1of all: Becauſe they double the Heat of a Place
already ſufficiently warmed by whole Day's
Sun. And if it happens, that with all this Sun
the heavy groſs Winds have free Acceſs to you,
what can be more annoying or intollerable?
The early Morning Breezes too, which bring
the Vapours crude juſt as they are raiſed, are
certainly to be avoided. Thus we have briefly
ſpoken of the Sun and Winds, by which the
Air is altered and made healthy and noxious,
as much as we thought neceſſary here: And
in their Places we ſhall diſcourſe of them more
diſtinctly.
already ſufficiently warmed by whole Day's
Sun. And if it happens, that with all this Sun
the heavy groſs Winds have free Acceſs to you,
what can be more annoying or intollerable?
The early Morning Breezes too, which bring
the Vapours crude juſt as they are raiſed, are
certainly to be avoided. Thus we have briefly
ſpoken of the Sun and Winds, by which the
Air is altered and made healthy and noxious,
as much as we thought neceſſary here: And
in their Places we ſhall diſcourſe of them more
diſtinctly.
CHAP. IV.
Which Region is, and which is not commodious for Building.
In chuſing the Region it will be proper to
have it ſuch, that the Inhabitants may find
it convenient in all Reſpects, both as to its na
tural Properties, and as to the Neighbourhood
and its Correſpondence with the reſt of Man
kind. For certainly I would never build a City
upon a ſteep inacceſſible Cliff of the Alps, as
Caligula intended; unleſs obliged by the ut
moſt Extremity: Nor in a ſolitary Deſart, as
Varro deſcribes that Part of France to have
been which was beyond the Rhine, and as Cæſar
paints England in his Days. Neither ſhould I
be pleaſed to live, as in Ægina, only upon the
Eggs of Birds, or upon Acorns, as they did in
ſome Parts of Spain in Pliny's Time. I would
if poſſible have nothing be wanting that could
be of Uſe in Life. For this Reaſon, more than
any other, Alexander was perfectly in the right
in not building a City upon Mount Athos
(though the Invention and Deſign of the Archi
tect Policrates muſt needs have been wonder
ful) becauſe the Inhabitants could never have
been well ſupplied with Conveniences. Ariſtotle
was indeed beſt pleaſed with a Region that was
difficult of Acceſs, and eſpecially to build a
City in: And we find there have been ſome
Nations, which have choſe to have their Con
fines quite ſtript and laid into a Deſart for a
great Way together, only in order to diſtreſs
their Enemies. Whether this Method is to be
approved or blamed, we ſhall examine in an
other Place. If it is of Service in a publick
Regard, I cannot find Fault with it: But for
the Situation of other Buildings, I ſhould much
rather chuſe a Region that had many and dif
ferent Ways of Acceſs, for the eaſy bringing in
all Manner of Neceſſaries, both by Land-Car
riage and Water-Carriage, as well in Winter
as in Summer. The Region itſelf likewiſe
ſhould neither be too moiſt through too great
abundance of Water, nor too much parched
with Drought, but be kindly and temperate.
And if we cannot find one exactly in all Re
ſpects as we would have it, let us chuſe it ra
ther ſomewhat cold and dry, than warm and
moiſt: For our Houſes, our Cloaths, Fires,
and Exerciſe, will eaſily overcome the Cold;
neither is it believed, that the Dryneſs of a Soil
can have any thing in it very noxious, either to
the Bodies or Mind, only that by Dryneſs
Men's Bodies are hardened, and by Cold per
haps made ſomewhat rougher: But it is held
for certain, that all Bodies corrupt with too
much Humidity, and are relaxed by Heat.
And we find that Men either in cold Weather,
or that live in cold Places, are more healthy
and leſs ſubject to Diſtempers; though it is al
lowed, that in hot Climates Men have better
Wits, as they have better Conſtitutions in cold.
I have read in Appian the Hiſtorian, that the
Numidians are very long lived, becauſe their
Winters are never too cold. That Region
therefore will be far the beſt, which is juſt
moderately warm and moiſt, becauſe that will
produce luſty handſome Men, and not ſubject
to Melancholy. Secondly, that Region will
be moſt eligible, which being placed among
Countries liable to Snow, enjoys more Sun
than its Neighbours; and among Countries
burnt by the Sun, that which has moſt Humi
dity and Shade. But no Building, let it be
what it will, can be placed more unſightly or
inconveniently, than in a Valley down be
tween two Hills; becauſe, not to inſiſt upon
more manifeſt Reaſons, an Edifice ſo placed
has no Manner of Dignity, lying quite hid;
and it's Proſpect being interrupted can have
neither Pleaſure nor Beauty. But what is this
to thoſe greater Miſchiefs which will ſhortly
happen, when the Houſe is overwhelmed by
Floods and filled with Waters that pour in up
on it from the adjoining Hills; and imbibing
have it ſuch, that the Inhabitants may find
it convenient in all Reſpects, both as to its na
tural Properties, and as to the Neighbourhood
and its Correſpondence with the reſt of Man
kind. For certainly I would never build a City
upon a ſteep inacceſſible Cliff of the Alps, as
Caligula intended; unleſs obliged by the ut
moſt Extremity: Nor in a ſolitary Deſart, as
Varro deſcribes that Part of France to have
been which was beyond the Rhine, and as Cæſar
paints England in his Days. Neither ſhould I
be pleaſed to live, as in Ægina, only upon the
Eggs of Birds, or upon Acorns, as they did in
ſome Parts of Spain in Pliny's Time. I would
if poſſible have nothing be wanting that could
be of Uſe in Life. For this Reaſon, more than
any other, Alexander was perfectly in the right
in not building a City upon Mount Athos
(though the Invention and Deſign of the Archi
tect Policrates muſt needs have been wonder
ful) becauſe the Inhabitants could never have
been well ſupplied with Conveniences. Ariſtotle
was indeed beſt pleaſed with a Region that was
difficult of Acceſs, and eſpecially to build a
City in: And we find there have been ſome
Nations, which have choſe to have their Con
fines quite ſtript and laid into a Deſart for a
great Way together, only in order to diſtreſs
their Enemies. Whether this Method is to be
approved or blamed, we ſhall examine in an
other Place. If it is of Service in a publick
Regard, I cannot find Fault with it: But for
the Situation of other Buildings, I ſhould much
rather chuſe a Region that had many and dif
ferent Ways of Acceſs, for the eaſy bringing in
all Manner of Neceſſaries, both by Land-Car
riage and Water-Carriage, as well in Winter
as in Summer. The Region itſelf likewiſe
ſhould neither be too moiſt through too great
abundance of Water, nor too much parched
with Drought, but be kindly and temperate.
And if we cannot find one exactly in all Re
ſpects as we would have it, let us chuſe it ra
ther ſomewhat cold and dry, than warm and
moiſt: For our Houſes, our Cloaths, Fires,
and Exerciſe, will eaſily overcome the Cold;
neither is it believed, that the Dryneſs of a Soil
can have any thing in it very noxious, either to
the Bodies or Mind, only that by Dryneſs
Men's Bodies are hardened, and by Cold per
haps made ſomewhat rougher: But it is held
for certain, that all Bodies corrupt with too
much Humidity, and are relaxed by Heat.
And we find that Men either in cold Weather,
or that live in cold Places, are more healthy
and leſs ſubject to Diſtempers; though it is al
lowed, that in hot Climates Men have better
Wits, as they have better Conſtitutions in cold.
I have read in Appian the Hiſtorian, that the
Numidians are very long lived, becauſe their
Winters are never too cold. That Region
therefore will be far the beſt, which is juſt
moderately warm and moiſt, becauſe that will
produce luſty handſome Men, and not ſubject
to Melancholy. Secondly, that Region will
be moſt eligible, which being placed among
Countries liable to Snow, enjoys more Sun
than its Neighbours; and among Countries
burnt by the Sun, that which has moſt Humi
dity and Shade. But no Building, let it be
what it will, can be placed more unſightly or
inconveniently, than in a Valley down be
tween two Hills; becauſe, not to inſiſt upon
more manifeſt Reaſons, an Edifice ſo placed
has no Manner of Dignity, lying quite hid;
and it's Proſpect being interrupted can have
neither Pleaſure nor Beauty. But what is this
to thoſe greater Miſchiefs which will ſhortly
happen, when the Houſe is overwhelmed by
Floods and filled with Waters that pour in up
on it from the adjoining Hills; and imbibing
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