Alberti, Leone Battista, Architecture, 1755

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1generally crowded. In private Houſes, thoſe
Parts which are for the Reception of many,
ſhould not be made at all different from thoſe
of a Prince; and the Apartments ſhould be
kept diſtinct for the Wife, for the Huſband,
and for the Servants; and every thing is not
to be contrived merely for Conveniency, but
for Grandeur too, and ſo, that the Number of
Servants may not breed any Confuſion.
All
this indeed is very difficult, and hardly poſſi­
ble to be done under a ſingle Roof: therefore
every Member of the Houſe muſt have its par­
ticular Area and Platform, and have a diſtinct
Covering and Wall of its own: but then all
the Members ſhould be ſo joined together by
the Roof and by Lobbies, that the Servants,
when they are wanted about their Buſineſs,
may not be called, as it were, out of another
Houſe, but be always ready at Hand.
Children
and Maids, among whom there is an eternal
Chattering, ſhould be entirely ſeparated from
the Maſter's Apartment, and ſo ſhould the
Dirtineſs of the Servants.
The Apartments
where Princes are to eat ſhould be in the no­
bleſt Part of the Palace; it ſhould ſtand high,
and command a fine Proſpect of Sea, Hills,
and wide Views, which gives it an Air of
Greatneſs.
The Houſe for his Spouſe ſhould
be entirely ſeparated from that of the Prince
her Husband, except only in the laſt Apart­
ment or Bed-chamber, which ſhould be in
common between both; but then a ſingle Gate,
under the Care of the ſame Porter, ſhould
ſerve both their Houſes.
The other Particu­
lars wherein the Houſes of Princes differ from
thoſe of private Perſons, are ſuch as are in a
Manner peculiar to theſe latter; and therefore
we ſhall ſpeak of them in their Place.
The
Houſes of Princes agree with one another in an­
other Reſpect; which is, that beſides thoſe
Conveniencies which they ought to have for
their private Uſe, they ſhould have an Entrance
from the Maſter Way, and eſpecially from the
Sea or River; and inſtead of a Veſtibule, they
ſhould have a large open Area, big enough to
receive the Train of an Ambaſſador, or any
other Great Man, whether they come in
Coaches, in Barks, or on Horſeback.
CHAP. III.
Of the Properties of the Portico, Lobby, Halls, both for Summer and Winter,
Watch-Towers, and the Difference between the Caſtle for a Tyrant, and the
Palace for a King.
I would have the Portico be not only a con­
venient Covering for Men, but for Beaſts
alſo, to ſhelter them from Sun or Rain.
Juſt
before the Veſtibule nothing can be nobler
than a handſome Portico, where the Youth,
waiting till their old Gentlemen return from
tranſacting Buſineſs with the Prince, may em­
ploy themſelves in all Manner of Exerciſe,
Leaping, Tennis, Throwing of Stones, or
Wreſtling.
Next within ſhould be a handſome
Lobby, or a large Hall; where the Clients
waiting for their Patrons, may converſe toge­
ther; and where the Prince's Seat may be pre­
pared for his giving his Decrees.
Wherein this
there muſt be another Hall, where the principal
Men in the State may aſſemble themſelves to­
gether in order to ſalute their Prince, and to give
their Thoughts concerning whatſoever he queſti­
ons them about: Perhaps it may not be amiſs to
have two of thoſe, one for Summer and ano­
ther for Winter; and in the Contrivance of them,
particular Regard muſt be had to the great Age
of the Fathers that are to meet in them, that
there be no Inconveniencies in them which may
any way endanger their Health, and that they
may ſtay in them as long as their Buſineſs re­
quires, with Safety and Pleaſure.
We are told
by Seneca, that Gracchus firſt, and afterwards
Druſus, contrived not to give Audience to
every body in the ſame Place, but to make
proper Diſtinctions among the Crowd, and to
receive ſome in private, others in ſelect Num­
bers, and the Reſt in publick, to ſhew which
had the firſt, and which only the ſecond Share
in their Friendſhip.
If you are in the ſame
high Rank of Fortune, and this Manner of
Proceeding either becomes or pleaſes you, the
beſt Way will be to have ſeveral Doors to re­
ceive your Friends at, by which you may diſ­
miſs thoſe that have had Audience, and keep
out ſuch as you don't care to grant it to, with­
out giving them too much Offence.
At the
Top of the Houſe there ſhould be a high
Watch-Tower, from whence you may at any

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