Alberti, Leone Battista
,
Architecture
,
1755
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pretty deal higher than the Ground beyond
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it: For this will baulk the Aim of the mili
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tary Engines, and make them throw over the
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Wall. </
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<
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>And ſome think no Wall is ſo ſafe
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againſt Battery, as thoſe which are built in un
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even Lines, like the Teeth of a Saw.</
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>I AM very well pleaſed with thoſe Walls in
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Rome,
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which at about half Way up to the
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Top have a Walk with little private Holes,
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out of which, the Archers may privately annoy
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the Enemy, as he moves about the Field in
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Security; and at the Diſtance of every fifty
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Cubits are Towers, adjoining to the Wall like
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Buttreſſes, projecting out in a round Figure
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forwards, and ſomewhat higher than the Wall
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itſelf; ſo that whoever offers to approach be
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tween theſe Towers, is expoſed to be taken in
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Flank and ſlain; and thus the Wall is de
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fended by theſe Towers, and the Towers
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mutually by one another. </
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<
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>The Back of the
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Towers, which look into the Town, ought to
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have no Wall, but ſhould be left quite open
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and naked; that if the Enemy ſhould get
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Poſſeſſion of them, they may not be ſafe in
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them from the Aſſaults of the Inhabitants.</
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<
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>THE Corniſhes of the Towers and Walls,
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beſides that they add to their Beauty, and are
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a Ligature to ſtrengthen their Work, do alſo
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by their Projection hinder the getting into the
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Town from ſcaling Ladders. </
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<
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>Some are for
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leaving Precipices of deep Holes here and there
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along the Side of the Wall, and eſpecially near
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the Towers, ſortified with wooden Bridges
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which may be preſently raiſed or let down, as
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Occaſion requires.</
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<
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>THE Ancients uſed on each Side of their
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Gates to erect two Towers, larger than the
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reſt, and ſtrongly fortified on all Sides, to ſe
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cure and protect the Entrance into the Town.
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>There ought to be no Rooms with vaulted
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Roofs in the Towers, but only wooden Floors,
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that upon any Emergency may eaſily be re
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moved or burnt; and thoſe Floors ſhould not
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be faſtened with Nails, that if the Enemy gets
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the better, they may be taken away without
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Difficulty. </
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>All that is neceſſary is to have a
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Covering to ſhelter the Centinels from the
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Storms and Injuries of the Weather. </
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>The
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Battlements over the Gate ſhould have Holes
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through the Bottom of them, through which,
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Stones and Firebrands may be thrown down
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upon the Enemy's Heads, or even Water, if
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they have ſet Fire to the Gate; which for its
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Security againſt ſuch a Misfortune, they tell us
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ought to be covered over with Leather and
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Plates of Iron. </
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<
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>But of this, enough.</
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>CHAP. V.</
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Of the Proportion, Faſhion and Conſtruction of great Ways, and private Ones.
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<
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>In making our Gates we should obſerve, that
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they ought to be juſt as many in Num
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ber as the Highways, or Streets; for ſome we
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ſhall call High Streets, and others, private ones.
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>Not that I intend to trouble my ſelf about the
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Diſtinction of the Lawyers, who ſay that the
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Road for Beaſts, and the Way for Men, ought
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to be called by different Names: But by the
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Name of Way, I ſhall underſtand them all.
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<
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>The Highways are properly thoſe by which
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we go into the Provinces, with our Armies
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and all their Baggage; for which Reaſon the
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Highways ought to be much broader than
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others, and I find the Ancients ſeldom uſed
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to make them leſs than eight Cubits in any
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Part. </
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<
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>By a Law in the twelve Tables it was
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ordained, that the Ways which ran ſtrait
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ſhould be twelve Foot broad, and thoſe which
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were crooked or winding, not leſs than ſixteen.
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<
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>The private Ways are thoſe which leaving the
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publick ones, lead us to ſome Town or Caſtle,
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or elſe into ſome other Highway, as Lanes in
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Cities, and croſs Roads in the Country. </
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<
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>There
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are another Kind of publick Ways, which may
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not improperly be called High Streets, as are
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ſuch which are deſigned for ſome certain Pur
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poſe, eſpecially any publick one; as for In
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ſtance, thoſe which lead to ſome Temple, or
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to the Courſe for Races, or to a Place of
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Juſtice. </
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<
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>The Ways are not to be made in the
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ſame Manner in the Country, that they are in
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the City. </
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<
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>In the Country they ought to be
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ſpacious and open, ſo as a Man may ſee all
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about him; free and clear from all Manner
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of Impediments, either of Water or Ruins;
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without lurking Places or Retreats of any Sort
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for Rogues to hide themſelves in, nor too
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many croſs Roads to favour their Villanies:
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Laſtly, they ought to be as ſtrait, and as ſhort as
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poſſible: I do not reckon the ſhorteſt Way to be </
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