.v,; 'IVIL ARCHITECTURE. 



, harjoir r, *od -t the ume time construct an appropriate 







CREEK, ROM AX, AND MODE** ARCIIITECTL-RE. 



Hiving, we presume, made the attentive reader suf- 

 . ited with Egyptian, Indian, Penian, and 

 aure, we shall proceed to define another 

 mode, more generally k;x>wn mid practied by Euro- 

 peans: this nictly speaking, oii^ht to be denominated 

 Greek architecture ; but although all the principal fea- 

 ture* and modes of application are Greek, yet as the 

 Romans alto practiced this school of the an very exten- 

 \ . and likti*e introduced new features and modes 

 of application, they have deservedly acquired a share in 

 the 



In treating this part of the subject fully and ex- 

 plicitly, we find that, on account of the modes practised 

 by the ancients, having, with some slight shades of dif- 

 ce, been also adopted bv the modems, it is imprac- 

 ticable to keep them perfectly distinct ; but we shall en- 

 deavour, in every section, first to point out the ancient 

 practice, and add what has been introduced by the mo- 

 derns in the course of the progress of the arts and 

 sciences, and the total change of habits in society. 



Of Material*. 



It is chiefly from the valuable work of Vitruvius, that 

 we are furnished with information respecting the nature 

 of the materials used by the Greeks and Romans, and of 

 thf particular modes in which they were disposed in their 

 buildings. From the accounts published by modern tra- 

 : s and scientific artists, we are also furnished with 

 further information respecting the practice of these 

 people. 



1 he materials chiefly made use of by them were tim- 

 ber, marble, stone, bricks, lime, and metals. 



With regard to limber, the proper time for felling 

 was reckoned from the beginning of autumn to the lat- 

 ter er.d of February, when the moon was in the wane. 

 They considered wood when quite green, or too much 

 dried, as equally unfit for working. Fi r joists, doors, 

 windows, they required that it should have been cut 

 three yean, and kept for a considerable time covered 

 with cow-dung. 



M.rblti. The Greeks most usually made use of white marbles, 

 as Pentilic, Parian, and that of Chios. The latter was 

 very transparent. 



The Romans employed many sorts, of various colours, 

 and procured from many different countries, which were 

 subjected to them in Asia, Africa, and Europe. 



The ancients frequently included under the term 

 marble, all hard stones which would receive a smooth 

 fine polish ; the moderns confine the name marble to 

 such calcareous stones a* are capable of receiving a fine 

 polish. 



AUfeurr. This substance resembled marble in taking a smooth 

 fine polish, but it is much softer and more easily worked. 

 Gypseous alabaster, when polished, is slippery to the 

 touch ; it frequently contained as much carbon -ite ;>f lime 

 at to cause it to enervisce with acids; it was procured 

 from Upper Egypt between the Nile and Red Si a, also 

 from Sym and Carmania. The calcareous alabaster is 

 white, y?lluw, red, and bluish grey ; the fracture is stria- 

 led or fibrous, in hardness inferior to marble; it is known 

 under the denomination of common and oriental; Italy 

 and Spain produce the best. 



^ ;-*. f ^Thc stone which was employed appeart to have dif- 

 fered very materially in its qualities; some becoming con- 

 lidmbly surdcr in being exposed to the air, wa work- 



T.mbr. 



cd immediately on being taken out of tiic qaar.-y; L.ut iv 

 there was some of a softer kind, which, previous to be- > ,- 

 ing used, required to have its quality proved by ;*.. 

 years exposure to the effects of the atmosphere. 



Of tilts, they had, 1. The unburnt kind, which were Tile*, 

 driid live years in the sun; and, 2. Those baked by fire, 

 after having been made two years, they preferred a white 

 chalky earth dug in the autumn, exposed during the 

 winter, and made into bricks in the spring. The Greeks 

 proportioned the size of the bricks to the nature of the 

 editice : the largest for public buildings, were five spans 

 each way ; those of the middle class were four spans ; 

 and the smallest, called by Vitruviut, Diudori, or by Pliny, 

 Lydii, Vere two spans long and a foot broad ; thcsi L.. 

 were for private houses. 



It appears that those dried in the sun were mixed . 

 chopped straw. Dr Pocock describes one of the pyra- 

 mids constructed of brick: he measured some 13$ inches 

 long, 6$ inches broad, and 4 inches thick; also others, 

 which were 15 inches long, 7 inches broad, and I 4 : inch.-i 

 thick. At Rome they were found by De Quincey of 

 three different sizes ; the least were 7 4 inches square, and 

 l inch thick; the middle-sized were 16^ inches square, 

 and 18 to 20 lines in thickne-s; and the largest were 

 22 inches square, and 21 to 22 lines in thickness. 



Three kinds of sand are mentioned, that is, pit, river, .- 

 and sea sand ; of these, pit sand was reckoned the best ; 

 the white was preferred to the black or red-coloured, 

 and the carbuncle to all; of the river sand, that was con- 

 sidered lest winch was found near toi rents ; the least 

 value was put upon sea sand, and it was required to be 

 well washed, to dissolve the saline matter before used in 

 plastering or rough casting walls. 



Lime for plastering walls was made from shells, river- Lime, 

 pebbles, or a sort of pumice stone; the be^t sirl of lime 

 was accounted that made from white stone, which was 

 dense and hard, and lost one-third of its weight in burn- 

 ing in a kiln, where it was kept about sixty Lours. 

 Tneir mortar was composed of one part lime and three 

 of pit or two of rivtr sand. 



Mflah were used, 1. Iron for chains, hinges, handles, Met as 

 and nails. 2. Lead for roofs, pipes. 3. Copper and 

 brass were still more used for many of these purposes, 

 or, 4. Copper, brass, and lead, mixed into a bron/e for 

 statues, bases, and capitals of columns, and in doors. 



Amongtt the moderns, change of climate, natural ji j, rn .. 

 productions, and the habits of mankind, have from time 

 to time led to considerable changes in the kinds of ma- 

 terials used for the various purposes of architecture, also 

 in the modes of preparation, and application of them. 



With regard to timber. Oak, for the greatest strength Timlv. 

 and durability, should be chosen from those soils where it G, llrrl | , 

 has taken the longest time in arriving at maturity, and niaik-. 

 of two pieces equally dry, that should be chosen which 

 has the greatest specific gravity, and that which will 

 have its specific gravity least changed by being eoaked 

 in water : this observation will indeed apply to timber in 

 general. A decay of the top is almost A certain indica- 

 tion of a decay of the tree ; and a decayed branch or 

 rotten stump bespeaks a defect in that part of tlu- tree 

 where it is situated. In a similar soil, trees which grow 

 near the outside of a forest will be more durable than 

 those near the middle of it ; and in the same tree, the 

 tide which grew towards the north will be stronger than 

 the south side. 



When perfection of strength and texture is alone con- 

 sulted, all sorts of timber are cut down in the winter, be- 

 ing at that time freest of sap, and most readily seasoned, 

 and rendered fit for the purposes of building ; but ou 



2 



