Alberti, Leone Battista, Architecture, 1755

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              <s>
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              ſwer, that it is nothing but a Compoſition of
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              the ſmalleſt Stones, the large ones being all bro­
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              ken to Pieces; tho' it is
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Vitruvius
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              's Opinion,
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              that Sand, eſpecially that which in
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              Tuſcany
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              they call the carbuncly Sort, is a Kind of
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              Earth burnt by the Fire incloſed by Nature
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              within the Hills, and made ſomewhat harder
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              than Earth unburnt, but ſofter than any Stone.
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              </s>
              <s>Of all theſe they moſt commend the carbuncly
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              Sort. </s>
              <s>I have obſerved, that in the publick
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              Buildings in
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Rome,
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              they uſed the red as none
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              of the worſt. </s>
              <s>Of all the Pit-ſand the white is
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              the worſt. </s>
              <s>The gritty is of Uſe in filling up
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              of Foundations; but among the beſt, they
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              give the ſecond Place to the fineſt of the
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              gritty, and eſpecially to the ſharp angular Sort,
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              without the leaſt Mixture of Earth in it, as is
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              that which they find in the Territory of the
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              Vilumbrians.
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              </s>
              <s> Next to this they eſteem the
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              River Sand, which is dug after the uppermoſt
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              Layer is taken off; and next to the River­
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              ſand that of the Torrent, eſpecially of ſuch
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              Torrents as run between Hills, where the
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              Water has the greateſt Deſcent. </s>
              <s>In the laſt
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              Place comes the Sea-ſand, and of this Sort,
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              the blackeſt and moſt glazed is not wholly to
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              be deſpiſed. </s>
              <s>In the Country, near
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Salerno,
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              they eſteem their Sea-ſand not inferior to Pit­
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              ſand, but they ſay it is not to be dug in all
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              Parts of the Shore alike; for they find it worſt
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              of all where it is expoſed to the South Wind;
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              but it is not bad in thoſe Places which look to
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              the South-weſt. </s>
              <s>But of Sea-ſands, it is certain
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              the beſt is that which lies under Rocks, and
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              which is of the coarſeſt Grain. </s>
              <s>There is a
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              great deal of Difference in Sands, for that of
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              the Sea is very ſlow in drying, and is continu­
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              ally moiſt and apt to diſſolve, by Reaſon of its
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              Salt, and is therefore very improper and un­
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              faithful in ſupporting of great Weights. </s>
              <s>That
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              of the River too is ſomewhat moiſter than the
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              Pit-ſand, and therefore is more tractable and
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              better for Plaiſtering-work. </s>
              <s>The Pit-ſand, by
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              means of its Fatneſs, is moſt tenacious, but is
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              apt to crack, for which Reaſon they uſe it in
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              Vault-work, but not in plaiſtering. </s>
              <s>But of
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              each Sort, that is always beſt, which being
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              rubbed with the Hand creeks the moſt, and
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              being laid upon a white Cloth, makes the
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              leaſt Soil, and leaves the leaſt Earth behind it.
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              </s>
              <s>On the contrary, that is the worſt, which feels
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              mealy inſtead of ſharp, and which in Smell and
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              Colour reſembles red Earth, and being mixed
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              with Water makes it foul and muddy, and if
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              leſt abroad in the Air, preſently brings forth
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              Graſs. </s>
              <s>Neither will that be good, which af­
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              ter it is dug, is left for any Time expoſed to
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              the Sun, or Moon, or to Froſts; becauſe it
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              turns it in a Manner to Earth, and makes it
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              very apt to rot; or when it is inclined to
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              bring ſorth Shrubs, or wild Figs, it is ex­
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              tremly bad for cementing of Walls. </s>
              <s>We have
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              now treated of Timber, Stone, Lime, and
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              Sand, ſuch as are approved of by the Anci­
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              ents; but in all Places theſe Things are not
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              to be found with all the Qualifications which
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              we require.
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              Tully
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              ſays, that
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              Aſia,
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              by means
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              of its Abundance of Marble, always flouriſhed
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              in fine Buildings and Statues; but Marble is
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              not to be got every where. </s>
              <s>In ſome Places
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              there is either no Stone at all, or what there is,
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              is good for no manner of Uſe. </s>
              <s>In all the
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              Southern Parts of
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              Italy,
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              they ſay there is no
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              Want of Sand-Pits, but on the other Side of
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              the
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              Appenine
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              there are none.
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              Pliny
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              ſays, the
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              Babylonians
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              made Uſe of Slime, and the
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Car­
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              thaginians
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              of Mud. </s>
              <s>In ſome Places, not ha­
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              ving any Sort of Stone, they build with
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              Hurdles and Potters Earth.
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              Herodotus
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              tells us,
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              that the
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              Budini
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              make all their Structures, as
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              well publick as private, of nothing but Wood,
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              even to the Walls of their City, and the Sta­
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              tues of their Gods.
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Mela
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              ſays, that the
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              Nervi
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              have no Wood at all; and that for Want of it
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              they are obliged to make their Fires of Bones.
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              </s>
              <s>In
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              Ægypt
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              their Fuel is the Dung of their Cat­
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              tle. </s>
              <s>For this Reaſon, the Habitations of Men
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              are different, according to the different Conve­
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              niencies of the Country. </s>
              <s>Among the
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              Ægyp­
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              tians
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              there are Royal Palaces built of Ruſhes;
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              and in
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              India,
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              of the Ribs of Whales. </s>
              <s>In
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              Car­
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              ræ,
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              a Town in
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              Arabia,
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              they build with Lumps
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              of Salt: But of theſe elſewhere. </s>
              <s>So that as
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              we have already obſerved, there is not the ſame
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              Plenty of Stone, Sand, and the like, every
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              where, but in different Places there are diffe­
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              rent Accommodations and Conveniencies:
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              Therefore we are to make Uſe of ſuch as of­
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              fer themſelves; and out of thoſe we ſhould,
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              in the firſt Place, make it our Buſineſs, always
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              to ſelect and provide the beſt and propereſt,
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              and, ſecondly, in building with them, we
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              ſhould carefully allot to each its proper Place
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              and Situation.</s>
            </p>
          </chap>
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      </text>
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