1Place and of the Climate. When you think
it Time for a Reſpite, cover the Top of the
Wall over with Straw, that the Wind and Sun
may not exhauſt the Strength of the Cement,
and make it rather uſeleſs than dry and binding.
When you reſume your Work, pour a con
ſiderable Quantity of clean Water upon it,
till it is thoroughly ſoak'd and waſh'd from
all Manner of Dirt, that no Seeds may be left
to engender Weeds. There is nothing that
makes the Work ſtronger and more durable
than moiſtening the Stone ſufficiently with
Water; and they ſay the Stone is never
ſoak'd as it ſhould be, if upon breaking, the
Inſide all through is not moiſt and turned black.
Add to what has been ſaid, that in erecting
our Wall we ought, in ſuch Places where it
is poſſible new Openings may afterwards be
wanting either for Conveniency or Pleaſure, to
turn Arches in the Wall, that if you after
wards take out any of the Work from beneath
thoſe Arches, for the aforeſaid Purpoſes, the
Wall may have a good Arch, built at the
ſame Time with itſelf, to reſt upon. It is
hardly to be conceiv'd how much the Strength
of a Building is impair'd only by taking out
one ſingle Stone, be it ever ſo little; and
there is no ſuch Thing as ſetting a new Struc
ture upon an old one, but that they will open
and part one from the other; and how much
ſuch a Crack muſt diſpoſe the Wall to ruin,
need not be mention'd. A very thick Wall
has no need of Scaffolding, becauſe it is broad
enough for the Maſon to ſtand upon the Wall
itſelf.
it Time for a Reſpite, cover the Top of the
Wall over with Straw, that the Wind and Sun
may not exhauſt the Strength of the Cement,
and make it rather uſeleſs than dry and binding.
When you reſume your Work, pour a con
ſiderable Quantity of clean Water upon it,
till it is thoroughly ſoak'd and waſh'd from
all Manner of Dirt, that no Seeds may be left
to engender Weeds. There is nothing that
makes the Work ſtronger and more durable
than moiſtening the Stone ſufficiently with
Water; and they ſay the Stone is never
ſoak'd as it ſhould be, if upon breaking, the
Inſide all through is not moiſt and turned black.
Add to what has been ſaid, that in erecting
our Wall we ought, in ſuch Places where it
is poſſible new Openings may afterwards be
wanting either for Conveniency or Pleaſure, to
turn Arches in the Wall, that if you after
wards take out any of the Work from beneath
thoſe Arches, for the aforeſaid Purpoſes, the
Wall may have a good Arch, built at the
ſame Time with itſelf, to reſt upon. It is
hardly to be conceiv'd how much the Strength
of a Building is impair'd only by taking out
one ſingle Stone, be it ever ſo little; and
there is no ſuch Thing as ſetting a new Struc
ture upon an old one, but that they will open
and part one from the other; and how much
ſuch a Crack muſt diſpoſe the Wall to ruin,
need not be mention'd. A very thick Wall
has no need of Scaffolding, becauſe it is broad
enough for the Maſon to ſtand upon the Wall
itſelf.
CHAP. XI.
Of the Way of Working different Materials; of Plaiſtering; of Cramps,
and how to preſerve them; the moſt ancient Inſtructions of Architects; and
ſome Methods to prevent the Miſchiefs of Lightening.
and how to preſerve them; the moſt ancient Inſtructions of Architects; and
ſome Methods to prevent the Miſchiefs of Lightening.
We have treated of the beſt Manner of
Building, what Stone we are to
chooſe, and how we are to prepare our Mor
tar: But as we ſhall ſometimes be obliged to
make uſe of other Sorts of Stone, whereof ſome
are not cemented with Mortar, but only with
Slime; and others which are join'd without
any Cement at all: And there are alſo Buildings
conſiſting only of Stuffing, or rough Work,
and others again only of the Shells; of all
theſe we ſhall ſay ſomething as briefly as
poſſible. Stones that are to be cemented with
Slime, ought to be ſquared, and very arid; and
nothing is more proper for this than Bricks,
either burnt, or rather crude, but very well
dried. A Building made of crude Bricks is
extremely healthy to the Inhabitants, very
ſecure againſt Fire, and but little affected by
Earthquakes; But then if it is not of a good
Thickneſs, it will not ſupport the Roof; for
which Reaſon Cato directs the Raiſing of
Pilaſters of Stone to perform that Office. Some
tell us, that the Slime which is uſed for
Cement ought to be like Pitch, and that the
beſt is that which being ſteep'd in Water is
ſloweſt in diſſolving, and will not eaſily rub
off from one's Hand, and which condenſes
moſt in drying. Others commend the Sandy
as beſt, becauſe it is moſt tractable. This Sort
of Work ought to be cloathed with a Cruſt of
Mortar on the Outſide, and within, if you think
fit, with Plaiſter of Paris, or white Earth.
And for the better Sticking theſe on, you muſt
in Building your Wall, ſet little Pieces of Tile
here and there in the Cracks of the Joining,
jutting out like Teeth, for the Plaiſter to
cleave to. When the Structure is to be com
poſed of naked Stones, they ought to be
ſquared and much bigger than the other,
and very ſound and ſtrong; and in this Sort
of Work we allow of no ſtuffing; the Courſes
muſt be regular and even, the Junctures con
trived with frequent Ligatures of Cramps and
Pins. Cramps are what faſten together with
two Stones ſideways that lie even with one
another, and unite them into a Row: Pins
are fix'd into an upper Stone and an under one,
to prevent the Row from being by any Violence
driven out from the reſt. Cramps and Pins
of Iron are not reckoned amiſs; but I have
obſerved in the Works of the Ancients, that
Iron ruſts, and will not laſt; But Braſs will
almoſt endure for ever. Beſides, I find that
Marble is tainted by the Ruſt of the Iron, and
breaks all round it. We likewiſe meet with
Cramps made of Wood in very ancientStructures;
Building, what Stone we are to
chooſe, and how we are to prepare our Mor
tar: But as we ſhall ſometimes be obliged to
make uſe of other Sorts of Stone, whereof ſome
are not cemented with Mortar, but only with
Slime; and others which are join'd without
any Cement at all: And there are alſo Buildings
conſiſting only of Stuffing, or rough Work,
and others again only of the Shells; of all
theſe we ſhall ſay ſomething as briefly as
poſſible. Stones that are to be cemented with
Slime, ought to be ſquared, and very arid; and
nothing is more proper for this than Bricks,
either burnt, or rather crude, but very well
dried. A Building made of crude Bricks is
extremely healthy to the Inhabitants, very
ſecure againſt Fire, and but little affected by
Earthquakes; But then if it is not of a good
Thickneſs, it will not ſupport the Roof; for
which Reaſon Cato directs the Raiſing of
Pilaſters of Stone to perform that Office. Some
tell us, that the Slime which is uſed for
Cement ought to be like Pitch, and that the
beſt is that which being ſteep'd in Water is
ſloweſt in diſſolving, and will not eaſily rub
off from one's Hand, and which condenſes
moſt in drying. Others commend the Sandy
as beſt, becauſe it is moſt tractable. This Sort
of Work ought to be cloathed with a Cruſt of
Mortar on the Outſide, and within, if you think
fit, with Plaiſter of Paris, or white Earth.
And for the better Sticking theſe on, you muſt
in Building your Wall, ſet little Pieces of Tile
here and there in the Cracks of the Joining,
jutting out like Teeth, for the Plaiſter to
cleave to. When the Structure is to be com
poſed of naked Stones, they ought to be
ſquared and much bigger than the other,
and very ſound and ſtrong; and in this Sort
of Work we allow of no ſtuffing; the Courſes
muſt be regular and even, the Junctures con
trived with frequent Ligatures of Cramps and
Pins. Cramps are what faſten together with
two Stones ſideways that lie even with one
another, and unite them into a Row: Pins
are fix'd into an upper Stone and an under one,
to prevent the Row from being by any Violence
driven out from the reſt. Cramps and Pins
of Iron are not reckoned amiſs; but I have
obſerved in the Works of the Ancients, that
Iron ruſts, and will not laſt; But Braſs will
almoſt endure for ever. Beſides, I find that
Marble is tainted by the Ruſt of the Iron, and
breaks all round it. We likewiſe meet with
Cramps made of Wood in very ancientStructures;