1Germany, in Cæſar's Time, that no Man ſhould
build too delicately, and eſpecially in the
Country, to prevent Diſſention among the
People from a Deſire of uſurping each other's
Poſſeſſions. Valerious Poplicola having built a
ſtately Houſe on that which is now the Monte
Cavallo at Rome, pulled it down to avoid Envy,
and built himſelf another in the Plain; and the
ſame Modeſty appeared in every Thing both
Publick and Private in thoſe ancient Times,
while the Manners of the Romans continued
uncorrupted: But afterwards, when the Em
pire was enlarged, the Luxury of Building ran
ſo high in almoſt every Body (except in Octa
vianus, who had ſo great a Diſlike to ſumptu
ous Buildings, that he pulled down a Country
houſe only for its being too magnificent) I ſay,
the Extravagance of Building ran ſo high in
the City of Rome, that ſome of the Gordian
Family, among others, built a Houſe on the
Road to Preneſte, with two hundred Columns
all of the ſame Bigneſs, and upon one Row,
whereof fifty were of Numidian, fifty of Clau
dian, fifty of Samian, and fifty of Titian Mar
ble, as I remember to have read. What a
Piece of Magnificence was that which we read
of in Lucretius, that in ſome Houſes there were
Statues of young Men all of Gold, holding
lighted Torches in their right Hands, to light
up their Feaſts at Night? My Deſign in men
tioning theſe Things is to confirm by the Com
pariſon, what I ſaid before, that the Magnifi
cence of the Building ſhould be adapted to the
Dignity of the Owner; and if I may offer my
Opinion, I ſhould rather, in private Edifices,
that the greateſt Men fell rather a little ſhort
in Ornament, than they ſhould be condemned
for Luxury and Profuſion by the more Diſ
creet and Frugal. But ſince all agree, that we
ſhould endeavour to leave a Reputation behind
us, not only for our Wiſdom but our Power
too; for this Reaſon, as Thucydides obſerves,
we erect great Structures, that our Poſterity
may ſuppoſe us to have been great Perſons.
When therefore we adorn our Habitations not
more for Delicacy than to procure Honour to
our Country and our Families, who can deny
this to be a Work well becoming the wiſeſt
Men? Accordingly I would have thoſe Parts
of the Houſe which are chiefly in the publick
View, and which are in a Manner to give the
firſt Welcome to every Gueſt, as the Front, the
Veſtibule, and the like, be made as handſome
as poſſible. And, though indeed I think thoſe
ought to be very much blamed that are guilty
of too much Exceſs; yet I think thoſe are much
more to be condemned that lay out a great
Expence upon a Building capable of no Orna
ment, than thoſe that turn both their Thoughts
and Money upon Ornament principally: Tho'
I believe, I may venture to ſay, that whoever
conſiders the true Nature of Ornament in
Building will be convinced, that it is not Ex
pence ſo much that is requiſite,, as Taſte and
Contrivance. I think no prudent Man in
building his private Houſe ſhould willingly
differ too much from his Neighbours, or raiſe
their Envy by his too great Expence and Oſ
tentation; neither, on the other Hand, ſhould
he ſuffer himſelf to be out-done by any one
whatſoever in the Ingenuity of Contrivance, or
Elegance of Taſte, to which the whole Beauty
of the Compoſition, and Harmony of the ſeve
ral Members muſt be owing, which is indeed
the higheſt and principal Ornament in all
Building. But to return to our Subject.
build too delicately, and eſpecially in the
Country, to prevent Diſſention among the
People from a Deſire of uſurping each other's
Poſſeſſions. Valerious Poplicola having built a
ſtately Houſe on that which is now the Monte
Cavallo at Rome, pulled it down to avoid Envy,
and built himſelf another in the Plain; and the
ſame Modeſty appeared in every Thing both
Publick and Private in thoſe ancient Times,
while the Manners of the Romans continued
uncorrupted: But afterwards, when the Em
pire was enlarged, the Luxury of Building ran
ſo high in almoſt every Body (except in Octa
vianus, who had ſo great a Diſlike to ſumptu
ous Buildings, that he pulled down a Country
houſe only for its being too magnificent) I ſay,
the Extravagance of Building ran ſo high in
the City of Rome, that ſome of the Gordian
Family, among others, built a Houſe on the
Road to Preneſte, with two hundred Columns
all of the ſame Bigneſs, and upon one Row,
whereof fifty were of Numidian, fifty of Clau
dian, fifty of Samian, and fifty of Titian Mar
ble, as I remember to have read. What a
Piece of Magnificence was that which we read
of in Lucretius, that in ſome Houſes there were
Statues of young Men all of Gold, holding
lighted Torches in their right Hands, to light
up their Feaſts at Night? My Deſign in men
tioning theſe Things is to confirm by the Com
pariſon, what I ſaid before, that the Magnifi
cence of the Building ſhould be adapted to the
Dignity of the Owner; and if I may offer my
Opinion, I ſhould rather, in private Edifices,
that the greateſt Men fell rather a little ſhort
in Ornament, than they ſhould be condemned
for Luxury and Profuſion by the more Diſ
creet and Frugal. But ſince all agree, that we
ſhould endeavour to leave a Reputation behind
us, not only for our Wiſdom but our Power
too; for this Reaſon, as Thucydides obſerves,
we erect great Structures, that our Poſterity
may ſuppoſe us to have been great Perſons.
When therefore we adorn our Habitations not
more for Delicacy than to procure Honour to
our Country and our Families, who can deny
this to be a Work well becoming the wiſeſt
Men? Accordingly I would have thoſe Parts
of the Houſe which are chiefly in the publick
View, and which are in a Manner to give the
firſt Welcome to every Gueſt, as the Front, the
Veſtibule, and the like, be made as handſome
as poſſible. And, though indeed I think thoſe
ought to be very much blamed that are guilty
of too much Exceſs; yet I think thoſe are much
more to be condemned that lay out a great
Expence upon a Building capable of no Orna
ment, than thoſe that turn both their Thoughts
and Money upon Ornament principally: Tho'
I believe, I may venture to ſay, that whoever
conſiders the true Nature of Ornament in
Building will be convinced, that it is not Ex
pence ſo much that is requiſite,, as Taſte and
Contrivance. I think no prudent Man in
building his private Houſe ſhould willingly
differ too much from his Neighbours, or raiſe
their Envy by his too great Expence and Oſ
tentation; neither, on the other Hand, ſhould
he ſuffer himſelf to be out-done by any one
whatſoever in the Ingenuity of Contrivance, or
Elegance of Taſte, to which the whole Beauty
of the Compoſition, and Harmony of the ſeve
ral Members muſt be owing, which is indeed
the higheſt and principal Ornament in all
Building. But to return to our Subject.
THE Royal Palace, or in a free City, the
Houſe of the Senator or chief Magiſtrate ought
to be the firſt in Beauty and Magnificence.
Of the Ornaments of thoſe Parts of this Palace
or Houſe which bear any Relation to a pub
lick Edifice, I have treated already. We are
now to adorn thoſe Parts which are intended
only for private Uſe. I would have the Veſti
bule adorned in the moſt handſome and ſplen
did Manner, according to the Quality of the
Owner; beſides which there ſhould be ſtately
Porticoes, and handſome Courts, with every
Thing elſe in Imitation of a publick Edifice,
that tends either to Dignity or Ornament, as far
as the Nature of the Structure itſelf will bear,
only uſing ſo much Moderation as to ſeem ra
ther to aim at Beauty and Gracefulneſs, than
at any Thing ſumptuous: And as we obſerved
in the laſt Book, with relation to Works of a
publick Nature, that ſecular Buildings ought
to yield in Dignity to the ſacred, ſo here the
Edifices of private Perſons ought to give Way
in Excellence and Number of Ornaments to
thoſe of the publick. A private Houſe ought
not to have Doors of Braſs or Ivory, which was
objected to Camillus as a Crime, nor Roofs
fretted with great Quantities of Gold, or inlaid
with Glaſs, nor ſhould every Part be incruſted
with Hymettian or Parian Marble; ſuch Ma
terials being proper only in Temples: But the
Builder's chief Commendation in a private
Structure, is to uſe moderate Materials elegant
ly, and elegant ones moderately. Let him
be contented with Cypreſs, Larch and Box
Houſe of the Senator or chief Magiſtrate ought
to be the firſt in Beauty and Magnificence.
Of the Ornaments of thoſe Parts of this Palace
or Houſe which bear any Relation to a pub
lick Edifice, I have treated already. We are
now to adorn thoſe Parts which are intended
only for private Uſe. I would have the Veſti
bule adorned in the moſt handſome and ſplen
did Manner, according to the Quality of the
Owner; beſides which there ſhould be ſtately
Porticoes, and handſome Courts, with every
Thing elſe in Imitation of a publick Edifice,
that tends either to Dignity or Ornament, as far
as the Nature of the Structure itſelf will bear,
only uſing ſo much Moderation as to ſeem ra
ther to aim at Beauty and Gracefulneſs, than
at any Thing ſumptuous: And as we obſerved
in the laſt Book, with relation to Works of a
publick Nature, that ſecular Buildings ought
to yield in Dignity to the ſacred, ſo here the
Edifices of private Perſons ought to give Way
in Excellence and Number of Ornaments to
thoſe of the publick. A private Houſe ought
not to have Doors of Braſs or Ivory, which was
objected to Camillus as a Crime, nor Roofs
fretted with great Quantities of Gold, or inlaid
with Glaſs, nor ſhould every Part be incruſted
with Hymettian or Parian Marble; ſuch Ma
terials being proper only in Temples: But the
Builder's chief Commendation in a private
Structure, is to uſe moderate Materials elegant
ly, and elegant ones moderately. Let him
be contented with Cypreſs, Larch and Box
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