1was covered with a Roof ſupported by two
and-forty Columns of Marble, with their Archi
trave, Freze and Cornice, the Roof plated with
Braſs, and richly adorned. The Bridge muſt be
made as broad as the Street which leads to it.
The Piers muſt be equal to one another on
each Side both in Number and Size, and be
one third of the Aperture in Thickneſs. The
Angles or Heads of the Piers that lie againſt
the Stream muſt project in Length half the
Breadth of the Bridge, and be built higher than
the Water ever riſes. The Heads of the Piers
that lie along with the Stream muſt have the
ſame Projecture, but then it will not look amiſs
to have them leſs acute, and as it were blunt
ed. From the Heads of the Piers on each
Side, it will be very proper to raiſe Butreſſes for
the Support of the Bridge, in Thickneſs not
leſs than two thirds of the Pier itſelf. The
Crowns of all the Arches muſt ſtand quite clear
above the Water: Their Dreſs may be taken
from the Ionic or rather the Doric Architrave,
and in large Bridges it muſt not be leſs in
Breadth than the fifteenth Part of the whole
Aperture of the Arch. To make the Rail or
Side-wall of the Bridge the ſtronger, erect Pe
deſtals at certain Diſtances by the Square and
Plum-line, on which, if you pleaſe, you may
raiſe Columns to ſupport a Roof or Portico.
The Height of this Side-wall with its Zocle
and Cornice muſt be four Foot. The Spaces
between the Pedeſtals may be filled up with a
ſlight Breaſt-wall. The Crown both of the
Pedeſtals and Breaſt-wall may be an upright
Cymatium, or rather a reverſed one, continu
ed the whole Length of the Bridge, and the
Plinth at Bottom muſt anſwer this Cymatium.
The Cauſeway on each Side for Women and
Foot Paſſengers muſt be raiſed a Foot or two
higher than the Middle of the Bridge, which
being intended chiefly for Beaſts of Carriage,
may be paved only with Flints. The Height
of the Columns, with their Intablature, muſt
be equal to the Breadth of the Bridge. The
Croſſways and Squares differ only in their Big
neſs, the Croſſway being indeed nothing elſe but
a ſmall Square. Plato ordained that in all Croſſ
ways there ſhould be Spaces left for Nurſes to
meet in with their Children. His Deſign in
this Regulation was, I ſuppoſe, not only that
the Children might grow ſtrong by being in the
Air, but alſo that the Nurſes themſelves, by
ſeeing one another, might grow neater and
more delicate, and be leſs liable to Negligence
among ſo many careful Obſervers in the ſame
Buſineſs. It is certain, one of the greateſt Or
naments either of a Square, or of a Croſſway,
is a handſome Portico, under which the old
Men may ſpend the Heat of the Day, or be
mutually ſerviceable to each other; beſides that
the Preſence of the Fathers may deter and re
ſtrain the Youth, who are ſporting and divert
ing themſelves in the other Part of the Place,
from the Miſchievouſneſs and Folly natural to
their Age. The Squares muſt be ſo many dif
ſerent Markets, one for Gold and Silver, an
other for Herbs, another for Cattle, another for
Wood, and ſo on; each whereof ought to have
its particular Place in the City, and its diſtinct
Ornaments; but that where the Traffick of
Gold and Silver is to be carried on, ought to
be much the Nobleſt? The Greeks made their
Forums or Markets exactly ſquare, and encom
paſſed them with large double Porticoes, which
they adorned with Columns and their Intabla
tures, all of Stone, with noble Terraſſes at the
Top, for taking the Air upon. Among our
Countrymen the Italians, the Forums uſed to
be a third Part longer than they were broad:
And becauſe in ancient Times they were the
Places where the Shows of the Gladiators were
exhibited, the Columns in the Porticoes were
ſet at a greater Diſtance from each other, that
they might not obſtruct the Sight of thoſe Di
verſions. In the Porticoes were the Shows for
the Goldſmiths, and over the firſt Story were
Galleries projecting out for ſeeing the Shows
in, and the publick Magazines. This was the
Method among the Ancients. For my Part I
would have a Square twice as long as broad,
and that the Porticoes and other Buildings about
it ſhould anſwer in ſome Proportion to the open
Area in the Middle, that it may not ſeem too
large, by means of the Lowneſs of the Build
ings, nor too ſmall, from their being too high.
A proper Height for the Buildings about a
Square is one third of the Breadth of the open
Area, or one ſixth at the leaſt. I would alſo
have the Porticoes raiſed above the Level of
the Ground, one fifth Part of their Breadth,
and that their Breadth ſhould be equal to half
the Height of their Columns, including the
Intablature. The Proportions of the Columns
ſhould be taken from thoſe of the Baſilique,
only with this Difference, that here the Archi
trave, Freze and Cornice together ſhould be
one fifth of the Column in Height. If you
would make a ſecond Row of Columns over
this firſt, thoſe Columns ſhould be one fourth
Part thinner and ſhorter than thoſe below, and
and-forty Columns of Marble, with their Archi
trave, Freze and Cornice, the Roof plated with
Braſs, and richly adorned. The Bridge muſt be
made as broad as the Street which leads to it.
The Piers muſt be equal to one another on
each Side both in Number and Size, and be
one third of the Aperture in Thickneſs. The
Angles or Heads of the Piers that lie againſt
the Stream muſt project in Length half the
Breadth of the Bridge, and be built higher than
the Water ever riſes. The Heads of the Piers
that lie along with the Stream muſt have the
ſame Projecture, but then it will not look amiſs
to have them leſs acute, and as it were blunt
ed. From the Heads of the Piers on each
Side, it will be very proper to raiſe Butreſſes for
the Support of the Bridge, in Thickneſs not
leſs than two thirds of the Pier itſelf. The
Crowns of all the Arches muſt ſtand quite clear
above the Water: Their Dreſs may be taken
from the Ionic or rather the Doric Architrave,
and in large Bridges it muſt not be leſs in
Breadth than the fifteenth Part of the whole
Aperture of the Arch. To make the Rail or
Side-wall of the Bridge the ſtronger, erect Pe
deſtals at certain Diſtances by the Square and
Plum-line, on which, if you pleaſe, you may
raiſe Columns to ſupport a Roof or Portico.
The Height of this Side-wall with its Zocle
and Cornice muſt be four Foot. The Spaces
between the Pedeſtals may be filled up with a
ſlight Breaſt-wall. The Crown both of the
Pedeſtals and Breaſt-wall may be an upright
Cymatium, or rather a reverſed one, continu
ed the whole Length of the Bridge, and the
Plinth at Bottom muſt anſwer this Cymatium.
The Cauſeway on each Side for Women and
Foot Paſſengers muſt be raiſed a Foot or two
higher than the Middle of the Bridge, which
being intended chiefly for Beaſts of Carriage,
may be paved only with Flints. The Height
of the Columns, with their Intablature, muſt
be equal to the Breadth of the Bridge. The
Croſſways and Squares differ only in their Big
neſs, the Croſſway being indeed nothing elſe but
a ſmall Square. Plato ordained that in all Croſſ
ways there ſhould be Spaces left for Nurſes to
meet in with their Children. His Deſign in
this Regulation was, I ſuppoſe, not only that
the Children might grow ſtrong by being in the
Air, but alſo that the Nurſes themſelves, by
ſeeing one another, might grow neater and
more delicate, and be leſs liable to Negligence
among ſo many careful Obſervers in the ſame
Buſineſs. It is certain, one of the greateſt Or
naments either of a Square, or of a Croſſway,
is a handſome Portico, under which the old
Men may ſpend the Heat of the Day, or be
mutually ſerviceable to each other; beſides that
the Preſence of the Fathers may deter and re
ſtrain the Youth, who are ſporting and divert
ing themſelves in the other Part of the Place,
from the Miſchievouſneſs and Folly natural to
their Age. The Squares muſt be ſo many dif
ſerent Markets, one for Gold and Silver, an
other for Herbs, another for Cattle, another for
Wood, and ſo on; each whereof ought to have
its particular Place in the City, and its diſtinct
Ornaments; but that where the Traffick of
Gold and Silver is to be carried on, ought to
be much the Nobleſt? The Greeks made their
Forums or Markets exactly ſquare, and encom
paſſed them with large double Porticoes, which
they adorned with Columns and their Intabla
tures, all of Stone, with noble Terraſſes at the
Top, for taking the Air upon. Among our
Countrymen the Italians, the Forums uſed to
be a third Part longer than they were broad:
And becauſe in ancient Times they were the
Places where the Shows of the Gladiators were
exhibited, the Columns in the Porticoes were
ſet at a greater Diſtance from each other, that
they might not obſtruct the Sight of thoſe Di
verſions. In the Porticoes were the Shows for
the Goldſmiths, and over the firſt Story were
Galleries projecting out for ſeeing the Shows
in, and the publick Magazines. This was the
Method among the Ancients. For my Part I
would have a Square twice as long as broad,
and that the Porticoes and other Buildings about
it ſhould anſwer in ſome Proportion to the open
Area in the Middle, that it may not ſeem too
large, by means of the Lowneſs of the Build
ings, nor too ſmall, from their being too high.
A proper Height for the Buildings about a
Square is one third of the Breadth of the open
Area, or one ſixth at the leaſt. I would alſo
have the Porticoes raiſed above the Level of
the Ground, one fifth Part of their Breadth,
and that their Breadth ſhould be equal to half
the Height of their Columns, including the
Intablature. The Proportions of the Columns
ſhould be taken from thoſe of the Baſilique,
only with this Difference, that here the Archi
trave, Freze and Cornice together ſhould be
one fifth of the Column in Height. If you
would make a ſecond Row of Columns over
this firſt, thoſe Columns ſhould be one fourth
Part thinner and ſhorter than thoſe below, and