Alberti, Leone Battista
,
Architecture
,
1755
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performing a Work, wherein the Parts are
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join'd with Dignity, Convenience and Beauty,
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having not only other Things praiſe-worthy,
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but alſo a Variety of Ornaments, ſuch as
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Decency and Proportion requires; and this no
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Queſtion is a very great Matter; but to cover
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all theſe with a proper, convenient and apt
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Covering, is the Work of none but a very
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great Maſter. </
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<
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>To conclude, when the whole
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Model and the Contrivance of all the Parts
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greatly pleaſes both yourſelf and others of
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good Experience, ſo that you have not the
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leaſt Doubt remaining within yourſelf, and do
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not know of any Thing that wants the leaſt
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Re-examination; even then I would adviſe
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you not to run furiouſly to the Execution out
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of a Paſſion for Building, demoliſhing old
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Structures, or laying mighty Foundations of
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the whole Work, which raſh and inconſiderate
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Men are apt to do; but if you will hearken
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to me, lay the Thoughts of it aſide for ſome
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Time, till this favourite Invention grows old.
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<
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>Then take a freſh Review of every Thing,
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when not being guided by a Fondneſs for your
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Invention, but by the Truth and Reaſon of
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Things you will be capable of judging more
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clearly. </
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<
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>Becauſe in many Caſes Time will
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diſcover a great many Things to you, worth
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Conſideration and Reflection, which, be you
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ever ſo accurate, might before eſcape you.</
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>CHAP. II.</
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That we ought to undertake nothing above our Abilities, nor ſtrive againſt
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Nature, and that we ought alſo not only to conſider what we can do,
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but what is ſit for us to do, and in what Place it is that we are to
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build.
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<
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>On examining your Model, among other
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Points to be conſider'd, you muſt take
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Care not to forget theſe. </
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>Firſt, not to under
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take a Thing, which is above the Power of
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Man to do, and not to pretend to ſtrive directly
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contrary to the Nature of Things. </
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>For Na
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ture, if you force or wreſt her out of her Way,
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whatever Strength you may do it with, will
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yet in the End overcome and break thro' all
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Oppoſition and Hindrance; and the moſt ob
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ſtinate Violence (to uſe ſuch an Expreſſion)
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will at laſt be forced to yield to her daily and
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continual Perſeverence aſſiſted by Length of
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Time. </
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<
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>How many of the mighty Works of
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Men do we read of, and know ourſelves to
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have been deſtroy'd by no other Cauſe than
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that they contended againſt Nature? </
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<
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>Who
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does not laugh at him, that having made a
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Bridge upon Ships, intended to ride over the
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Sea? </
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<
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>or rather, who does not hate him for his
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Folly and Inſolence? </
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>The Haven of
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Claudius
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below
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Oſtia,
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and that of
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Hadrian
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near
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Terra
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cina,
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Works in all other Reſpects likely to laſt
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to Eternity, yet now having their Mouths
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ſtop'd with Sand, and their Beds quite choak'd
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up, they have been long ſince totally deſtroy'd
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by the continual Aſſaults of the Sea, which in
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ceſſantly waſhing againſt it gains from it daily.
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<
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>What then think ye will happen in any Place,
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where you pretend to oppoſe or entirely repel
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the Violence of Water, or the enormous
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Weight of Rocks tumbling down on you in
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Ruins? </
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>This being conſider'd, we ought never
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to undertake any Thing that is not exactly
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agreeable to Nature; and moreover we ſhould
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take Care not to enter upon a Work in which
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we may be ſo much wanting to ourſelves as to
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be forced to leave it imperfect. </
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<
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>Who would
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not have blamed
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Tarquin,
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King of the
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Romans,
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if the Gods had not favoured the Greatneſs of
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the City, and if by the Enlargement of the
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Empire he had not received an Acceſſion of
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Wealth ſufficient to compleat the Magnificence
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of his Beginning, for throwing away the whole
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Expence of his future Work in laying the
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Foundations of his Temple. </
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<
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>Beſides it is not
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amiſs to conſider, and that not in the laſt
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Place, not only what you are able, but alſo
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what is decent for you to do. </
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<
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>I do not com
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mend
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Rhodope
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of
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Thrace,
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the famous Courtezan,
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and the Wonder of her Days, for building her
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ſelf a Sepulcher of incredible Expence: For
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though ſhe might poſſibly by her Whoredom
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have acquired the Riches of a Queen, yet ſhe
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was by no means worthy of a Royal Sepulcher.
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<
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>But on the other Hand I do not blame
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Arte
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miſia,
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Queen of
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Caria,
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for having built her
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beloved and worthy Conſort a moſt ſtately </
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