1it, that the Foundations of the Citadel or Tem
ple (whatever it was) which are all that now
remain, the Superſtructure being quite demo
liſhed, ſhould be ſupported and ſortified be
neath by the Pieces of Stone cut off in plaining
the Top of the Rock. And there is another
Thing in that Work that I am extremely
pleaſed with; namely, that he ſet the Angle
of the Platform towards that Side on which
the Rock has the moſt precipitate Deſcent, and
fortified that Angle with huge Pieces of the
Fragments piled up one upon the other, and
contrived by the joyning of the Stones to make
the Structure beautiful with a very little Ex
pence. I am likewiſe very much pleaſed with
the Contrivance of that other Architect, who
not having a ſufficient Quantity of Stone, in
order to keep up the Weight of the Hill, made
a Fence of a great Number of Semi-circles,
putting the Backs of the Curves within the
Hill; which beſides that it looked handſome
to the Eye, was extremely ſtrong and very
cheap; for it makes a Wall, which though not
ſolid, was as firm as if it had been ſolid, and of
the Thickneſs of the Sagitta of thoſe Curves.
I like Vitruvius's Method too, which I find
was obſerved by the ancient Archi ects all over
Rome, and eſpecially in Tarquin's Wall, of
making uſe of Buttreſſes; though they did not
every where mind to make the Diſtance be
tween one Buttreſs and another, to be the ſame
as the Heighth of the Wall; but as the
Strength or Weakneſs of the Hill required it,
they placed them ſometimes cloſer and ſome
times further off. I have taken Notice too,
that the ancient Architects were not contented
with making one Slope for their Platform, but
raiſed ſeveral like ſo many Steps, which
ſtrengthened and ſecured the Sides of the Hill
quite down to the very Root of it. Nor
can I diſapprove their Method herein. That
Stream at Perugia, which runs under Mount
Lucino and the Hill the Town ſtands upon,
continually undermining and eating away the
Root of the Mountain, by degrees brings down
all the impending Weight; by which means a
great Part of the Town drops and falls to
Ruin. I am mightily pleaſed with that Num
ber of little Chapels, which are fixed about
the Area of the great Church in the Vatican;
for of theſe, ſuch as are placed in the Hollows
of the Mountains cloſe againſt the Wall of the
Church, are of great Service both as to Strength
and Convenience, in ſupporting the Weight of
the Hill, which continually grows heavier and
heavier, and in intercepting the Wet, which
falls from the Top of the Cliff, and keeping it
from getting into the Church; by which means
the principal Wall of it keeps dry and ſound.
And thoſe Chapels, which are placed on the
other Side at the loweſt Decline of the Hill,
ſerve with their Arches to cloſe the Plain,
which is made above, and preventing the Earth
from crumbling keeps it from falling in. And
I have obſerved that the Architect, who built
the Temple of Latona in Rome, contrived his
Work and his Structure very ingeniouſly; for
he ſo placed the Angle of the Platform within
the impending Hill, that two upright Walls
ſupported the incumbent Weight, and divided
and broke the Preſſure by ſetting that Angle
againſt it. But ſince we have begun to cele
brate the Praiſes of the Ancients that contriv
ed their Buildings prudently, I will not omit
one Thing which I recollect, and which is very
much to the preſent Purpoſe. In the Church
oſ St. Mark at Venice is a very uſeful Precauti
on of the Architect, who having made the
Foundation of the Temple very ſtrong, leſt
every here and there a Hole, that if by chance
any ſubterraneous Vapour or Wind ſhould be
gathered there, it might eaſily find a Paſſage
out. To conclude, all the Plains that you
make which are to be under any Covering,
muſt be laid exactly level, but thoſe which are
to be left open, ſhould have juſt Slope enough
for the Rain to run off; but of this we have
ſaid enough, and perhaps more than was re
quiſite in this Place; becauſe moſt of theſe
Things reſpect the Walling. But as they happen
ed to fall naturally together, we did not think
proper to ſeparate them in our Diſcourſe. It
remains that we treat of the Compartition.
ple (whatever it was) which are all that now
remain, the Superſtructure being quite demo
liſhed, ſhould be ſupported and ſortified be
neath by the Pieces of Stone cut off in plaining
the Top of the Rock. And there is another
Thing in that Work that I am extremely
pleaſed with; namely, that he ſet the Angle
of the Platform towards that Side on which
the Rock has the moſt precipitate Deſcent, and
fortified that Angle with huge Pieces of the
Fragments piled up one upon the other, and
contrived by the joyning of the Stones to make
the Structure beautiful with a very little Ex
pence. I am likewiſe very much pleaſed with
the Contrivance of that other Architect, who
not having a ſufficient Quantity of Stone, in
order to keep up the Weight of the Hill, made
a Fence of a great Number of Semi-circles,
putting the Backs of the Curves within the
Hill; which beſides that it looked handſome
to the Eye, was extremely ſtrong and very
cheap; for it makes a Wall, which though not
ſolid, was as firm as if it had been ſolid, and of
the Thickneſs of the Sagitta of thoſe Curves.
I like Vitruvius's Method too, which I find
was obſerved by the ancient Archi ects all over
Rome, and eſpecially in Tarquin's Wall, of
making uſe of Buttreſſes; though they did not
every where mind to make the Diſtance be
tween one Buttreſs and another, to be the ſame
as the Heighth of the Wall; but as the
Strength or Weakneſs of the Hill required it,
they placed them ſometimes cloſer and ſome
times further off. I have taken Notice too,
that the ancient Architects were not contented
with making one Slope for their Platform, but
raiſed ſeveral like ſo many Steps, which
ſtrengthened and ſecured the Sides of the Hill
quite down to the very Root of it. Nor
can I diſapprove their Method herein. That
Stream at Perugia, which runs under Mount
Lucino and the Hill the Town ſtands upon,
continually undermining and eating away the
Root of the Mountain, by degrees brings down
all the impending Weight; by which means a
great Part of the Town drops and falls to
Ruin. I am mightily pleaſed with that Num
ber of little Chapels, which are fixed about
the Area of the great Church in the Vatican;
for of theſe, ſuch as are placed in the Hollows
of the Mountains cloſe againſt the Wall of the
Church, are of great Service both as to Strength
and Convenience, in ſupporting the Weight of
the Hill, which continually grows heavier and
heavier, and in intercepting the Wet, which
falls from the Top of the Cliff, and keeping it
from getting into the Church; by which means
the principal Wall of it keeps dry and ſound.
And thoſe Chapels, which are placed on the
other Side at the loweſt Decline of the Hill,
ſerve with their Arches to cloſe the Plain,
which is made above, and preventing the Earth
from crumbling keeps it from falling in. And
I have obſerved that the Architect, who built
the Temple of Latona in Rome, contrived his
Work and his Structure very ingeniouſly; for
he ſo placed the Angle of the Platform within
the impending Hill, that two upright Walls
ſupported the incumbent Weight, and divided
and broke the Preſſure by ſetting that Angle
againſt it. But ſince we have begun to cele
brate the Praiſes of the Ancients that contriv
ed their Buildings prudently, I will not omit
one Thing which I recollect, and which is very
much to the preſent Purpoſe. In the Church
oſ St. Mark at Venice is a very uſeful Precauti
on of the Architect, who having made the
Foundation of the Temple very ſtrong, leſt
every here and there a Hole, that if by chance
any ſubterraneous Vapour or Wind ſhould be
gathered there, it might eaſily find a Paſſage
out. To conclude, all the Plains that you
make which are to be under any Covering,
muſt be laid exactly level, but thoſe which are
to be left open, ſhould have juſt Slope enough
for the Rain to run off; but of this we have
ſaid enough, and perhaps more than was re
quiſite in this Place; becauſe moſt of theſe
Things reſpect the Walling. But as they happen
ed to fall naturally together, we did not think
proper to ſeparate them in our Diſcourſe. It
remains that we treat of the Compartition.
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