Alberti, Leone Battista, Architecture, 1755

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1one has been much more eſteemed than the
other
, for the Sake of the Superiority of the
Materials
.
Laſtly, I adviſe you not to be ſo
far
carried away by the Deſire of Glory, as
raſhly
to attempt any thing entirely new and
unuſual
: Therefore be ſure to examine and
conſider
thoroughly what you are going to un­
dertake
, even in its minuteſt Parts; and re­
member
how difficult it is to find Workmen
that
ſhall exactly execute any extraordinary
Idea
which you may form, and with how much
Grudging
and Unwillingneſs People will ſpend
their
Money in making Trial of your Fancies.
Laſtly, beware of that very common Fault, by
means
of which there are ſo few great Struc­
tures
but what have ſome unpardonable Ble­
miſhes
.
We always find People very ready to
criticize
, and fond of being thought Counſel­
lors
and Directors.
Now as, by reaſon of the
Shortneſs
of Man's Life, few great Works are
compleated
by the firſt Undertaker, we that
ſucceed
him, either out of Envy or Officiouſ­
neſs
, are vain of making ſome Alteration in his
original
Deſign.
By this means what was well
begun
is ſpoiled in the finiſhing.
For this Rea­
ſon
I think we ſhould adhere to the original
Deſign
of the Inventor, who we are to ſuppoſe
had
maturely weighed and conſidered it.
It is
poſſible
he might have ſome wiſe Inducement
to
do what he did, which upon a more dili­
gent
and attentive Examination, you may at
length
diſcover yourſelf.
If however you do
make
any Alteration, never do it without the
Advice
, or rather abſolute Direction of the moſt
approved
and experienced Maſters: By which
means
you will both provide for the Neceſſi­
ties
of the Structure, and ſecure yourſelf againſt
the
Malice of envious Tongues.
We have now
treated
of publick Buildings, and of private; of
ſacred
, and of profane; of thoſe which relate
to
Dignity, and thoſe of Pleaſure.
What re­
mains
is to ſhew how any Defects in an Edi­
fice
, which have ariſen either from Ignorance
or
Negligence, from the Violence of Men or
Times
, or from unfortunate and unforeſeen
Accidents
, may be repaired and amended:
Still
hoping that theſe Arts will meet with the
Favour
and Protection of the Learned.
The End of Book IX.
88[Figure 88]

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