſter all your plaiſtering
Work will cleave to it: For which Reaſon, if,
as you build the Wall, and while the Work is
Green, you rough-caſt it, though but ſlightly,
the Plaiſtering and outer Coat will ſtick to it
ſo faſt, as hardly ever to peel off. After ſouther
ly Winds, it is very proper to do any of this
Sort of Work; but if when a north Wind
blows, or in any great Cold or Heat, you offer
at any Sort of Plaiſtering, eſpecially at laying
on the outer Coat, it will ſcale off preſently.
Laſtly, all Incruſtations are of two Sorts; either
three Coats of Mortar; the firſt is called
Rough-caſting, and its Office is to ſtick as cloſe
as poſſible to the Wall and to bind on the two
outer Coats; the Office of the outer Coat, is
to make the Work ſhew neat, ſmooth, and po
liſhed; that of the middle Coat, which we call
Plaiſtering, is to prevent any Faults or Defects
in either of the other two. The Defects are
theſe: If the two laſt, that is to ſay, the Plaiſt
ering and the outer Coat are ſharp, and to uſe
ſuch an Expreſſion, tenacious of the Wall, as
the Rough-caſt ought to be, their Acrimony
will occaſion an infinite Number of Cracks in
them in drying. And if the Rough-caſt be
ſoft, as the outer Coat ſhould be, it will not
take hold of the Wall as it ought, but will fall
off in Pieces. The oftener we plaiſter the Wall
over, the better we may poliſh it, and the
longer it will endure the Injuries of Time.
Among the ancient Buildings I have ſeen ſome
which have been done over no leſs than nine
Times. The firſt of theſe ſhould be very ſharp,
and made of Pit-Sand and Brick beaten not
too fine, but about the Size of ſmall Gravel,
and laid on about the Thickneſs of three
Inches. For the Plaiſtering, or middle Coat,
River-Sand is better, and is leſs apt to crack.
This Coat too ſhould be ſomewhat rough, be
cauſe to a ſmooth Surface nothing will ſtick
that you lay on. The laſt of all ſhould be as
white as Marble; for which Reaſon, inſtead of
Sand you ſhould uſe the whiteſt Stone that can
be got pounded ſmall; and it will be ſufficient
if this Coat be laid on about half an Inch thick,
ſor when it is much more, it will not eaſily
dry. I know ſome that, out of good Huſ
bandry, make it no thicker than a Piece of
Shoe-leather. The ſecond Coat, or Plaiſter
ing, ought to be ordered according to its Proxi
mity to either of the other two. In Moun
tains where there are Stone-pits, you meet
with certain Veins extremely like a tranſparent
Alabaſter, which are neither Marble nor Tarres,
but of a Kind of middle Nature between both,
and very friable. If this be beat ſmall and
mixed up inſtead of Sand, it will ſhew full of
little Sparks that will ſhine like a fine Sort of
Marble. In many Places we ſee Nails ſtuck
into the Wall to keep on the Plaiſtering, and
Time has proved to us that it is better to have
them of Braſs than of Iron. I am very much
pleaſed with thoſe who, inſtead of Nails, ſtick
little Pieces of Flint in between the Joints of
the Stone; which they drive in gently with a
wooden Hammer. The freſher and rougher
the Wall itſelf is, the faſter all your plaiſtering
Work will cleave to it: For which Reaſon, if,
as you build the Wall, and while the Work is
Green, you rough-caſt it, though but ſlightly,
the Plaiſtering and outer Coat will ſtick to it
ſo faſt, as hardly ever to peel off. After ſouther
ly Winds, it is very proper to do any of this
Sort of Work; but if when a north Wind
blows, or in any great Cold or Heat, you offer
at any Sort of Plaiſtering, eſpecially at laying
on the outer Coat, it will ſcale off preſently.
Laſtly, all Incruſtations are of two Sorts; either