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LXV. Notices respecting New Booh. 



Tracts on Vaults and Bridges. Cotitaining Obseivations on the 

 various Forms of Vaults ; o7i the Taking down and Rebuild- 

 ing London Bridge ; and. on the Principles of Arches : il- 

 lustrated by extensive Tables of Bridges. Also containitig 

 the Principles of Pendent Bridges, ivit/i reference to the Pro- 

 perties of the Catenary applied to the Menai Bridge. And a 

 theoretical Livestigation of the Catenary. By Samuel Ware. 



■f^lT'E have perused ihis book with much pleasure, and are 

 * ^ disposed to speak of it as a work entitled to great praise. 

 To those who are in pursuit of information on the subjects of 

 which it treats, we would particularly recommend it for its 

 scientific excellence, which we think will be sufficiently appa- 

 rent to all who may be led to consult it. 



The first tract is entitled Observations on Vaults, and treats 

 of vaults cylindrical, groined, domical, pyramidal, ribbed, and 

 pendent. It was first published by the Society of Antiquaries 

 ten years since, and is now republished, as the author informs 

 us in his preface, '' by the way of introduction to the subjects 

 treated of in these tracts; and with the impression that the appli- 

 cation of the principles of arches to the varieties of figure which 

 vaults assume, derived from an}' theory, would be much faci- 

 litated and extended by an apt reference to their generic forms, 

 and to the buildings where examples of each kind may be 

 found. The sections of ecclesiastical buildings are given, in 

 order to afford a test of the justness of such theory', with re- 

 ference to practice." 



The second tract is On the Taking down and Rebuilding 

 London Bridge. This tract contains tables of bridges " con- 

 structed with considerable labour, which the author intended 

 for publication at a future opportunity, in the hope of finding 

 time to re-examine them, and correct any mistakes, in thedata 

 or calculations, which he may have made or have been led into. 

 .... He has been induced thus prematurely to publish them, 

 thinking that they may be of use in determining the ratio of the 

 parts of the proposed New London Bridge, and has annexed to 

 them, in consequence of the intended demohtion of that struc- 

 ture, some observations upon the important question of entirely 

 changing the habits of such a river as the Thames, become 

 constitutional to it by long use, and to which the shores have 

 accommodated themselves *." 



* See Reports of the House of Commons, ordered to be printed 25th May 

 1821, and 6th of June 1821. 



The 



