Chapter I: Front Matter

+----------------------------------------------------------+
| Transcriber's note: |
| |
| The combination "vv" which occurs at some places for |
| "w" and the word "Jonick" used sometimes for "Ionick" |
| has been kept to conserve the original appearance of the |
| book. No changes have been made in the text except the |
| correction of obvious typos. |
+----------------------------------------------------------+

AN
ABRIDGMENT
OF THE
ARCHITECTURE
OF
VITRUVIUS.

CONTAINING

A System of the whole WORKS
of that Author.

Illustrated with divers Copper Plates, curiously
engraved; with a Table of Explanation,
To which is added in this Edition

The Etymology and Derivation of the
Terms used in _Architecture_.

First done in _French_ by Monsr _Perrault_, of the
Academy of _Paris_, and now _Englished_, with Additions.

_LONDON_: Printed for _Abel Small_ and _T. Child_,
at the _Unicorn_ in St. _Paul_'s Church-yard. 1692.

A

TABLE

OF THE

CHAPTERS.

The Introduction.

Article 1. _Of the great merits of_ Vitruvius, _and the Excellencies of his Works_. Page 1.

Art. 2. _Of the method of the Works of_ Vitruvius, _with
short Arguments of every Book_. 9.

_A division of his whole Works into three parts, whereof 1. treats of Building, 2. Gnomonical, 3. Mechanical. A second division into three parts, 1. of Solidity, 2. of Convenience, and 3. of Beauty. The Arguments of the Ten Books._ 11, 12, &c.

THE FIRST PART.

Of the Architecture that is common to us with the Ancients.

_Chap. I._ Of Architecture in general.

Art. 1. _Of the Original of Architecture_, 17.

_The first occasion of Architecture; the Models of the first_ _Architects_, 19. _The Inventers of the four Orders of Architecture_, 20.

Art. 2. _What Architecture is_, 23.

_Definition of it; an Architect ought to have the knowledge of eleven things_, viz. _Writing_, _Designing_, _Geometry_, _Arithmetick_, _History_, 24. _Philosophy, moral and natural_, 25. _Physick_, _Law_, _Astronomy_, and _Musick_. 26.

Art. 3. _What the parts of Architecture are_, 27.

_There are eight parts in Architecture_, viz. 1. _Solidity_, 27. 2. _Convenience_, 3. _Beauty_, 4. _Order_, 5. _Disposition_, 28. 6. _Proportion_, 7. _Decorum_, 8. _Oeconomy_, 32.

_Chap._ II. Of the Solidity of Buildings.

Art. 1. _Of the choice of Materials_, 33.

Vitruvius _speaks of five sorts of Materials_, 1. _Stone_, 33. 2. _Bricks_, 34. 3. _Wood, whereof divers sorts are used, as Oak, Fir, Poplar, Alder_, 35. _Pine, Cypress, Juniper, Cedar, Larch_, 36. _and Olive_; 4. _Lime_; 5. _Sand and Gravel_, 37. _of which several sorts, Pit, River, and Pozzalane_, 38.

Art. 2. _Of the use of Materials_, 39.

_Of the Preparation of Stone_, 39. _Of Wood_, 40. _Of Bricks_, 41. _Lime and Sand_, 43.

Art. 3. _Of the Foundation_, 45.

_In Foundations, to take care that the Earth be solid_, 45. _Of the Masonry_, 46.

Art. 4. _Of the Walls_, 47.

_Six sorts of Masonry_, 48, 49. _Precautions to be used in binding the Walls, to strengthen them with Wood_, 50. _That they be exact perpendicular_, 51. _to ease them of their own weight, by Timber or Arches over doors and windows, and by Butresses in the earth_, 53.

Art. 5. _Of Flooring and Ceiling_, 54.

_Of Flooring upon the Ground_, 54. _between Stories_, 55. _Open to the Air as Terrass, &c._ 57. _the Roof_, 58. _Cornice_, 59.

Art. 6. _Of Plaistering_, 59.

_For great Walls, For Fresco_, 60. _for Partitions_, 61. _For moist places_, 61.

_Chap. III._ Of the Convenience of Fabricks.

Art. 1. _Of convenient Scituation_, 63.

_That a place be convenient, it ought to be fertile, accessible, in a wholsom Air, not on low Ground or marshy_, 64. _How to know a wholsom Climate_, 65.

Art. 2. _Of the Form and Scituation of the Building_, 65.

_The Streets and Houses of a City to be the most advantagiously expos'd in respect to the Heavens and Wind_, 65, 66. _The scituation of each Room to be according to the use of it; of Dining-rooms, Libraries, Closets, &c._ 67, 68.

Art. 3. _Of the Dispositions of Fabricks_, 68.

_The Dispositions of Buildings to be according to the use of the House, either publick or private; of Merchants Houses; of Country Houses; Of the several Apartments_, 70. _Of Lights_, 71.

Art. 4. _Of the convenient form of Buildings_, 71.

_Of the Walls of Cities; Form of publick places_, 72. _which were different among the_ Greeks _and_ Romans; _of Stairs and Halls_, 72.

_Chap. IV._ Of the Beauty of Buildings.

Art. 1. _In what the beauty of Buildings consists_, 74.

_Two sorts of beauty in Buildings; 1st, Positive, which consists in the Symmetry, Materials, and Performance_, 75. _2d. Arbitrary, which is of two sorts; 1. Prudence, 2. Regularity; which consist in the proper providing against Inconveniences, and observing the Laws of Proportion_, 76. _The beauty is most seen in the proportion of these principal parts_, viz. _Pillars, Piedments, and Chambrantes_, 78. _From these things result two other, Gender and Order_, 79.

Art. 2. _Of the five Genders, or sorts of Fabricks_, 80.

_The five sorts are Pycnostyle, Systile_, 80. _Diastyle, Areostyle, Eustyle_, 81. _The Genders to be always agreable to the Orders of Architecture_, 82.

Art. 3. _Of the five Orders of Architecture_, 84.

_The distinction and difference in the several Orders; consists in the Strength and Ornament_; Vitruvius _speaks but of three Orders_, 85.

Art. 4. _Of things that are common to several Orders_, 85.

_There are seven things common to all Orders_, viz. _Steps_, 85. _Pedastals_, 86. _the diminution of Pillars, the Channelings of Pillars, which is of three sorts_, 89. _the Piedemont_, 90. _Cornices, and Acroteres_, 93.

Art. 5. _Of the_ Tuscane _Order_, 93.

_The_ Tuscane _Order consists in the Proportion of Columns, in which there are three parts, the Base, the Shaft, and the Capital_, 94. _Of Chambrantes; and of the Piedement_, 95.

Art. 6. _Of the_ Dorick _Order_, 96.

_The_ Dorick _Order consists in the proportion; of the Columns, which have been different at diverse times, and in diverse Works_, 96, 97. _The parts of the Column are the Shaft; the Base which it anciently wanted, but hath since borrowed from the Attic; the proportion of the Base_, 97. _and the Captial_, 98. _the Archiatrave, which hath two parts, the Platbands and the Gouttes_, 98. _the Frise, in_ _which are the Triglyphs and the Metops_, 98. _the Proportion of them_, 99. _Of the Cornice, its proportion_, 99.

Art. 7. _Of the_ Ionick _Order_, 101.

_The preportion of Pillars of this Order_, 101. _The Pillars set upon the Bases two ways, perpendicular, and not so_, 101. _Proportion of the Base, divided into its parts the Plinthus, the Thorus, the Scotia upper and lower, with the Astragals_, 102. _Of the Capital, its proportion and parts_, 103. _Of the Architrave, wherein to be considered, the proportion it must have to the Pedestals, and to the heighth of the Column_, 105. _to the breadth at the bottom_, 106. _and to the jetting of the Cymatium_, 106. _Of the Frise and Cornice_, 107.

Art. 8. _Of the_ Corinthian _Order_, 108.

_This Order different from the_ Ionick _in nothing but in the Capitals of Pillars, being otherwise composed of the_ Dorick _and_ Ionick; _the proportion of the Capital_, 109. _in which are to be consider'd its heighth, its breadth at the bottom, the Leafs, Stalks, the Volutes, and the Roses_, 109. _Of the Ornaments_, 110.

Art. 9. _Of the Compound Order_, 110.

_The Compound is not described by_ Vitruvius, _it being a general Design, and borrows the parts of the Capital (which is the only distinction it has) from the_ Corinthian, Ionick, _and_ Dorick _Orders_, 111.

THE SECOND PART,

Containing the Architecture that was particular to the Ancients.

_Chap. I._ Of publick Buildings.

Art. 1. _Of Fortresses_, 113.

_In Fortification four things are consider'd; the disposition of the Ramparts; the Figure of the whole place_, 114. _the building of the Walls; thickness, materials, and terrass; the figure and disposition of the Towers_, 115, 116.

Art. 2. _Of Temples_, 116.

_Temples divided in the_ Greek _and_ Tuscan _Fashion; of the_ Greek _some were round, and some square; in the square Temples of the Greeks three things are to be considered; 1. the_ Parts, _which are five, the Porch, the Posticum_, 117. _the Middle, the Portico, and the Gates, which were of three sorts_, viz. Dorick, 118. Jonick, 120. _and_ Attick, 120. _2. The_ Proportion, 121. _and 3. The_ Aspect, _in respect to the Heavens_, 122. _and to its own parts, which were different in Temples with Pillars, and those without Pillars; of Temples with Pillars there are eight sorts_, 122, 123, 124. Round Temples _were of two sorts, Monoptere_, 125. _Periptere_, 126. _Temples of the_ Tuscane Fashion, 126. _The Ancients had fourteen sorts of Temples_, 127.

Art. 3. _Of publick Places, Basilica's, Theatres,
Gates, Baths, and Academies_, 127.

_The Fabricks for publick Convenience were of six sorts, I. Market-places of the_ Greeks _of the_ Romans, 128. _their Proportions; II. Basilica's, their Proportions, Columns,_ _Galleries, and Chalcediques_, 128. _III. Theatres composed of three parts; the Steps or Degrees which enclosed the Orchestra_, 125. _the Scene which had three parts, the Pulpit, the Proscenium_, 130. _and the Palascenium_, 131. _And the Walking-places_, 131. _IV. Gates, which were either natural or artificial, built three ways_, 132. _V. Baths, consisting of many Chambers, their Description_, 133, 134. _VI. Academies composed of three parts, the Peristyle_, 134. _the Xystile_, 135. _and the Stadium_, 136.

_Chap. II._ Of Private Buildings.

Art. 1. _Of the Courts of Houses_, 137.

_The Courts of Houses were of five sorts, four whereof were made with jettings out, or Pent-houses of four sorts. the_ Tuscan, 137. _the_ Corinthian, _the Tetrastyle, the Vaulted_, 138. _the fifth sort uncoverted_, 138.

Art. 2. _Of the Vestibulum or Entry_, 139.

_The proportion of the Vestibulum was taken three ways, for the length, breadth, and heighth_, 139. _Of the Alley in the middle_, 140.

Art. 3. _Of Halls_, 140.

_Three sorts of Halls, the_ Corinthian, _the_ AEgyptian, _and the_ Cyzican, 141.

Art. 4. _Of the Distribution of the Apartments among
the Ancients_, 142.

_The Distribution of the Apartments different among the_ Greeks _and_ Romans; _what the Difference was_, 141.

_Chap. III._ Of things that equally appertain to Publick
and Private Buildings.

Art. 1. _Of Aqueducts_, 143.

_The manner the Ancients used to take the Level exactly_, 143 _The Water was brought by Aqueducts, or by Pipes of Lead, or Potters Work_, 144.

Art. 2. _Of Wells and Cisterns_, 145.

_The Precautions the Ancients used in digging their Wells, to discover bad Water, and in making their Cisterns_, 145.

Art. 3. _Of Machines for carrying and lifting up great
Stones and Burthens_, 146.

_Machines for drawing Pillars_, 147. _Architraves_, 147. _for raising great Weights, three sorts; first, with a Handmill; second, with a Windlas_, 147. _third, with several Ropes, to be drawn by Mens Hands_, 148.

Art. 4. _Of Machines for elevating Waters_, 149.

_Five sorts; I. The Tympan_, 149. _II. A Wheel with Boxes. III. A Chain with Buckets. IV. The Vice of Archimedes. V. The Pomp of_ Cresibius, 151.

Art. 5. _Of Water-mills for grinding Corn_, 152.

_The Water-mills of the Ancients were like ours._

Art. 6. _Of other Hydraulick Machines_, 153.

_Three sorts of Water-Machines; first, for shewing the hour_, 153. _Second, Organs_, 154. _Third, for measuring the Way by Water_, 154. _by Land_, 155.

Art. 7. _Of Machines of War_, 155.

_Three kinds; I. To dart Arrows, &c._ 155. _II. To batter down Walls_, 157. _III. To cover them in their Approaches to the Walls of the Besieged_, 158.

AN
ABRIDGMENT
OF THE
TEN BOOKS
OF THE
ARCHITECTURE
OF
VITRUVIUS.

THE INTRODUCTION.

ARTICLE I.

_Of the great Merits of_ Vitruvius, _and the Excellencies
of his Works_.

There are so many things in the Works of _Vitruvius_ that do not directly appertain to Architecture, that one would think they were less fitted to Instruct those that have a design to learn the Precepts of this Art, than to perswade the World that the Author was the most knowing Architect that ever was, and a Person of the greatest Merit: He had the Honour to serve _Julius Caesar_ and _Augustus_, the two Greatest and most Magnificent Princes of the World, in an Age when all things were come to the highest degree of Perfection.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 6. Preface._]

For one may see in reading his Works, which are full of a wonderful variety of Matters, which he treats of with a singular Erudition, that this great Man had acquired that Profound Knowledge which is necessary for his Profession by more excellent Methods, and more capable of producing something excellent, than the bare exercise and ordinary practice of a Mechanical Art could possibly do; being compleat in all the Liberal Arts and Sciences, and his great Wit being accustomed, even from his Cradle, to understand the most difficult Matters: He had acquired a certain Facility which meer Artizans have not, of penetrating the deepest Secrets, and all the difficulties of so vast an Art, as that of Architecture.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 2. Pref._]

[Sidenote: _Lib. 6. Pref._]

Now as it's true that in the Practice and Exercise of Arts, one does not always easily distinguish the Abilities of those that work in them. The great Capacity of _Vitruvius_ before the publishing of his Book, which he Composed when he was in Years, had not all the Esteem it deserved; which he complains of in his Preface, and in the Age he lived; though it was full of the most refined Wits, yet he had the fortune of others, to find few to defend him from the Surprizes and Attacks of false Reasoning, and from the injustice that prejudice creates, to those who apply themselves more to cultivate the Talents they possess, than to make parade of them.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 2. Pref._]

[Sidenote: _Lib. 6. Pref._]

[Sidenote: _Lib. 3. pref_.]

[Sidenote: _Lib. 3. Pref_.]

[Sidenote: _Lib. 6. Pref_.]

_Vitruvius_ was a Man, who, as to the exteriour, made a small Figure, and who had not heaped up great Riches by the practice of his Profession; and having, as it were, buried himself in study, and wholly given himself over to the Contemplation of Sciences, understood little of the Arts of the Court, or the Crafty Slights of pushing on his Fortune and making himself considerable; for though he was bestowed upon, and recommended to _Augustus_, by the Princess _Octavia_ his Sister, we cannot find that he was employed in any Works of great Importance. The Noblest Edifice that we can learn that _Augustus_ caused to be built, was, the Theatre of _Marcellus_; and this was done by another Architect: And the only Fabrick we can find he was employed in was not at _Rome_, but at _Fano_, a very little City; insomuch, that the greatest part of the Architects of that Age, who had gained the general Vogue, being so ignorant, that they did not know even (as himself is forced to declare) the first Principles of their Art: The Quality of a mere Architect was become so Contemptible, that if his Books had not carried all the Marks of an extraordinary Knowledge, and rare abilities, and undeceived the World by taking away the prejudice that his small employ created him, the Precepts he has left us would have wanted that Authority that was necessary to support them.

For Architecture being an Art that has scarce any other Rule to walk by, in performing all those Excellencies her Works are capable of, than what we call a Good Fancy, which truly distinguishes that which is Beautiful and Good from that which is not so; it's absolutely necessary that one be perswaded that the Fancy he follows is better than any other; to the end, that this Perswasion insinuating it self into them that study this Art, it may form in them a Correct and Regular Idea, which without this Perswasion, would be always floating and uncertain; so that to establish this Good Fancy, it's necessary to have one to whom we give great deference, and who has merited great Credit by the Learning that is found in his Writings; and is believed to have had sufficient abilities of chusing well among all Antiquity, that which is most solid and capable of founding the Precepts of Architecture.

The Veneration we have for the first Inventers of Arts, is not only Natural, but it's founded upon Reason; which makes us judge, that he that had the first Thought, and first invented any Thing, must needs have had a fitter Genius, and a better Capacity for it, than all those that afterwards laboured to bring it to its utmost Perfection. The _Greeks_, who were the Inventers of Architecture, as well as of other Sciences, having left many Works behind them as well in Building as in Books, which were looked upon in the time of _Vitruvius_, as the Models of what was perfect and accomplished in this Art, _Vitruvius_ chiefly followed and imitated them; and in the Composition of his Book, gathered from them all that was to be found Excellent and Rare in all their Works; which makes us believe, that he has omitted nothing that was necessary, to form the General Idea of Good and Beautiful, since there is not the least probability that any thing could escape so Rare a Wit, Illuminated with so many different Lights.

But because at present the Reputation of _Vitruvius_ is so generally established, that all Ages have placed him in the first Rank of great Wits, and that there is nothing necessary to recommend the Precepts of Architecture, but to prove they were drawn out of his Works: We having here designed to make only an Abridgment of his Works, we thought it would be necessary to cut off many things that this Famous Author has drawn out of an infinity of Writers, whose Works are now lost, and only gives a short Account of the Contents of every Book, in the beginning of this Abridgment; handling only in this Book, those Things that directly belong to Architecture; disposing the Matter in a different Method from that of _Vitruvius_, who often leaves off the Matter he is treating of, and takes it up again in another place.

The Order we have proposed to our selves in this Abstract, is, That after having given an Account in few words of what is contained in the whole Book; we Explain more particularly what we judge may be serviceable to those that study Architecture. This Treatise is divided into Two Parts; The First contains the Maxims and Precepts that may be accommodated to _Modern_ Architecture; the Second contains all that appertains to the _Ancient_ and _Antique_ Architectures; which, though often affected, have little that's now made use of, may yet nevertheless serve to form the Judgment, and regulate the Fancy, and serve for Examples of things that may be useful.

I make a Distinction between the _Ancient_ Architecture, and the _Antique_ Architecture, and the _Modern_; for we call that Architecture _Ancient_ of which _Vitruvius_ has writ, and of which we may as yet see many Examples in the Fabricks that remain in _Greece_. The Architecture which we call _Antique_, is that which may be found in the Famous Edifices, which, since the Time of _Vitruvius_, were built at _Rome_, _Constantinople_, and many other places. The _Modern_, is that which being more accommodated to the present use, or for other Reasons, has changed some of the Dispositions and Proportions which were observed by the _Ancient_ and _Antique_ Architects.

ART. II.

_The Method of the Works of_ Vitruvius, _with short
Arguments of every Book._

[Sidenote: _Lib. 1. Chap. 3._]

All his Works are divided into Three Parts: The First Treats of Building; The Second is Gnomonical, and treats at large of Astronomical and Geometrical Affairs. The Third gives Rules and Examples for making Machines or Engines serviceable, either in War or Building. The First Part is treated of in the Eight first Books: The Second in the Ninth: The Third in the Last.

The First Part which relates to Building is twofold, for they are either publick or private. He speaks of private Buildings in the Sixth Book; and as to that which relates to publick Buildings, it's likewise divided into Three Parts, _viz._ That which has Relation to Security, which consists in Fortifications, described in the Third Chapter of the First Book; That which appertains to Religion, of which he treats in the Third and Fourth Books, and that which relates to publick Conveniencies, as _Town-Houses_, _Theatres_, _Baths_, _Academies_, _Market-places_, _Gates_; of which he treats in the Fifth Book.

The Gnomonical part is treated of in the Ninth Book.

The Third Part which treats of Machines, is treated of in the Tenth and Last Book.

Besides these particular Matters of Architecture, there are Three things that appertain to all sort of Edifices, which are, Solidity, Convenience, and Beauty. He speaks of Solidity in the Eleventh Chapter of the Sixth Book; of Convenience, in the Seventh Chapter of the same Book; and of Beauty through the whole Chapter of the Seventh Book; which contains all the Ornaments that Painting and Sculpture are capable of giving to all sorts of Fabricks; and as to Proportion, which ought to be esteemed one of the principal Foundations of Beauty, it's treated of throughout all his Works.

But to make it better understood, in what Method every Book explains those things, we must tell you, That in the First Book, after having treated of those things that belong to Architecture in General, by the Enumeration of the Parts that compose it, and of those that are required in an Architect, the Author explains in particular what choice ought to be made of the Seat where we ought to Build, as to Health and Convenience; after he speaks of the Foundations and of the Building of Fortifications, and the Form of Towers and Walls of Cities, he dilates himself upon the Air and Healthiness of the Situation.

In the Second Book, he speaks of the Original of Architecture, and what were the first Habitations of Mankind; after he treats of the Materials, _viz._ of Brick, Sand, Lime, Stones, and Timber: After which he treats of the different Methods of laying, binding, and Masonry of Stones. He Philosophizes upon their Principles, and upon the Nature of Lime, upon the choice of Sand, and the time of cutting of Wood.

The Third Book treats of the Proportion of the Temples, and of seven sorts of them which are those called _Antes_, _Prostyle_, _Amphiprostyle_, _Periptere_, _Pseudiptere_, _Diptere_ and _Hypaethre_. After he speaks of the Different spaces that ought to be betwxit every Pillar, to which he gives the Five Names following, (which in the latter Part of this Book shall be more fully explained, as well as divers Terms of Art) _viz._ _Pycnostyle_, _Systyle_, _Diastyle_, _Araeostyle_ and _Eustyle_. After that, he gives in particular the Proportions of the _Ionick_ Order, and demonstrates that it has a Proportion with Humane Bodies.

The Fourth gives the Proportion of the _Corinthian_ and _Dorick_ Orders for Temples, with the Proportions of all the Parts that compose them.

The Fifth treats of Publick Fabricks, _viz._ of _Market-places_, _Theatres_, _Palaces_, _Baths_, _Schools_ for Sciences, and _Academies_ for Exercises, and in Conclusion, of _Sea-Ports_; and after occasionally discourses at large upon Musick, because, speaking of Theatres, he gives an account how the Ancient Architects, were in some places of the Theatre wont to place Vessels of Brass to serve for several sorts of tunable Echo's, and augmenting the Voice of the Comedians.

In the Sixth he teaches what were the Proportions and Forms of private Houses among the Greeks and Romans, as well in the City as Country; and describes all the parts of the House, _viz._ the Courts, Porches, Halls, Dining Rooms, Chambers, Cabinets and Libraries.

In the Seventh he treats of the manner of making use of Mortar for Plaster and Floors; how Lime and the Powder of Marble ought to be prepared to make Stuck. He speaks likewise of the Ornaments that are common to all sorts of Buildings, as Painting; and all sorts of Colours, as well Natural as Artificial, that the Ancients made use of.

In the Eighth he speaks of Waters, and Rivers, and Fountains; _viz._ of their Springs, of their Nature, and Properties; how they are to be sought; and of the Conduits that are to bring them to Cities and Villages.

The Ninth is wholly Gnomonical, and teaches the manner of making Sun-Dials, and gives an account of the Rules of Geometry, how to measure solid Bodies. He discourses at large of the Course of the Stars, and the particular Description of those that are called Fixed Stars.

The Last is taken up wholly in the Description of making Machines to lift up great Weights, and others for several uses; _viz._ for the Elevation of Water for Corn-Mills, Water-Organs and Measuring the Way as well by Sea as by Land; but it chiefly treats of Machines fit for the use of Building and War.

AN
ABRIDGMENT
OF THE
TEN BOOKS
OF
ARCHITECTURE
Written by VITRUVIUS.