1Compaſſes, and fixing one Foot in the Point
below the Eye, let the other reach to the End
of the Line which you have already turned,
that is to ſay, to the End of your Semi-circle,
and turn it upwards till you touch the upper
Edge of the Ovolo. Thus with two unequal
Semi-circles, you will have made one entire
Compaſs about the Eye of your Volute. Then
go on with your Sweep in the ſame Manner,
till you have turned it quite to the Eye of the
Volute, or that little Circle in the Middle.
The Top of the Ovolo in the Front muſt have
a Projecture of two Minutes beyond the Rind,
and the lower Part of it muſt be even with the
Top of the Shaft. The Sides of the Volutes
where the hindmoſt joins to the foremoſt on
each Side of the Capital, muſt be contracted to
the ſame Width as the Ovolo, with the Addi
tion only of one half Minute. The Abacus
muſt be adorned with an upright Cymatium
of one Minute. The Back of the Volute muſt
be adorned with a little Channel half a Minute
deep, and the Annulets on the Side of this
Channel muſt be one Fourth of its Breadth,
and the Spaces on each Side the Channel muſt
be filled with Leaves or Fruits. That Part of
the Ovolo which appears forward in the Front
of the Capital muſt be carved with Eggs, and
under them with Berries. In the Void left on
each Side by the Sweep of the Volute, carve
Leaves or Scales. And thus much for the Ionic
Capital. The Corinthian Capital is in Height
one whole Diameter of the Bottom of the Shaft.
This Height muſt be divided into ſeven Parts
or Minutes, of which the Abacus muſt be al
lowed one. The reſt is entirely taken up by
the Bell or Vaſe, the Breadth of which at the
Bottom muſt be exactly equal to that of the
Top of the Shaft, without any of its Projec
tures, and the Breadth of the Top of the Vaſe
muſt be equal to the largeſt Diameter of the
Bottom of the Shaft. The Length of the A
bacus on every Side muſt be equal to ten of the
afore-mentioned Parts; but the Corners of it
muſt be cut away to the Breadth of one half
of thoſe Parts. The Abacus of the other Ca
pitals conſiſts entirely of ſtraight Lines, but
that of the Corinthian muſt go with a Sweep
inwards to the Thickneſs of the Bottom of the
Vaſe. The Thickneſs of the Abacus is divid
ed into three Parts, the Uppermoſt of which
muſt be made exactly as we adorn the Top of
the Shaft, that is to ſay, with a Fillet and ſmall
Baguette. The Vaſe muſt be covered with
two Rows of Leaves ſtanding upright, each
Row conſiſting of eight Leaves. Each Row
muſt be in Height two of the afore-mentioned
Parts, and the remaining Parts muſt be given
to ſeveral little Shoots riſing out of the Leaves
to the Top of the Vaſe. Theſe Shoots are in
Number ſixteen, of which four are tied in each
Front of the Capital, two on the leſt Hand in
one Knot, and two on the right in another,
ſpreading away from each Knot in ſuch a Man
ner, that the Tops of the two outward ones
make a Sort of a Volute exactly under the
Horns of the Abacus. The two Middle ones
in each Front join together, winding alſo like
Volutes, and exactly over the Middle of them
is carved a beautiful Flower riſing out of the
Vaſe, which muſt not exceed the Abacus in
Breadth. The Breadth of thoſe Parts of the
Lips of the Vaſe which thoſe Shoots do not
conceal from us, is only one of the afore-men
tioned ſeventh Parts. The Leaves muſt be di
vided into five Plumes, and never more than
into ſeven. The Tops of the Leaves muſt pro
ject half a Minute. It looks handſome in the
Leaves of this Capital, and all other Carving
of the ſame Nature, to have all the Lines cut
in deep and bold. This was the Capital of
the Corinthians. The Italians brought into
their Capital all the Ornaments that they found
in the others, and obſerved the ſame Method
in making the Vaſe, Abacus, Leaves, and the
Flower in the Abacus, as the Corinthians. But
inſtead of Shoots they made uſe of a Sort of
Volutes, under the four Horns of the Abacus,
projecting two whole Minutes. The Front of
the Capital, being otherwiſe naked, borrowed
its Ornaments from the Ionic; for inſtead of
Shoots it has Volutes, and the Lips of its Vaſe
are carved full of Eggs with Berries underneath
them, like an Ovolo. Beſides the Capitals here
deſcribed, we up and down ſee a great many
other Sorts made up of the Members of theſe,
with either Additions or Diminutions: But I
do not find that they are much approved.
And thus much may ſuffice of Capitals, unleſs
it be neceſſary juſt to mention one Practice;
which is, that it is common over the Abacus
to lay a very thick ſquare Piece of Stone, or
Plinth, which ſeems as it were to give the Ca
pital Breadth, and to prevent its being oppreſſ
ed by the Architrave, and at the ſame Time is
of Uſe to keep the niceſt and moſt delicate
Parts of the Work from being injured in laying
the Superſtructure.
below the Eye, let the other reach to the End
of the Line which you have already turned,
that is to ſay, to the End of your Semi-circle,
and turn it upwards till you touch the upper
Edge of the Ovolo. Thus with two unequal
Semi-circles, you will have made one entire
Compaſs about the Eye of your Volute. Then
go on with your Sweep in the ſame Manner,
till you have turned it quite to the Eye of the
Volute, or that little Circle in the Middle.
The Top of the Ovolo in the Front muſt have
a Projecture of two Minutes beyond the Rind,
and the lower Part of it muſt be even with the
Top of the Shaft. The Sides of the Volutes
where the hindmoſt joins to the foremoſt on
each Side of the Capital, muſt be contracted to
the ſame Width as the Ovolo, with the Addi
tion only of one half Minute. The Abacus
muſt be adorned with an upright Cymatium
of one Minute. The Back of the Volute muſt
be adorned with a little Channel half a Minute
deep, and the Annulets on the Side of this
Channel muſt be one Fourth of its Breadth,
and the Spaces on each Side the Channel muſt
be filled with Leaves or Fruits. That Part of
the Ovolo which appears forward in the Front
of the Capital muſt be carved with Eggs, and
under them with Berries. In the Void left on
each Side by the Sweep of the Volute, carve
Leaves or Scales. And thus much for the Ionic
Capital. The Corinthian Capital is in Height
one whole Diameter of the Bottom of the Shaft.
This Height muſt be divided into ſeven Parts
or Minutes, of which the Abacus muſt be al
lowed one. The reſt is entirely taken up by
the Bell or Vaſe, the Breadth of which at the
Bottom muſt be exactly equal to that of the
Top of the Shaft, without any of its Projec
tures, and the Breadth of the Top of the Vaſe
muſt be equal to the largeſt Diameter of the
Bottom of the Shaft. The Length of the A
bacus on every Side muſt be equal to ten of the
afore-mentioned Parts; but the Corners of it
muſt be cut away to the Breadth of one half
of thoſe Parts. The Abacus of the other Ca
pitals conſiſts entirely of ſtraight Lines, but
that of the Corinthian muſt go with a Sweep
inwards to the Thickneſs of the Bottom of the
Vaſe. The Thickneſs of the Abacus is divid
ed into three Parts, the Uppermoſt of which
muſt be made exactly as we adorn the Top of
the Shaft, that is to ſay, with a Fillet and ſmall
Baguette. The Vaſe muſt be covered with
two Rows of Leaves ſtanding upright, each
Row conſiſting of eight Leaves. Each Row
muſt be in Height two of the afore-mentioned
Parts, and the remaining Parts muſt be given
to ſeveral little Shoots riſing out of the Leaves
to the Top of the Vaſe. Theſe Shoots are in
Number ſixteen, of which four are tied in each
Front of the Capital, two on the leſt Hand in
one Knot, and two on the right in another,
ſpreading away from each Knot in ſuch a Man
ner, that the Tops of the two outward ones
make a Sort of a Volute exactly under the
Horns of the Abacus. The two Middle ones
in each Front join together, winding alſo like
Volutes, and exactly over the Middle of them
is carved a beautiful Flower riſing out of the
Vaſe, which muſt not exceed the Abacus in
Breadth. The Breadth of thoſe Parts of the
Lips of the Vaſe which thoſe Shoots do not
conceal from us, is only one of the afore-men
tioned ſeventh Parts. The Leaves muſt be di
vided into five Plumes, and never more than
into ſeven. The Tops of the Leaves muſt pro
ject half a Minute. It looks handſome in the
Leaves of this Capital, and all other Carving
of the ſame Nature, to have all the Lines cut
in deep and bold. This was the Capital of
the Corinthians. The Italians brought into
their Capital all the Ornaments that they found
in the others, and obſerved the ſame Method
in making the Vaſe, Abacus, Leaves, and the
Flower in the Abacus, as the Corinthians. But
inſtead of Shoots they made uſe of a Sort of
Volutes, under the four Horns of the Abacus,
projecting two whole Minutes. The Front of
the Capital, being otherwiſe naked, borrowed
its Ornaments from the Ionic; for inſtead of
Shoots it has Volutes, and the Lips of its Vaſe
are carved full of Eggs with Berries underneath
them, like an Ovolo. Beſides the Capitals here
deſcribed, we up and down ſee a great many
other Sorts made up of the Members of theſe,
with either Additions or Diminutions: But I
do not find that they are much approved.
And thus much may ſuffice of Capitals, unleſs
it be neceſſary juſt to mention one Practice;
which is, that it is common over the Abacus
to lay a very thick ſquare Piece of Stone, or
Plinth, which ſeems as it were to give the Ca
pital Breadth, and to prevent its being oppreſſ
ed by the Architrave, and at the ſame Time is
of Uſe to keep the niceſt and moſt delicate
Parts of the Work from being injured in laying
the Superſtructure.
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