1the Circumvallation, from the upper Seat to
the Top of the Entablature, muſt in great
Theatres be allowed never more than a Third,
and in ſmall ones, not leſs than a Fourth. Up
on this continued Pedeſtal ſtand the Columns
which with their Baſes and Capitals muſt be
equal to half the Height of the whole Circum
vallation. Over theſe Columns lies their En
tablature, and over all a Plain Wall, ſuch as we
deſcribed in Baſiliques, which Wall muſt be
allowed the ſixth remaining Part of the Height
of the Circumvallation. The Columns in this
Circumvallation ſhall be inſulate, raiſed aſter
the ſame Proportions as thoſe in the Baſiliques,
and in Number juſt anſwering to thoſe of the
three quarter Columns ſet againſt the Pilaſters
of the outward Portico, and they ſhall be
placed exactly in the ſame Rays, by which
Name I underſtand Lines drawn from the Cen
ter of the Theatre to the outward Columns.
In the low Wall, or continued Pedeſtal, ſet
under the Columns of the inner Portico, muſt
be certain Openings, juſt over the Paſſages be
low into the Theatre, which Openings muſt
be in the Nature of Niches, wherein, if you
think fit, you may place a Sort of Vaſes of
Braſs, hung with their Mouths downwards,
that the Voice reverberating in them, may be
returned more ſonorous. I ſhall not here waſte
Time in conſidering thoſe Inſtructions in Vi
truvius, which he borrows from the Precepts
of Compoſition in Muſick, according to the
Rules of which he is for placing the juſt men
tioned Vaſes in Theatres, ſo as to correſpond
with the differerent Pitches of the ſeveral
Voices: A Curioſity eaſily talked of, but how
it is to be executed, let thoſe inform us, who
know. Thus much I muſt readily aſſent to,
and Ariſtotle himſelf is of the Opinion, that
hollow Veſſels of any Sort, and Wells too, are
of Service in ſtrengthening the Sound of the
Voice. But to return to the Portico on the
Inſide of the Theatre. The back Wall of this
Portico muſt be quite cloſe and entire, and ſo
ſhut in the whole Circumvallation, that the
Voice arriving there, may not be loſt. On the
Outſide of the Wall to the Street, we may ap
ply Columns as Ornaments, in Number,
Height, Proportions and Members, exactly an
ſwering to thoſe in the Porticoes under them,
in the outward Front of the Theatre. From
what has been ſaid, it is eaſy to collect in what
Particulars the greater Theatres differ from the
ſmaller. In the greater, the outward Portico
below is double, in the ſmaller ſingle: In the
former, there may be three Orders of Columns,
one over the other; in the latter, not more
than two. They alſo differ in this, that ſome
ſmall Theatres have no Portico at all on the
Inſide, but for their Circumvallation, have on
ly a plain Wall and a Cornice, which is in
tended for the ſame Purpoſe of returning the
Voice, as the Portico in great Theatres, and
in ſome of the largeſt Theatres, even this in
ward Portico is double. Laſtly, the outward
Covering of the Theatre muſt be well plaiſter
ed or coated, and made ſo ſloping that the
Water may run into Pipes placed in the Angles
of the Building, which muſt carry it off private
ly into proper Drains. Upon the upper Cor
nice on the Outſide of the Theatre, Mutules
and Stays muſt be contrived to ſupport Poles,
like the Maſts of Ships to which to faſten the
Ropes for ſpreading the Vela or Covering of
the Theatre upon any extraordinary Repreſen
tation. And as we are to raiſe ſo great a Pile
of Building to a juſt Height, the Wall ought to
be allowed a due Thickneſs for the ſupporting
ſuch a Weight. Let the Thickneſs therefore
of the outward Wall of the firſt Colonade be a
fifteenth Part of the Height of the whole Struc
ture. The middle Wall between the two Por
ticoes, when theſe are double, muſt want one
fourth Part of the Thickneſs of the outward
one. The next Story raiſed above this may be
a twelfth Part thinner than the lower one.
the Top of the Entablature, muſt in great
Theatres be allowed never more than a Third,
and in ſmall ones, not leſs than a Fourth. Up
on this continued Pedeſtal ſtand the Columns
which with their Baſes and Capitals muſt be
equal to half the Height of the whole Circum
vallation. Over theſe Columns lies their En
tablature, and over all a Plain Wall, ſuch as we
deſcribed in Baſiliques, which Wall muſt be
allowed the ſixth remaining Part of the Height
of the Circumvallation. The Columns in this
Circumvallation ſhall be inſulate, raiſed aſter
the ſame Proportions as thoſe in the Baſiliques,
and in Number juſt anſwering to thoſe of the
three quarter Columns ſet againſt the Pilaſters
of the outward Portico, and they ſhall be
placed exactly in the ſame Rays, by which
Name I underſtand Lines drawn from the Cen
ter of the Theatre to the outward Columns.
In the low Wall, or continued Pedeſtal, ſet
under the Columns of the inner Portico, muſt
be certain Openings, juſt over the Paſſages be
low into the Theatre, which Openings muſt
be in the Nature of Niches, wherein, if you
think fit, you may place a Sort of Vaſes of
Braſs, hung with their Mouths downwards,
that the Voice reverberating in them, may be
returned more ſonorous. I ſhall not here waſte
Time in conſidering thoſe Inſtructions in Vi
truvius, which he borrows from the Precepts
of Compoſition in Muſick, according to the
Rules of which he is for placing the juſt men
tioned Vaſes in Theatres, ſo as to correſpond
with the differerent Pitches of the ſeveral
Voices: A Curioſity eaſily talked of, but how
it is to be executed, let thoſe inform us, who
know. Thus much I muſt readily aſſent to,
and Ariſtotle himſelf is of the Opinion, that
hollow Veſſels of any Sort, and Wells too, are
of Service in ſtrengthening the Sound of the
Voice. But to return to the Portico on the
Inſide of the Theatre. The back Wall of this
Portico muſt be quite cloſe and entire, and ſo
ſhut in the whole Circumvallation, that the
Voice arriving there, may not be loſt. On the
Outſide of the Wall to the Street, we may ap
ply Columns as Ornaments, in Number,
Height, Proportions and Members, exactly an
ſwering to thoſe in the Porticoes under them,
in the outward Front of the Theatre. From
what has been ſaid, it is eaſy to collect in what
Particulars the greater Theatres differ from the
ſmaller. In the greater, the outward Portico
below is double, in the ſmaller ſingle: In the
former, there may be three Orders of Columns,
one over the other; in the latter, not more
than two. They alſo differ in this, that ſome
ſmall Theatres have no Portico at all on the
Inſide, but for their Circumvallation, have on
ly a plain Wall and a Cornice, which is in
tended for the ſame Purpoſe of returning the
Voice, as the Portico in great Theatres, and
in ſome of the largeſt Theatres, even this in
ward Portico is double. Laſtly, the outward
Covering of the Theatre muſt be well plaiſter
ed or coated, and made ſo ſloping that the
Water may run into Pipes placed in the Angles
of the Building, which muſt carry it off private
ly into proper Drains. Upon the upper Cor
nice on the Outſide of the Theatre, Mutules
and Stays muſt be contrived to ſupport Poles,
like the Maſts of Ships to which to faſten the
Ropes for ſpreading the Vela or Covering of
the Theatre upon any extraordinary Repreſen
tation. And as we are to raiſe ſo great a Pile
of Building to a juſt Height, the Wall ought to
be allowed a due Thickneſs for the ſupporting
ſuch a Weight. Let the Thickneſs therefore
of the outward Wall of the firſt Colonade be a
fifteenth Part of the Height of the whole Struc
ture. The middle Wall between the two Por
ticoes, when theſe are double, muſt want one
fourth Part of the Thickneſs of the outward
one. The next Story raiſed above this may be
a twelfth Part thinner than the lower one.
CHAP. VIII.
Of the Ornaments of the Amphitheatre, Circus, publick Walks, and Halls,
and Courts for petty Judges.
and Courts for petty Judges.
Having ſaid thus much of Theatres,
it is neceſſary to give ſome Account
of the Circus and Amphitheatre which all owe
their Original to the Theatre, for the Circus is
indeed nothing elſe but a Theatre with its
Horns ſtretched further on in Lines equi-diſ
tant one from the other, only that the Nature
of this Building does not require Portices; and
it is neceſſary to give ſome Account
of the Circus and Amphitheatre which all owe
their Original to the Theatre, for the Circus is
indeed nothing elſe but a Theatre with its
Horns ſtretched further on in Lines equi-diſ
tant one from the other, only that the Nature
of this Building does not require Portices; and