Alberti, Leone Battista, Architecture, 1755

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            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <pb xlink:href="003/01/052.jpg" pagenum="40"/>
              they took great Care that the firſt Soldier had
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              not an unlucky Name; which was a Rule they
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              alſo obſerved in the Ceremony of purifying their
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              Soldiers and their Colonies, wherein, the Per­
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              ſon that was to lead the Beaſt to the Sacrifice
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              muſt have a fortunate Name. </s>
              <s>And the Cen­
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              ſors, in framing out the publick Revenues and
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              Eſtates, always began with the Lake
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              Lucrinus,
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              becauſe of the Lucrativeneſs of its Name, So
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              likewiſe, being terrified with the diſmal Name
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              of
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              Epidamnus,
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              that ſuch as went thither might
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              not be ſaid to be gone a damnable Voyage,
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              they changed its Name into
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              Dyrraehium;
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              ſo
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              likewiſe they ſerved
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              Beneventum,
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              which before
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              was called
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              Maleventum.
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              </s>
              <s> Neither, on the other
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              Hand, can I forbear laughing at their Conceit,
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              that in beginning Undertakings of this Sort it
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              was good to repeat certain favourable Words
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              and Charms.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>AND there are ſome that affirm, that Men's
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              Words are ſo powerful, that they are obey'd
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              even by Beaſts and Things inanimate. </s>
              <s>I omit
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              Cato
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              's Fancy, that Oxen when fatigued may
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              be refreſh'd by certain Words. </s>
              <s>They tell us
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              too, that they uſed with certain Prayers and
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              Forms of Words to entreat and beſeech their
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              Mother Earth to give Nouriſhment to foreign
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              Trees, and ſuch as ſhe was not accuſtom'd to
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              bear; and that the Trees alſo were to be
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              humbly pray'd to ſuffer themſelves to be re­
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              mov'd, and to thrive in another Ground. </s>
              <s>And
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              ſince we are got into this fooliſh Strain of re­
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              cording the Follies of other Men, I will alſo
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              mention, for Diverſion Sake, what they tell us,
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              that the Words of Mankind are of ſuch Effect,
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              that Turnips will grow incredibly, if when we
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              ſow them we at the ſame Time pray them to
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              be gracious and lucky to us, our Families, and
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              our Neighbourhood. </s>
              <s>But if theſe be ſo, I can't
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              imagine why the Baſilico-root ſhould, as they
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              ſay, grow the faſter for being curſt and abuſed
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              when it is ſown. </s>
              <s>But let us leave this idle Sub­
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              ject. </s>
              <s>It is undoubtedly proper, omitting all
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              theſe uncertain Superſtitions, to ſet about our
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              Work with a holy and religious Preparation.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Ab Jove principium, Muſæ;—
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              Jovis omnia plena.
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              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>We ought therefore to begin our Undertaking
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              with a clean Heart, and with devout Oblati­
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              ons, and with Prayers to Almighty God to
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              implore his Aſſiſtance, and Bleſſing upon the
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              Beginnings of our Labours, that it may have
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              a happy and proſperous Ending, with Strength
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              and Happineſs to it and its Inhabitants, with
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              Content of Mind, Encreaſe of Fortune, Succeſs
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              of Induſtry, Acquiſition of Glory, and a Suc­
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              ceſſion and Continuance of all good Things.
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              </s>
              <s>So much for our Preparation.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="head">
              <s>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              The End of Book
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              II.
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                <figure id="id.003.01.052.1.jpg" xlink:href="003/01/052/1.jpg" number="12"/>
              </s>
            </p>
          </chap>
        </body>
      </text>
    </archimedes>
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