1the Ancients in their Publick Buildings always
eft a great many of both the afore-mention'd
Kinds of Apertures. This appears from their
Theatres, which if we obſerve are extremely
full of Apertures, not only Stair-caſes, but
Windows and Doors. And we ought ſo to
order the Proportions of theſe Openings, as
not to make very little ones in great Walls,
nor too large in ſmall ones. In theſe Sorts of
Apertures various Deſigns have been com
mended; but the beſt Architects have never
made Uſe of any but Squares and ſtrait Lines.
However all have agreed in this, that let them
be of what Shape they will, they ſhould be ac
modated to the Bigneſs and Form of the
Building. *The Doors, then they
fay ſhould always be more high than
broad; and the higheſt be ſuch as
are capable of receiving two Circles [A] one
upon t'other, and the loweſt ſhould be of
the Heighth of the Diagonal of a Square [B]
whereof the Groundſell is one of the Sides. It
is alſo convenient to place the Doors in ſuch a
Manner, that they may lead to as many Parts
of the Edifice as poſſible: And in order to give
Beauty to ſuch Apertures, Care muſt be taken
that thoſe of like Dimenſions correſpond with
each other both on the Right and Left. It was
uſual to leave the Windows and Doors in odd
Numbers, but ſo as for the Side ones to anſwer
each other, and that in the Middle to be
ſomewhat larger than the reſt. And particular
Regard was always had to the Strength of the
Building, for which Reaſon they contrived to
ſet the Openings clear from the Corners and
from the Columns, in the weakeſt Parts of the
Wall, but not ſo weak as to be inſufficient to
ſupport the Weight: It being their Cuſtom
to raiſe as many Parts of the Wall as they
could plum, and as it were of one Piece
without any Interruption from the Foundation
quite up to the Covering. There is a certain
Kind of an Aperture, which in Form and
Poſition imitates the Doors and Windows, but
which does not penetrate the whole Thickneſs
of the Wall, and ſo, as Niches leave very
handſome and convenient Seats for Statues and
Paintings. But in what Parts theſe are to be
left, as alſo how frequent and large, will be
ſhewn more diſtinctly when we come to treat
of the Ornaments of Edifices. We ſhall only
obſerve here, that they not only add to the
Beauty of the Work, but alſo ſave ſome Ex
pence, as they make leſs Stone and Lime to
ſerve for the Walling. This chiefly is to be
taken Care of, that you make theſe Niches in
convenient Numbers, not too big, and of a juſt
Form; and ſo as in their Order to imitate the
Windows. And let them be as you will, I
have remark'd in the Structures of the Ancients,
that they never uſed to ſuffer them to take up
above the ſeventh Part of the Front, nor leſs
than the ninth. The Spaces between the
Columns are to be reckoned among the princi
pal Apertures, and are to be leſt variouſly ac
cording to the Variety of Buildings. But we
ſhall ſpeak of theſe more clearly in their
proper Place, and chieſly when we treat of
Sacred Edifies. Let it be ſufficient to premiſe
here, that thoſe Openings ſhould be left in ſuch
a Manner, as to have particular Reſpect to the
Nature of the Columns, which are deſign'd
for the Support of the Covering; and firſt, that
thoſe Columns be not too ſmall, nor ſtand too
thin, ſo as not to be duly able to bear the
Weight, nor too big, or ſet ſo thick as not to
leave open convenient Spaces for Paſſage.
Laſtly, the Apertures muſt be different, when
the Columns are frequent from what they are
when they ſtand thin, becauſe over frequent
Columns we lay an Architrave, and over the
others we turn an Arch. But in all Openings
over which we make Arches, we ſhould con
trive to have the Arch never leſs than a half
Circle, with an Addition of the ſeventh Part
of half its Diameter: The moſt experienced
Workmen having found that Arch to be by
much the beſt adapted for enduring in a
Manner to Perpetuity; all other Arches being
thought leſs ſtrong for ſupporting the Weight,
and more liable to ruin. It is moreover imagi
ned, that the half Circle is the only Arch
which has no Occaſion either for Chain or any
other Fortification; and all others, if you
don't either chain them or place ſome Weight
againſt them for a Counterpoiſe, are found by
their own Weight to burſt out and fall to ruin.
I will not omit here what I have taken Notice
of among the Ancients, a Contrivance certainly
very excellent and Praiſe-worthy: Their beſt
Architects placed theſe Apertures and the
Arches of the Roofs of their Temples in ſuch
a Manner, that even tho' you took away every
Column from under them, yet they would
ſtill ſtand firm and not fall down, the Arches
on which the Roof was placed being drawn
quite down to the Foundation with wonderful
Art, known but to few: So that the Work
upheld itſelf by being only ſet upon Arches; for
thoſe Arches having the ſolid Earth for their
Chain, no Wonder they ſtood firm without any
other Support.
eft a great many of both the afore-mention'd
Kinds of Apertures. This appears from their
Theatres, which if we obſerve are extremely
full of Apertures, not only Stair-caſes, but
Windows and Doors. And we ought ſo to
order the Proportions of theſe Openings, as
not to make very little ones in great Walls,
nor too large in ſmall ones. In theſe Sorts of
Apertures various Deſigns have been com
mended; but the beſt Architects have never
made Uſe of any but Squares and ſtrait Lines.
However all have agreed in this, that let them
be of what Shape they will, they ſhould be ac
modated to the Bigneſs and Form of the
Building. *The Doors, then they
fay ſhould always be more high than
broad; and the higheſt be ſuch as
are capable of receiving two Circles [A] one
upon t'other, and the loweſt ſhould be of
the Heighth of the Diagonal of a Square [B]
whereof the Groundſell is one of the Sides. It
is alſo convenient to place the Doors in ſuch a
Manner, that they may lead to as many Parts
of the Edifice as poſſible: And in order to give
Beauty to ſuch Apertures, Care muſt be taken
that thoſe of like Dimenſions correſpond with
each other both on the Right and Left. It was
uſual to leave the Windows and Doors in odd
Numbers, but ſo as for the Side ones to anſwer
each other, and that in the Middle to be
ſomewhat larger than the reſt. And particular
Regard was always had to the Strength of the
Building, for which Reaſon they contrived to
ſet the Openings clear from the Corners and
from the Columns, in the weakeſt Parts of the
Wall, but not ſo weak as to be inſufficient to
ſupport the Weight: It being their Cuſtom
to raiſe as many Parts of the Wall as they
could plum, and as it were of one Piece
without any Interruption from the Foundation
quite up to the Covering. There is a certain
Kind of an Aperture, which in Form and
Poſition imitates the Doors and Windows, but
which does not penetrate the whole Thickneſs
of the Wall, and ſo, as Niches leave very
handſome and convenient Seats for Statues and
Paintings. But in what Parts theſe are to be
left, as alſo how frequent and large, will be
ſhewn more diſtinctly when we come to treat
of the Ornaments of Edifices. We ſhall only
obſerve here, that they not only add to the
Beauty of the Work, but alſo ſave ſome Ex
pence, as they make leſs Stone and Lime to
ſerve for the Walling. This chiefly is to be
taken Care of, that you make theſe Niches in
convenient Numbers, not too big, and of a juſt
Form; and ſo as in their Order to imitate the
Windows. And let them be as you will, I
have remark'd in the Structures of the Ancients,
that they never uſed to ſuffer them to take up
above the ſeventh Part of the Front, nor leſs
than the ninth. The Spaces between the
Columns are to be reckoned among the princi
pal Apertures, and are to be leſt variouſly ac
cording to the Variety of Buildings. But we
ſhall ſpeak of theſe more clearly in their
proper Place, and chieſly when we treat of
Sacred Edifies. Let it be ſufficient to premiſe
here, that thoſe Openings ſhould be left in ſuch
a Manner, as to have particular Reſpect to the
Nature of the Columns, which are deſign'd
for the Support of the Covering; and firſt, that
thoſe Columns be not too ſmall, nor ſtand too
thin, ſo as not to be duly able to bear the
Weight, nor too big, or ſet ſo thick as not to
leave open convenient Spaces for Paſſage.
Laſtly, the Apertures muſt be different, when
the Columns are frequent from what they are
when they ſtand thin, becauſe over frequent
Columns we lay an Architrave, and over the
others we turn an Arch. But in all Openings
over which we make Arches, we ſhould con
trive to have the Arch never leſs than a half
Circle, with an Addition of the ſeventh Part
of half its Diameter: The moſt experienced
Workmen having found that Arch to be by
much the beſt adapted for enduring in a
Manner to Perpetuity; all other Arches being
thought leſs ſtrong for ſupporting the Weight,
and more liable to ruin. It is moreover imagi
ned, that the half Circle is the only Arch
which has no Occaſion either for Chain or any
other Fortification; and all others, if you
don't either chain them or place ſome Weight
againſt them for a Counterpoiſe, are found by
their own Weight to burſt out and fall to ruin.
I will not omit here what I have taken Notice
of among the Ancients, a Contrivance certainly
very excellent and Praiſe-worthy: Their beſt
Architects placed theſe Apertures and the
Arches of the Roofs of their Temples in ſuch
a Manner, that even tho' you took away every
Column from under them, yet they would
ſtill ſtand firm and not fall down, the Arches
on which the Roof was placed being drawn
quite down to the Foundation with wonderful
Art, known but to few: So that the Work
upheld itſelf by being only ſet upon Arches; for
thoſe Arches having the ſolid Earth for their
Chain, no Wonder they ſtood firm without any
other Support.