Alberti, Leone Battista
,
Architecture
,
1755
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It is that the Angles, the Lines and all the
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Parts have a certain Variety, but not too much
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nor too little of it, but ſo ordered both for
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Uſe and Beauty, that the entire Parts may an
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ſwer to the entire, and like Parts to like. </
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<
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>Right
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Angles are very convenient; the Acute are
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never uſed even in mean inconſiderable Plat
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forms, unleſs upon abſolute Neceſſity, or the
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Conſtraint of the Nature and Manner of the
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Situation, or to make ſome other Part of the
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Platform more graceful. </
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<
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>The obtuſe Angles,
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have been thought very convenient, but it has
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always been obſerved as a Rule never to place
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them any where in unequal Numbers. </
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<
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>The
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circular Platform is eſteemed to be the moſt
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capacious of all, and the leaſt expenſive to en
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cloſe either with Wall or Rampart. </
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<
s
>The
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neareſt to this is ſaid to be that which has ſe
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veral Sides, but then they muſt be all alike and
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anſwerable to each other, and equal through
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out the whole Platform. </
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<
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>But thoſe are com
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mended moſt of all, which are moſt conveni
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ent for raiſing the Wall to the juſt Heighth of
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the Work, as are thoſe which have ſix and
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eight Sides. </
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<
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>I have ſeen a Platform of ten
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Angles very commodious and majeſtick. </
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<
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>You
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may make them very well of twelve, nay, ſix
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teen Angles. </
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<
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>I myſelf have ſeen one of twenty
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four; but theſe are very rare. </
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<
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>The Side Lines
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ought to be ſo ordered, that thoſe which are
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oppoſite may be equal to them, nor ſhould we
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ever in any Work apply a long Line to correſ
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pond to a ſhort one; but let there be a juſt
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and reaſonable Proportion, according to the
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Degree of the Thing, among all the Parts.
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</
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<
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>We would have the Angles ſet towards that
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Side, which either any Weight of Earth, or the
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Violence and Aſſaults of Waters or Winds may
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threaten and endanger; to the Intent that the
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Force and Shock that beats upon the Edifice
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may be broken and ſplit into ſeveral Parts, re
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ſiſting the Attack (to uſe ſuch an Expreſſion)
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with the ſtout Corner of the Wall, and not
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with one of the weak Sides. </
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<
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>But if the other
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Lineaments of the Structure hinder you from
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diſpoſing of ſuch an Angle in ſuch a Part as
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you could deſire, at leaſt make uſe of a curve
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Line; that being a Part of a Circle, and the
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Circle itſelf according to the Philoſophers be
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ing all Angles. </
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<
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>Further, the Seat muſt be
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either upon a Plain, or on the Side or Top of
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a Hill; if it is on a Plain, it is neceſſary to
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raiſe the Earth and make ſomething of an E
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minence; for beſides that, ſuch a Situation in
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a Plain adds much of Dignity, if you neglect to
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do it, you will find very great Inconveniences.
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</
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<
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>For the overflowing of Rivers and Rains gene
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rally leaves Mud upon level Grounds, which by
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degrees raiſes the Earth higher and higher,
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which ſtill increaſes, if through Negligence the
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Rubbiſh and Dirt, which gathers every Day be
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not removed.
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Frontinus
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the Architect uſed to
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ſay, that ſeveral Hills were riſen in
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Rome
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in his
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Time by the continual Fires. </
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<
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>But we in our
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Days ſee it in a Manner quite buried under
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Ground with Filth and Rubbiſh. </
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<
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>In the
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Dutchy of
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Spoletto,
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I have ſeen a ſmall ancient
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Temple, which at firſt was built in a Plain,
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that is now almoſt wholly buried by the raiſ
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ing of the Earth; that Plain reaching to the
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Foot of the Hills. </
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<
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>But why ſhould I menti
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on Buildings that ſtand under Mountains?
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</
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<
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>That noble Temple by the Wall of
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Ravenna,
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which has for its Covering a Cup of Stone of
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one ſingle Piece, though it be near the Sea and
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far enough from the Hills, is above a fourth
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Part ſunk in the Earth, through the Injury of
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Time. </
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<
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>But how high this Eminence ought
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to be raiſed for each Platform, ſhall be ſhewn
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in due Time, when we come to treat of that
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Subject more particularly, and not ſummarily
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as we do here. </
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<
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>It is certain every Situation
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ſhould be made ſtrong, either by Nature or
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Art. </
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<
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>And therefore it is not amiſs to follow
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their Method, who adviſe firſt to try the Good
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neſs of the Earth by digging in ſeveral Places at
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ſome Diſtance the one from the other, whe
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ther it be firm or looſe, or ſoft, fit or unfit to
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bear the Weight of the Wall. </
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<
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>For if it ſtands
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upon a Deſcent, we muſt have a Care that the
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upper Part does not lie too heavy and break
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down the lower; or that the lower Part, if
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any Accident ſhould ſhake it, does not pull
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the upper down along with it. </
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<
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>I would have
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this Part of the Building, which is intended to
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be the Baſis of all the Reſt, particularly ſtrong
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and tightly knit together in all its Parts. </
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<
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>If
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the Seat be upon the Summit of an Hill, either
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it ſhould be raiſed where it is not even, or elſe
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be made level by plaining away the Top. </
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<
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>But
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here we are to conſider, that we ſhould always
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chuſe that Way (though ſtill with a due Re
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gard to the Dignity of the Work) which is leaſt
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troubleſome and expenſive. </
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>
<
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>Perhaps it may be
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proper to pare away ſome of the Top of the
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Hill, and enlarge and add to the Sides. </
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<
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>For
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which Reaſon that Architect, whoever he was,
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ſhewed a great deal of Contrivance, that built
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<
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Alatro,
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a Town of the
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Campagna di Roma,
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ſeated upon a Rocky Hill; for he ſo ordered </
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