TERMES. 
425 
being separated by small empty chambers and 
galleries, which go round them or communicate 
from one to the other, are continued on all sides 
to the outward shell, and reach up within it two- 
thirds or three-fourths of its height, leaving an 
open area in the middle” under the dome, which 
very much resembles the nave of an old cathe- 
dral : this is surrounded by three or four very 
large Gothic-shaped arches, which are sometimes 
two or three feet high next the front of the area, 
but diminish very rapidly as they recede from 
thence like the arches of aisles in perspectives, 
and are soon lost among the innumerable cham- 
bers and nurseries behind them. 
“ All these chambers, and the passages leading 
to and from them, being arched, they help to 
support one another; and while the interior large 
arches prevent them falling into the center, and 
keep the area open, the exterior building supports 
them on the outside. 
“ There are, comparatively speaking, few open- 
ings into the great area, and they for the most 
part seem intended only to admit that genial 
warmth into the nurseries which the dome collects. 
“ The interior building or assemblage of nurse- 
ries, chambers, k.c. has a tlattish top or roof 
without any perforation, which would keep the 
apartments below dry, in case through accident 
the dome should receive any injury and let in 
water; and it is never exactly flat and uniform, 
because they are always adding to it by building 
more chambers and nurseries: so that the divi- 
