1Columns, over which ran an Architrave, Freze
and Cornice, according to the Rules juſt now
laid down for Porticoes; and the reſt of the
Void above the Cornice was left quite open
for ſetting of Statues or large Candleſticks.
Others incloſed the Entrance into ſuch Chapels
with a Walls brought half Way on each Side.
Thoſe who imagine that the great Thickneſs
of the Walls adds Dignity to a Temple, are
greatly miſtaken; for who is there that does
not diſlike a Body compoſed of gouty Limbs?
beſides that when the Walls are too thick, they
always intercept the Light. In the Rotonda at
Rome, the excellent Architect who had the
Care of that great Work having in it Occaſion
for thick Walls, built the Ribs entirely of ſolid
Work, without any Stuffing, and thoſe Inter
ſpaces which a leſs skilful Artiſt would have
ſtuffed, he employed in Niches and other A
pertures, whereby he ſaved Expence, and made
the Structure leſs heavy, and more beautiful.
The Thickneſs of the Walls muſt be proporti
oned after the Manner of Columns; that is to
ſay, their Thickneſs muſt correſpond to their
Height, as in thoſe. I have obſerved that the
Ancients, in building their Temples, uſed to
divide the Front of their Platform into twelve
Parts; or, when they would make them parti
cularly ſtrong, into nine, and one of thoſe
Parts was the Thickneſs of the Wall. In cir
cular Temples the Wall was never leſs high
than half the Diameter of its inner Area;
many made it two Thirds of that Diameter,
and ſome three Fourths, which was the Height
to which they carried the Wall before they be
gan the Sweep of the Cupola. But the more
diſcreet Workmen divided the Circumference
of this circular Platform into four Parts; and
one of thoſe fourth Parts being extended to a
Line was equal to the inward Height of the
Wall, which is as four to eleven: And this
Practice has been alſo imitated in ſquare Tem
ples as well as round ones, and in many other
Kinds of Structures that were to be covered
with Arches. But where there were to be
Chapels on each Side in the Wall, to make the
Aperture ſeem the Larger they ſometimes raiſed
their Wall equal in Height to the whole Breadth
of the Area. In round Temples the inward
Height of the Wall will not be the ſame as the
outward: Becauſe within the Wall ends exact
ly where the Sweep of the Arch begins; but
without, it is carried up ſtraight to the Top of
the Cornice. If the Cupola have a Cover on
the Outſide made with Degrees like Steps, the
outward Wall will take up a third Part of it;
but if the Cover be made with ſtraight Lines
and a common Slope, then the outward Wall
will take up half. Nothing is more conveni
ent for building the Walls of a Temple, than
Brick; but then it muſt be caſed with ſome
thing handſomer. There have been many dif
ferent Opinions with Relation to the Adorning
of the Walls of Temples. At Cyzicus a Town
in Bythinia there was a Temple which had its
Walls adorned with a very beautiful Stone, and all
the Joints pointed with maſſy Gold. In the Tem
ple of Minerva at Elis, the Brother of Phidias,
the celebrated Carver, made an Incruſtation of
Stuc tempered with Saffron and Milk. The
Kings of Ægypt encompaſſed the Monument
of Simandes, which was the Scpulchre for the
Concubines of Jupiter, with a Circle of Gold
no leſs than a Cubit or Foot and half broad,
and three hundred ſixty-five Cubits round,
with a Day of the Year inſcribed upon every
Cubit. Others condemned this Exceſs of Or
nament in Temples. Cicero, being guided by
Plato's Opinion, thought it neceſſary that the
People ſhould be admoniſhed by the Laws to
lay aſide all Manner of Delicacy in the Adorn
ing their Temples, and take Care only to have
them perfectly clean and white. However,
ſays he, let the Structure of them be beautiful.
I confeſs, for my own Part, I am very ready to
believe, that Purity and Simplicity of Colour,
as of Life, muſt be moſt pleaſing to the Divine
Being; and that it is not proper to have any
Thing in a Church that may be likely to draw
off Men's Thoughts from Devotion and fix
them upon the Pleaſure and Delight of the
Senſes: But ſtill I am of Opinion, that he is
highly to be commended, who, as in other
publick Structures, ſo alſo in Temples, without
departing from the Gravity requiſite in ſuch
Works, endeavours to have all the Parts, the
Walls, Roof, and Pavement, as handſome and
clegant as poſſible, ſtill chiefly having it in his
Eye to make all his Ornaments the moſt dura
ble that may be. Thus nothing can be more
proper for the Ornament of the Roof on the
Inſide than all Sorts of Moſaic Work made of
Marble, Glaſs, and other laſting Materials.
Stuc-work with Figures, according to the Prac
tice of the Ancients, may be a very handſome
Coat for the Outſide. In both you muſt take
the greateſt Care to chuſe proper Places as
well for your Pictures as Figures. The Por
tico, for Inſtance, is the fitteſt Place for the
Repreſentation of great Actions in Pictures.
and Cornice, according to the Rules juſt now
laid down for Porticoes; and the reſt of the
Void above the Cornice was left quite open
for ſetting of Statues or large Candleſticks.
Others incloſed the Entrance into ſuch Chapels
with a Walls brought half Way on each Side.
Thoſe who imagine that the great Thickneſs
of the Walls adds Dignity to a Temple, are
greatly miſtaken; for who is there that does
not diſlike a Body compoſed of gouty Limbs?
beſides that when the Walls are too thick, they
always intercept the Light. In the Rotonda at
Rome, the excellent Architect who had the
Care of that great Work having in it Occaſion
for thick Walls, built the Ribs entirely of ſolid
Work, without any Stuffing, and thoſe Inter
ſpaces which a leſs skilful Artiſt would have
ſtuffed, he employed in Niches and other A
pertures, whereby he ſaved Expence, and made
the Structure leſs heavy, and more beautiful.
The Thickneſs of the Walls muſt be proporti
oned after the Manner of Columns; that is to
ſay, their Thickneſs muſt correſpond to their
Height, as in thoſe. I have obſerved that the
Ancients, in building their Temples, uſed to
divide the Front of their Platform into twelve
Parts; or, when they would make them parti
cularly ſtrong, into nine, and one of thoſe
Parts was the Thickneſs of the Wall. In cir
cular Temples the Wall was never leſs high
than half the Diameter of its inner Area;
many made it two Thirds of that Diameter,
and ſome three Fourths, which was the Height
to which they carried the Wall before they be
gan the Sweep of the Cupola. But the more
diſcreet Workmen divided the Circumference
of this circular Platform into four Parts; and
one of thoſe fourth Parts being extended to a
Line was equal to the inward Height of the
Wall, which is as four to eleven: And this
Practice has been alſo imitated in ſquare Tem
ples as well as round ones, and in many other
Kinds of Structures that were to be covered
with Arches. But where there were to be
Chapels on each Side in the Wall, to make the
Aperture ſeem the Larger they ſometimes raiſed
their Wall equal in Height to the whole Breadth
of the Area. In round Temples the inward
Height of the Wall will not be the ſame as the
outward: Becauſe within the Wall ends exact
ly where the Sweep of the Arch begins; but
without, it is carried up ſtraight to the Top of
the Cornice. If the Cupola have a Cover on
the Outſide made with Degrees like Steps, the
outward Wall will take up a third Part of it;
but if the Cover be made with ſtraight Lines
and a common Slope, then the outward Wall
will take up half. Nothing is more conveni
ent for building the Walls of a Temple, than
Brick; but then it muſt be caſed with ſome
thing handſomer. There have been many dif
ferent Opinions with Relation to the Adorning
of the Walls of Temples. At Cyzicus a Town
in Bythinia there was a Temple which had its
Walls adorned with a very beautiful Stone, and all
the Joints pointed with maſſy Gold. In the Tem
ple of Minerva at Elis, the Brother of Phidias,
the celebrated Carver, made an Incruſtation of
Stuc tempered with Saffron and Milk. The
Kings of Ægypt encompaſſed the Monument
of Simandes, which was the Scpulchre for the
Concubines of Jupiter, with a Circle of Gold
no leſs than a Cubit or Foot and half broad,
and three hundred ſixty-five Cubits round,
with a Day of the Year inſcribed upon every
Cubit. Others condemned this Exceſs of Or
nament in Temples. Cicero, being guided by
Plato's Opinion, thought it neceſſary that the
People ſhould be admoniſhed by the Laws to
lay aſide all Manner of Delicacy in the Adorn
ing their Temples, and take Care only to have
them perfectly clean and white. However,
ſays he, let the Structure of them be beautiful.
I confeſs, for my own Part, I am very ready to
believe, that Purity and Simplicity of Colour,
as of Life, muſt be moſt pleaſing to the Divine
Being; and that it is not proper to have any
Thing in a Church that may be likely to draw
off Men's Thoughts from Devotion and fix
them upon the Pleaſure and Delight of the
Senſes: But ſtill I am of Opinion, that he is
highly to be commended, who, as in other
publick Structures, ſo alſo in Temples, without
departing from the Gravity requiſite in ſuch
Works, endeavours to have all the Parts, the
Walls, Roof, and Pavement, as handſome and
clegant as poſſible, ſtill chiefly having it in his
Eye to make all his Ornaments the moſt dura
ble that may be. Thus nothing can be more
proper for the Ornament of the Roof on the
Inſide than all Sorts of Moſaic Work made of
Marble, Glaſs, and other laſting Materials.
Stuc-work with Figures, according to the Prac
tice of the Ancients, may be a very handſome
Coat for the Outſide. In both you muſt take
the greateſt Care to chuſe proper Places as
well for your Pictures as Figures. The Por
tico, for Inſtance, is the fitteſt Place for the
Repreſentation of great Actions in Pictures.
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