10[Figure 10]THE
ARCHITECTURE
OF
Leone Batiſta Alberti.
ARCHITECTURE
OF
Leone Batiſta Alberti.
BOOK II. CHAP. I.
Treating of the Materials. That no Man ought to begin a Building haſtily
but ſhould firſt take a good deal of Time to conſider, and revolve in his Mind
all the Qualities and Requiſites of ſuch a Work: And that he ſhould carefull
review and examine, with the Advice of proper Judges, the whole Structuly
in itſelf, and the Proportions and Meaſures of every diſtinct Part, not o re
in Draughts or Paintings, but in actual Models of Wood or ſome othe Sunly
ſtance, that when he has finiſh'd his Building, he may not repent of his Labour.
but ſhould firſt take a good deal of Time to conſider, and revolve in his Mind
all the Qualities and Requiſites of ſuch a Work: And that he ſhould carefull
review and examine, with the Advice of proper Judges, the whole Structuly
in itſelf, and the Proportions and Meaſures of every diſtinct Part, not o re
in Draughts or Paintings, but in actual Models of Wood or ſome othe Sunly
ſtance, that when he has finiſh'd his Building, he may not repent of his Labour.
I do not think the Labour and
Expence of a Building to be en
ter'd upon in a hurry; as well
for ſeveral other Reaſons, as
alſo becauſe a Man's Honour and
Reputation ſuffers by it. For as a Deſign
well and compleatly finiſh'd brings Praiſe to
him that has employ'd his Pains and Study in
the Work; ſo if in any particular the Author
ſeems to have been wanting, either of Art or
Prudence, it detracts very much from that
Praiſe, and from his Reputation. And indeed
the Beauties or Faults of Edifices, eſpecially
publick ones, are in a Manner clear and mani
feſt to every body; and (I know not how it
happens) any Thing amiſs ſooner draws Con
tempt, than any Thing handſome or well
finiſh'd does Commendation. It is really won
derful, how, by a Kind of natural Inſtinct, all
of us knowing or ignorant, immediately hit upon
what is right or wrong in the Contrivance or
Execution of Things, and what a ſhrewd Judg
ment the Eye has in Works of this Nature
above all the other Senſes. Whence it happens,
that if any Thing offers itſelf to us that is
lame or too little, or unneceſſary, or un
graceful, we preſently find ourſelves moved
and deſirous to have it handſomer. The Rea
ſons of thoſe Faults perhaps we may not all of
us be acquainted with, and yet if we were to
Expence of a Building to be en
ter'd upon in a hurry; as well
for ſeveral other Reaſons, as
alſo becauſe a Man's Honour and
Reputation ſuffers by it. For as a Deſign
well and compleatly finiſh'd brings Praiſe to
him that has employ'd his Pains and Study in
the Work; ſo if in any particular the Author
ſeems to have been wanting, either of Art or
Prudence, it detracts very much from that
Praiſe, and from his Reputation. And indeed
the Beauties or Faults of Edifices, eſpecially
publick ones, are in a Manner clear and mani
feſt to every body; and (I know not how it
happens) any Thing amiſs ſooner draws Con
tempt, than any Thing handſome or well
finiſh'd does Commendation. It is really won
derful, how, by a Kind of natural Inſtinct, all
of us knowing or ignorant, immediately hit upon
what is right or wrong in the Contrivance or
Execution of Things, and what a ſhrewd Judg
ment the Eye has in Works of this Nature
above all the other Senſes. Whence it happens,
that if any Thing offers itſelf to us that is
lame or too little, or unneceſſary, or un
graceful, we preſently find ourſelves moved
and deſirous to have it handſomer. The Rea
ſons of thoſe Faults perhaps we may not all of
us be acquainted with, and yet if we were to
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