Alberti, Leone Battista
,
Architecture
,
1755
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moſt undigeſted: unleſs we will ſuppoſe, that
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there is a fiery Spirit in the Bowels of the earth,
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by which ſubterrancous Waters are concocted.
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Ariſlotle
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ſays that the Water in Wells grows
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warm in the Summer in the Afternoon. </
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<
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>Ac
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cordingly ſome will have it that Well-water
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ſeems cold in Summer, only by compariſon with
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the hot Air which ſurrounds us. </
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<
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>Accordingly
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we find, contrary to the old received Opinion,
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that Water juſt freſh drawn, does not bedew
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the Glaſs into which it is put, if the Glaſs be
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perfectly clean and not greaſy. </
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<
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>But as of the
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firſt Principles whereof all Things conſiſt, eſ
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pecially according to the
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Pythagorean
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Notion,
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there are two which may be called male, which
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are Heat and Cold; and it being the Property
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of Heat to penetrate, diſſolve, break, attract and
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ſuck up all Moiſture, as it is that of Cold to
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compreſs, contract, harden and conſolidate:
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both theſe have in a great Meaſure the ſame
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Effects, and particularly upon Water, provided
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they are exceſſive and of too long Continuance;
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becauſe they both equally conſume the more
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ſubtile Parts, which occaſions exactly the ſame
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aduſt Dryneſs. </
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<
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>Thus we ſay, that Plants are
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burnt up, not only by extreme Heat but alſo by
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extreme Cold; becauſe when the more tender
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Parts of the Subſtance of the Wood are con
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ſumed and dried up either by Froſt or Sun,
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we ſee the Tree look ruſty and chapt as by
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Fire. </
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<
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>From the ſame Cauſes Water grows
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viſcous by the Sun's Heat, and looks as if it
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were full of Aſhes in extreme Froſt. </
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<
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>But there
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is another Difference even among Waters al
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lowed to be good; for particularly as to Rain
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water, it is of great Importance in what Sea
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ſon of the Year, at what Time of the Day,
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and in what Winds you collect it, as alſo in
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what Place you preſerve it, and what Time it
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has been kept. </
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<
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>The Rain which falls after
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the Middle of Winter is thought to afford the
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heavieſt Water; and that which is collected in
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the Winter is ſaid to be ſweeter than that col
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lected in the Summer. </
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<
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>The firſt Rains after
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the Dog-days are bitter and unwholeſome, be
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ing corrupted with a Mixture of ſome of the
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aduſt Particles of the Earth, and we are told
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that the Earth itſelf has a bitter ſavour at that
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Time of the Year, from being burnt up by the
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Heat of the Sun. </
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<
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>Hence we are adviſed, that
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the Rain-water gathered from the Houſe-top,
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is better than that which is collected in the
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Ground; and of that which is gathered from
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the Houſe-top, the moſt wholeſome is ſaid to
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be that which is got after the Roof has been
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well waſhed by the firſt Rain. </
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<
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>The
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African
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Phyſicians tell us, that the Rain which falls in
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Summer, eſpecially when it thunders, is not
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pure, and is unwholſome from its Saltneſs.
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Theophraſtus
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thinks, that the Night Rains are
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better than thoſe in the Day. </
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<
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>Hence that
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is accounted the moſt wholeſome which falls
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in a North Wind.
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Columella
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is of Opinion,
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that Rain water would not be bad if it were
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carried through carthen Pipes into covered
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Ciſterns, becauſe it caſily corrupts when it
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ſtands uncovered to the Sun, and ſoon ſpoils,
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if it is kept in any Veſſel made of Wood.
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</
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<
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>Springs alſo are very different from one ano
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ther.
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Hippocrates
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judged thoſe which riſe
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from the Roots of Hills to be the beſt. </
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<
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>The
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Opinion of the Ancients concerning Springs was
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as follows. </
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<
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>They thought the very beſt of all
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were thoſe which lay either to the North, or
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fronting the Sun-riſe about the Equinox; and
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the worſt they ſuppoſed to be thoſe which lay
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to the South. </
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<
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>The next beſt they thought
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were thoſe which fronted the Sun-riſe in Win
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ter, nor did they diſapprove of thoſe on the
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Weſt Side of the Hill, which generally is very
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moiſt with a great Abundance of light Dew,
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and conſequently muſt afford a very ſweet
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Water, becauſe the Dew does not fall but in
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quiet, clear Places, and where there is a tem
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perate Air.
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Theophraſtus
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thinks that Water
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gets a Taſte from the Earth, as in Fruits, Vines,
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and other Trees, which all have a Savour of
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the Earth from which they draw their Juices,
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and from whatever happens to lie near their
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Roots. </
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<
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>The Ancients uſed to ſay, that there
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were as many different Sorts of Wines, as there
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were of different Soils wherein the Vineyards
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were planted. </
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<
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>Thus
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Pliny
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tells us, that the
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Wines of
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Padua
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taſted of the Willows to which
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the Inhabitants of that Country uſed to bind
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their Vines.
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Cato
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teaches to medicate the Vines
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with the Herb
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Hellebore,
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by laying Bundles of
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it at the Roots, at the ſame Time that you
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open them, in order to make them looſen the
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Belly without Danger. </
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<
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>For theſe Reaſons the
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Ancients thought, that the Water which iſſued
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out of the living Rock, was better than that
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which roſe from the Ground. </
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>
<
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>But the beſt of
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all was thought to be that which diſtilled from
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ſuch an Earth, which being put into a Baſon
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with Water, and ſtirr'd together with it, would
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the ſooneſt ſubſide and leave the Water the
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leaſt tainted either in Colour, Smell, or Taſte.
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</
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<
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>For the ſame Reaſons
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Columella
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was of Opinion,
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that Water which ran down ſtony Precipices </
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