1And we ſhall find, that if they are well rubb'd
and poliſhed, they will defy the Fury of the
Weather. The ſame is true of Stones that are
poliſhed, which thereby eſcape being eaten
with Ruſt. And it is thought that Bricks
ſhould be rubbed and ground either immedi
ately upon their being taken out of the Kiln,
before they are wetted; or when they have
been wetted, before they are dry again; be
cauſe when once they have been wetted and
afterwards dryed, they grow ſo hard that they
will turn and break the Edge of the Tool;
but they are eaſier to grind when they are new,
and hardly cold. There were three Sorts of
Bricks among the Ancients; the Firſt was a
Foot and an Half Long, and a Foot Bread, the
Second fifteen Inches every Way, the Third a
Foot. We ſee in ſome of their Buildings, and
eſpecially in their Arches and Moſaick Works,
Bricks two Foot every Way. We are told that
the Ancients did not uſe the ſame Sort of Brick
in their publick as in their private Edifices. I
have obſerved in ſeveral of their Structures, and
particularly in the Appian Way, ſeveral dif
ferent Sorts of Bricks, ſome bigger, ſome ſmall
er; ſo that I ſuppoſe they uſed them indiffe
rently, and put in Practice not only what was
abſolutely neceſſary for Uſe, but any Thing
that came into their Fancy, or which they
thought would conduce to the Beauty of the
Work. But, not to mention others, I have
ſeen ſome not longer than ſix Inches, and not
thicker than one, nor broader than three; but
theſe they chiefly uſed in their Pavements,
where they were laid edgeways. I am beſt
pleaſed with their triangular ones, which they
made in this Manner; they made one large
Brick, a Foot Square, and an Inch and an
Half Thick; and while it was freſh they cut
it in two Lines croſſways from one Angle to
the other, which divided it into four equal
Triangles. Theſe Bricks had the follow
ing Advantages, they took up leſs Clay, they
were eaſier to diſpoſe in the Kiln and to take
out again, they were more convenient for
working, becauſe the Bricklayer could hold
four of them in one Hand, and with a ſmail
Stroke divide the one ſrom the other; when
placed in the Wall, with their Fronts ſoremoſt
and their Angles inward, they appeared like
compleat Bricks of a Foot Long: This made
the Expence leſs, the Work more graceful, and
the Wall ſtronger; for as there ſeemed to be
none but entire Bricks in the Wall, the Angles
being ſet like Teeth in the Rubbiſh that was
laid in the Middle, made it extremely ſtrong
and durable. After the Bricks are moulded,
they direct that they ſhould not be put into the
Kiln till they are perfectly dry, and they ſay
they never are ſo under two Years; and they
are reckoned to dry better in the Shade than in
the Sun: But of theſe too enough, unleſs we
will add that in all this Sort of Works, which
are called Plaſtick, they reckon excellent,
among others, the Earth that is called Samian,
the Aretinian, and the Modeneze; in Spain,
the Saguntan; and the Pergamean in Aſia.
Nor will I conſult Brevity ſo much as to omit,
that whatever I have here ſaid of Bricks, will
hold good of all Sorts of Tiles for Roofs of
Houſes or Gutters, and in a Word, of all Man
ner of Works made of baked Earth. We have
treated of Stone, let us now proceed to ſpeak
of Lime.
and poliſhed, they will defy the Fury of the
Weather. The ſame is true of Stones that are
poliſhed, which thereby eſcape being eaten
with Ruſt. And it is thought that Bricks
ſhould be rubbed and ground either immedi
ately upon their being taken out of the Kiln,
before they are wetted; or when they have
been wetted, before they are dry again; be
cauſe when once they have been wetted and
afterwards dryed, they grow ſo hard that they
will turn and break the Edge of the Tool;
but they are eaſier to grind when they are new,
and hardly cold. There were three Sorts of
Bricks among the Ancients; the Firſt was a
Foot and an Half Long, and a Foot Bread, the
Second fifteen Inches every Way, the Third a
Foot. We ſee in ſome of their Buildings, and
eſpecially in their Arches and Moſaick Works,
Bricks two Foot every Way. We are told that
the Ancients did not uſe the ſame Sort of Brick
in their publick as in their private Edifices. I
have obſerved in ſeveral of their Structures, and
particularly in the Appian Way, ſeveral dif
ferent Sorts of Bricks, ſome bigger, ſome ſmall
er; ſo that I ſuppoſe they uſed them indiffe
rently, and put in Practice not only what was
abſolutely neceſſary for Uſe, but any Thing
that came into their Fancy, or which they
thought would conduce to the Beauty of the
Work. But, not to mention others, I have
ſeen ſome not longer than ſix Inches, and not
thicker than one, nor broader than three; but
theſe they chiefly uſed in their Pavements,
where they were laid edgeways. I am beſt
pleaſed with their triangular ones, which they
made in this Manner; they made one large
Brick, a Foot Square, and an Inch and an
Half Thick; and while it was freſh they cut
it in two Lines croſſways from one Angle to
the other, which divided it into four equal
Triangles. Theſe Bricks had the follow
ing Advantages, they took up leſs Clay, they
were eaſier to diſpoſe in the Kiln and to take
out again, they were more convenient for
working, becauſe the Bricklayer could hold
four of them in one Hand, and with a ſmail
Stroke divide the one ſrom the other; when
placed in the Wall, with their Fronts ſoremoſt
and their Angles inward, they appeared like
compleat Bricks of a Foot Long: This made
the Expence leſs, the Work more graceful, and
the Wall ſtronger; for as there ſeemed to be
none but entire Bricks in the Wall, the Angles
being ſet like Teeth in the Rubbiſh that was
laid in the Middle, made it extremely ſtrong
and durable. After the Bricks are moulded,
they direct that they ſhould not be put into the
Kiln till they are perfectly dry, and they ſay
they never are ſo under two Years; and they
are reckoned to dry better in the Shade than in
the Sun: But of theſe too enough, unleſs we
will add that in all this Sort of Works, which
are called Plaſtick, they reckon excellent,
among others, the Earth that is called Samian,
the Aretinian, and the Modeneze; in Spain,
the Saguntan; and the Pergamean in Aſia.
Nor will I conſult Brevity ſo much as to omit,
that whatever I have here ſaid of Bricks, will
hold good of all Sorts of Tiles for Roofs of
Houſes or Gutters, and in a Word, of all Man
ner of Works made of baked Earth. We have
treated of Stone, let us now proceed to ſpeak
of Lime.
*
CHAP. XI.
Of the Nature of Lime and Plaiſter of Paris, their Uſes and Kinds, wherein
they agree and wherein they differ, and of ſome Things not unworthy of
Memory.
they agree and wherein they differ, and of ſome Things not unworthy of
Memory.
Cato the Cenſor, condemns Lime made
of different Sorts of Stone, and takes that
which is made of Flint to be good for no Man
ner of Work whatſoever; beſides, in making
of Lime all Stone is extremely improper that
is dry and exhauſted, or rotten, and which in
burning has nothing in it for the Fire to con
ſume, as all mouldering Stone, and the reddiſh
and pale ones, which are found near Rome in
the Country of the Fidenates and Albanians.
The Lime commended by the beſt Judges, is
that which loſes a third Part of its Weight by
burning; beſides, Stone that is too moiſt in its
Nature, is apt to vitrify in the Fire, ſo as to be
of no Uſe for making of Lime. Pliny ſays,
that the green, or Serpentine-ſtone mightily
reſiſts the Fire; but we know very well that
the Porphiry will not only not burn itſelf, but
of different Sorts of Stone, and takes that
which is made of Flint to be good for no Man
ner of Work whatſoever; beſides, in making
of Lime all Stone is extremely improper that
is dry and exhauſted, or rotten, and which in
burning has nothing in it for the Fire to con
ſume, as all mouldering Stone, and the reddiſh
and pale ones, which are found near Rome in
the Country of the Fidenates and Albanians.
The Lime commended by the beſt Judges, is
that which loſes a third Part of its Weight by
burning; beſides, Stone that is too moiſt in its
Nature, is apt to vitrify in the Fire, ſo as to be
of no Uſe for making of Lime. Pliny ſays,
that the green, or Serpentine-ſtone mightily
reſiſts the Fire; but we know very well that
the Porphiry will not only not burn itſelf, but