1it proceeds, that the lower Part of Stones is of
a more ſolid and weighty Conſiſtence than the
Upper, and that they interrupted with Veins,
juſt according as their Subſtances happened to
unite and conglutinate. That Matter which is
found within the Veins, whether it be the Scum
of the firſt congealed Subſtance mix'd with the
Dregs of the adventitious Matter, or whatever
elſe it be, as it is plainly of ſo different a Con
ſiſtence, that Nature will not permit it to
unite with the reſt, it is no Wonder that it is
the Part in Stone which is apt to crack. And
indeed, as Experience teaches us, the Deva
ſtations of Time too evidently demonſtrate,
without ſearching into Cauſes more remote,
that all vegetative and compound Bodies con
ſume and decay; ſo in Stones, the Parts ex
pos'd to the Weather are ſooneſt rotted. This
being the Caſe, we are adviſed in Placing our
Stone to ſet thoſe Parts of it which are the
ſtrongeſt, and leaſt apt to putrify, againſt the
Violence of the alternate Injuries of the Wea
ther, eſpecially in thoſe Parts of the Building
where moſt Strength is requir'd. For this Rea
ſon we ſhould not ſet the Veins upright, leſt
the Weather ſhould make the Stone crack and
ſcale off; but they ſhould be laid flat down
wards that the Preſſure of the incumbant
Weight may hinder them from opening. The
Side which in the Quarry lay moſt hid, ſhould
be placed againſt the Air; becauſe it is always
the ſtrongeſt and moſt unctious. But of all
Stone, none will prove ſo hardy as that which
has its Veins not running in parellel Lines with
thoſe of the Quarry, but croſſway and directly
tranſverſe. Moreover the Corners throughout
the whole Building, as they require the
greateſt Degree of Strength, ought to be par
ticularly well fortify'd; and, if I miſtake not,
each Corner is in effect the half of the whole
Structure; for if one of them happens to fail,
it occaſions the Ruin of both the Sides to
which it anſwers. And if you will take the
Pains to examine, I dare ſay you will find that
hardly any Building ever begins to decay, but
by the Fault of one of its Corners. It there
fore ſhew'd great Diſcretion in the Ancients,
to make their Corners much thicker than the
reſt of the Wall, and in Porticoes of Columns
to ſtrengthen their Angles in a particular Man
ner. This Strength in the Corners is not re
quired upon Account of its Supporting the
Covering (for that is rather the Buſineſs of the
Columns) but only to keep the Wall up to its
Duty, and hinder it from leaning any Way
from its perpendicular. Let the Corners there
fore be of the hardeſt and longeſt Stones,
which may embrace both Sides of the Wall, as
it were, like Arms; and let them be full as
broad as the Wall, that there may be no need
to ſtuff the Middle with Rubbiſh. It is alſo
neceſſary, that the Ribs in the Wall and the
Jambs or Sides of the Apertures, ſhould be
fortify'd like the Corners, and made ſtrong in
proportion to the Weight they are deſign'd to
ſupport. And above all we ſhould leave Bits,
that is to ſay, Stones left every other Row jut
ting out at the Ends of the Wall, like Teeth,
for the Stones of the other Front of the Wall
to faſten and catch into.
a more ſolid and weighty Conſiſtence than the
Upper, and that they interrupted with Veins,
juſt according as their Subſtances happened to
unite and conglutinate. That Matter which is
found within the Veins, whether it be the Scum
of the firſt congealed Subſtance mix'd with the
Dregs of the adventitious Matter, or whatever
elſe it be, as it is plainly of ſo different a Con
ſiſtence, that Nature will not permit it to
unite with the reſt, it is no Wonder that it is
the Part in Stone which is apt to crack. And
indeed, as Experience teaches us, the Deva
ſtations of Time too evidently demonſtrate,
without ſearching into Cauſes more remote,
that all vegetative and compound Bodies con
ſume and decay; ſo in Stones, the Parts ex
pos'd to the Weather are ſooneſt rotted. This
being the Caſe, we are adviſed in Placing our
Stone to ſet thoſe Parts of it which are the
ſtrongeſt, and leaſt apt to putrify, againſt the
Violence of the alternate Injuries of the Wea
ther, eſpecially in thoſe Parts of the Building
where moſt Strength is requir'd. For this Rea
ſon we ſhould not ſet the Veins upright, leſt
the Weather ſhould make the Stone crack and
ſcale off; but they ſhould be laid flat down
wards that the Preſſure of the incumbant
Weight may hinder them from opening. The
Side which in the Quarry lay moſt hid, ſhould
be placed againſt the Air; becauſe it is always
the ſtrongeſt and moſt unctious. But of all
Stone, none will prove ſo hardy as that which
has its Veins not running in parellel Lines with
thoſe of the Quarry, but croſſway and directly
tranſverſe. Moreover the Corners throughout
the whole Building, as they require the
greateſt Degree of Strength, ought to be par
ticularly well fortify'd; and, if I miſtake not,
each Corner is in effect the half of the whole
Structure; for if one of them happens to fail,
it occaſions the Ruin of both the Sides to
which it anſwers. And if you will take the
Pains to examine, I dare ſay you will find that
hardly any Building ever begins to decay, but
by the Fault of one of its Corners. It there
fore ſhew'd great Diſcretion in the Ancients,
to make their Corners much thicker than the
reſt of the Wall, and in Porticoes of Columns
to ſtrengthen their Angles in a particular Man
ner. This Strength in the Corners is not re
quired upon Account of its Supporting the
Covering (for that is rather the Buſineſs of the
Columns) but only to keep the Wall up to its
Duty, and hinder it from leaning any Way
from its perpendicular. Let the Corners there
fore be of the hardeſt and longeſt Stones,
which may embrace both Sides of the Wall, as
it were, like Arms; and let them be full as
broad as the Wall, that there may be no need
to ſtuff the Middle with Rubbiſh. It is alſo
neceſſary, that the Ribs in the Wall and the
Jambs or Sides of the Apertures, ſhould be
fortify'd like the Corners, and made ſtrong in
proportion to the Weight they are deſign'd to
ſupport. And above all we ſhould leave Bits,
that is to ſay, Stones left every other Row jut
ting out at the Ends of the Wall, like Teeth,
for the Stones of the other Front of the Wall
to faſten and catch into.
CHAP. VIII.
The Parts of the Finiſhing are thoſe
which, as we ſaid before, are common
to the whole Wall; that is, the Shell and the
Stuffing; but there are two Shells, one out
ward and the other inward; if you make the
outward of the hardeſt Stone you can get, the
Building will be the more durable. And indeed
in all Sorts of Finiſhing, let it be of what
Kind of Work you will, either chequer'd, or
of rough Stones, it is indifferent, provided you
ſet againſt the continual miſchievous Violence
either of Sun, or Wind, or of Fire, or Froſt,
ſuch Stones as are in their Nature beſt fitted
for reſiſting either Force, Weight, or Injuries;
and we ſhould take Care to let our Materials be
particularly Sound where-ever the Rain in its
Fall from the Roof or Gutters is driven by the
Wind againſt the Wall; ſince we often find in
old Buildings, that ſuch Sprinklings will rot
and eat into Marble itſelf. Though all prudent
Architects, to provide againſt this Miſchief,
have taken Care to bring all the Water on the
Roof together into Gutters and Pipes, and ſo
carry it clear away. Moreover, the Ancients
which, as we ſaid before, are common
to the whole Wall; that is, the Shell and the
Stuffing; but there are two Shells, one out
ward and the other inward; if you make the
outward of the hardeſt Stone you can get, the
Building will be the more durable. And indeed
in all Sorts of Finiſhing, let it be of what
Kind of Work you will, either chequer'd, or
of rough Stones, it is indifferent, provided you
ſet againſt the continual miſchievous Violence
either of Sun, or Wind, or of Fire, or Froſt,
ſuch Stones as are in their Nature beſt fitted
for reſiſting either Force, Weight, or Injuries;
and we ſhould take Care to let our Materials be
particularly Sound where-ever the Rain in its
Fall from the Roof or Gutters is driven by the
Wind againſt the Wall; ſince we often find in
old Buildings, that ſuch Sprinklings will rot
and eat into Marble itſelf. Though all prudent
Architects, to provide againſt this Miſchief,
have taken Care to bring all the Water on the
Roof together into Gutters and Pipes, and ſo
carry it clear away. Moreover, the Ancients