Alberti, Leone Battista, Architecture, 1755

Table of figures

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              one has been much more eſteemed than the
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              other, for the Sake of the Superiority of the
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              Materials. </s>
              <s>Laſtly, I adviſe you not to be ſo
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              far carried away by the Deſire of Glory, as
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              raſhly to attempt any thing entirely new and
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              unuſual: Therefore be ſure to examine and
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              conſider thoroughly what you are going to un­
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              dertake, even in its minuteſt Parts; and re­
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              member how difficult it is to find Workmen
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              that ſhall exactly execute any extraordinary
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              Idea which you may form, and with how much
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              Grudging and Unwillingneſs People will ſpend
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              their Money in making Trial of your Fancies.
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              <s>Laſtly, beware of that very common Fault, by
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              means of which there are ſo few great Struc­
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              tures but what have ſome unpardonable Ble­
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              miſhes. </s>
              <s>We always find People very ready to
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              criticize, and fond of being thought Counſel­
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              lors and Directors. </s>
              <s>Now as, by reaſon of the
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              Shortneſs of Man's Life, few great Works are
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              compleated by the firſt Undertaker, we that
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              ſucceed him, either out of Envy or Officiouſ­
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              neſs, are vain of making ſome Alteration in his
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              original Deſign. </s>
              <s>By this means what was well
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              begun is ſpoiled in the finiſhing. </s>
              <s>For this Rea­
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              ſon I think we ſhould adhere to the original
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              Deſign of the Inventor, who we are to ſuppoſe
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              had maturely weighed and conſidered it. </s>
              <s>It is
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              poſſible he might have ſome wiſe Inducement
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              to do what he did, which upon a more dili­
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              gent and attentive Examination, you may at
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              length diſcover yourſelf. </s>
              <s>If however you do
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              make any Alteration, never do it without the
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              Advice, or rather abſolute Direction of the moſt
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              approved and experienced Maſters: By which
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              means you will both provide for the Neceſſi­
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              ties of the Structure, and ſecure yourſelf againſt
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              the Malice of envious Tongues. </s>
              <s>We have now
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              treated of publick Buildings, and of private; of
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              ſacred, and of profane; of thoſe which relate
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              to Dignity, and thoſe of Pleaſure. </s>
              <s>What re­
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              mains is to ſhew how any Defects in an Edi­
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              fice, which have ariſen either from Ignorance
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              or Negligence, from the Violence of Men or
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              Times, or from unfortunate and unforeſeen
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              Accidents, may be repaired and amended:
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              Still hoping that theſe Arts will meet with the
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              Favour and Protection of the Learned.</s>
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              The End of Book
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              IX.
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