CHAP. XII.
Of the Apertures in the Building, that is to ſay of the Windows and Doors,
and of thoſe which do not take up the whole Thickneſs of the Wall, and their
Number and Sizes.
and of thoſe which do not take up the whole Thickneſs of the Wall, and their
Number and Sizes.
We are now come to treat of the Aper
tures, which are of two Sorts, the one
ſerving for the Admiſſion of Light and Air,
and the other for the Entrance and Paſſage of
the Inhabitants, and of all Manner of Con
veniencies all thro' the Houſe. Thoſe for
Light are the Windows; thoſe for Paſſage, the
Doors, Stairs, and the Spaces between the
Columns: Thoſe too which are for the carrying
away of Water and Smoak, as Wells, Sinks,
the Gullets, as we may call them of Chimneys,
the Mouths of Ovens and Furnaces are alſo
called Apertures. No Room ought to be
without a Window, by which the incloſed
Air may be let out and renew'd, becauſe elſe
it will corrupt and grow unwholeſome. Capi
tolinus the Hiſtorian relates, that in the Tem
ple of Apollo at Babylon there was found a lit
tle Gold Casket of very great Antiquity, upon
opening of which there iſſued a Steam of Air,
corrupted by Length of Time, and ſo poiſonous,
that ſpreading itſelf abroad, it not only killed
every body that was near, but infected all Aſia
with a moſt dreadful Plague quite as far as Par
thia. In the Hiſtory of Ammianus Marcellinus,
we read, that in Seleucia in the Time of Mark
Anthony and Verus, after the Plunder and
Spoiling of the Temple, and carrying away
the Image of the Conic Apollo to Rome, they
diſcovered a little Hole which had been formerly
ſtop'd up by the Chaldean Prieſts: Which being
opened by the Soldiers, out of a greedy Deſire
of Plunder, ſent forth a Vapour ſo dreadfully
peſtilential and infectious, that from the Con
fines of Perſia quite to Gaul, the whole Coun
try was tainted with a mortal and loathſome
Diſtemper. Every Room therefore ſhould
have Windows, not only to let in the Light,
but to renew the Air; and they ought to be
ſo accommodated to Convenience and the
Thickneſs of the Wall, as not to admit more
remote than Uſe and Neceſſity requires.
Morevover we are to take notice what Winds
our Windows are to ſtand open to; becauſe
thoſe which look towards a healthy Air may
be allow'd to be large every Way; and it will not
be amiſs to open them in ſuch Manner that the Air
may go clear round the Bodies of the Inhabitants;
which may eaſily be contrived, if the Jambs of
the Windows are made ſo low, that you may
both ſee and be ſeen ſrom the Inſide into the
Street. But ſuch Windows as are expoſed to
Winds not altogether ſo healthy, ought to be
ſo proportion'd as to admit what Light is
requiſite, but not any Thing larger than is juſt
neceſſary for that Uſe; and they ſhould like
wife be ſet high, that the Wall may break the
Winds before they reach us: Becauſe by this
means we ſhall have Wind enough to renew
our Air, but ſo interrupted as to take off from
the ill Effects of it. We ſhould alſo obſerve
what Suns our Houſe ſtands to, and according
to various Conveniencies make the Windows
larger or ſmaller. In Summer Apartments, if
the Windows are to the North, they ſhould be
made large every Way; but if they are to the
South Sun, it will be proper to make them low
and ſmall; ſuch being beſt adapted for Re
ception of the Air, and leaſt liable to be of
fended by the Sun's Rays; and there is no
Danger ſuch a Place ſhould ever want Light,
when the Sun lies in a Manner continually
upon it; ſo that Shade and not Light is what
is to be conſulted there. On the contrary in
Apartments for Winter, the Windows will be
beſt contrived for admitting the Sun if they
are made large, and yet we may avoid being
troubled by the Winds at the ſame Time, if we
place them high, ſo that the cold Air may not
blow directly upon the People within. Laſtly
from whatever Side we take in the Light, we
ought to make ſuch an Opening for it, as may
always give us a free Sight of the Sky, and the
Top of that Opening ought never to be too
low, becauſe we are to ſee the Light with our
Eyes; and not with our Heels; beſides the In
convenience, that if one Man gets between
nother and the Window, the Light is inter
cepted, and all the reſt of the Room is
darken'd, which never happens when the Light
comes from above. The Doors ſhould imitate
the Windows, that is, be larger or ſmaller,
more or fewer, according to the Frequency or
Neceſſity of the Place. But I obſerve, that
tures, which are of two Sorts, the one
ſerving for the Admiſſion of Light and Air,
and the other for the Entrance and Paſſage of
the Inhabitants, and of all Manner of Con
veniencies all thro' the Houſe. Thoſe for
Light are the Windows; thoſe for Paſſage, the
Doors, Stairs, and the Spaces between the
Columns: Thoſe too which are for the carrying
away of Water and Smoak, as Wells, Sinks,
the Gullets, as we may call them of Chimneys,
the Mouths of Ovens and Furnaces are alſo
called Apertures. No Room ought to be
without a Window, by which the incloſed
Air may be let out and renew'd, becauſe elſe
it will corrupt and grow unwholeſome. Capi
tolinus the Hiſtorian relates, that in the Tem
ple of Apollo at Babylon there was found a lit
tle Gold Casket of very great Antiquity, upon
opening of which there iſſued a Steam of Air,
corrupted by Length of Time, and ſo poiſonous,
that ſpreading itſelf abroad, it not only killed
every body that was near, but infected all Aſia
with a moſt dreadful Plague quite as far as Par
thia. In the Hiſtory of Ammianus Marcellinus,
we read, that in Seleucia in the Time of Mark
Anthony and Verus, after the Plunder and
Spoiling of the Temple, and carrying away
the Image of the Conic Apollo to Rome, they
diſcovered a little Hole which had been formerly
ſtop'd up by the Chaldean Prieſts: Which being
opened by the Soldiers, out of a greedy Deſire
of Plunder, ſent forth a Vapour ſo dreadfully
peſtilential and infectious, that from the Con
fines of Perſia quite to Gaul, the whole Coun
try was tainted with a mortal and loathſome
Diſtemper. Every Room therefore ſhould
have Windows, not only to let in the Light,
but to renew the Air; and they ought to be
ſo accommodated to Convenience and the
Thickneſs of the Wall, as not to admit more
remote than Uſe and Neceſſity requires.
Morevover we are to take notice what Winds
our Windows are to ſtand open to; becauſe
thoſe which look towards a healthy Air may
be allow'd to be large every Way; and it will not
be amiſs to open them in ſuch Manner that the Air
may go clear round the Bodies of the Inhabitants;
which may eaſily be contrived, if the Jambs of
the Windows are made ſo low, that you may
both ſee and be ſeen ſrom the Inſide into the
Street. But ſuch Windows as are expoſed to
Winds not altogether ſo healthy, ought to be
ſo proportion'd as to admit what Light is
requiſite, but not any Thing larger than is juſt
neceſſary for that Uſe; and they ſhould like
wife be ſet high, that the Wall may break the
Winds before they reach us: Becauſe by this
means we ſhall have Wind enough to renew
our Air, but ſo interrupted as to take off from
the ill Effects of it. We ſhould alſo obſerve
what Suns our Houſe ſtands to, and according
to various Conveniencies make the Windows
larger or ſmaller. In Summer Apartments, if
the Windows are to the North, they ſhould be
made large every Way; but if they are to the
South Sun, it will be proper to make them low
and ſmall; ſuch being beſt adapted for Re
ception of the Air, and leaſt liable to be of
fended by the Sun's Rays; and there is no
Danger ſuch a Place ſhould ever want Light,
when the Sun lies in a Manner continually
upon it; ſo that Shade and not Light is what
is to be conſulted there. On the contrary in
Apartments for Winter, the Windows will be
beſt contrived for admitting the Sun if they
are made large, and yet we may avoid being
troubled by the Winds at the ſame Time, if we
place them high, ſo that the cold Air may not
blow directly upon the People within. Laſtly
from whatever Side we take in the Light, we
ought to make ſuch an Opening for it, as may
always give us a free Sight of the Sky, and the
Top of that Opening ought never to be too
low, becauſe we are to ſee the Light with our
Eyes; and not with our Heels; beſides the In
convenience, that if one Man gets between
nother and the Window, the Light is inter
cepted, and all the reſt of the Room is
darken'd, which never happens when the Light
comes from above. The Doors ſhould imitate
the Windows, that is, be larger or ſmaller,
more or fewer, according to the Frequency or
Neceſſity of the Place. But I obſerve, that