CIVIL ARCHITECTURE. 



631 



Prac-ics. thrrt ter-r.ir.3t.ions of the sarr.e kind were adopted in 

 ^-i""-"' other G-ecian edifices. Balustrades are represented in 

 the works of the earliest Italian writers, who might 

 have seen them in the ruins of Roman structures ; but 

 none have been discovered in modern tiTies. When a 

 balustrade finishes a building where an order is employ- 

 ed, its height should be proportioned to that of the 

 order it accompanies, and must be raised on a socle or 

 plinth, so that its parts may be completely seen at a pro- 

 per distance. When intended for service, it should be 

 of equal height to a parapet in a similar situation, that 

 is to say, not less than three, and not more than four 

 feet six inches. In shape, the baluster consists of a square 

 plinth, base mouldings, an ogee-shaped contour of body 

 or middle part, an astragal and cup, consisting of a mould- 

 ing under a square abacus. The plinth of the base, the 

 swell of the body, and abacus of the capital, are general- 

 ly in the same vertical straight line. The distance be- 

 tween the balusters should not exceed half the breadth 

 of the plinth, nor be less than one-third. On stairs and 

 inclined planes, the same proportions are to be obser- 

 ved as on horizontal surfaces. Formerly the mouldings 

 were made to follow the inclination ot the plane j but 

 this is unpleasant to the eye, and is difficult in the ex- 

 ecution ; indeed, in situations of this kind, the use of 

 balusters have been generally superseded by ornamental 

 cast-iron work. The breadth of the balusters over an 

 order, must be regulated by the heads of the shaft of 

 the column, to which the die of the plinth, the bulk of 

 the body, and the abacus, must be equal. When there 

 is no order, the breadth of the die of the pedestal is ne- 

 ver more than its height, and frequently le&s. The die 

 of the pedestal is frequently flanked by half dies, particu- 

 larly when the range is long. 



Boon. Doons, (sec Plate CLXXXVIII.) in exterior walls, 



form apertures to gain an entrance into the buildings, 

 lUxxvm. or in interior walli for passing into apartments, or 

 from one apartment into another. The former are 

 again distinguished by the terms door and gate ; a door 

 is for the admission of men, a gate for hon.es and car- 

 riages ; and as well as to houses, are inlets to cities, 

 fortresses, parka, gardens, &c. Doors being of small 

 dimensions, are commonly parallelograms, either arched 

 or covered horizontally with lintels ; gates being wider, 

 are, unless they consist of piers only, always covered 

 with arches. The general proportions for the apertures 

 of both gates and doors, ie, that the height be about 

 double the breadth. 



For doors, the minimum apertures are regulated that 

 a man may pass easily through them ; they are, there- 

 fore, seldom less than three feet wide, and six feet six 

 inches high ; but they are often varied in their dimen- 

 sions, according to the height of the story and magni- 

 tude of the edifice. In private houses, four feet may 

 be their greatest width ; in churches, &c. they are fre- 

 quently six feet in width. In gates, 8 or 9 feet is 

 the least admissible breadth ; they are frequently from 

 10 to 12 feet. 



Vitruvius, in his fourth book, has laid down rules 

 for Doric, Ionic, and Attic doors, all of which have 

 their apertures narrower at the top than the bottom ; in 

 these, the doors, when opened, shut of themselves ; and 

 also in opening, rise so as to clear a carpet, &c. These 

 have a'sj been partially introduced by modern architects, 

 thougli this advantage is more generally obtained by 

 thcr means. 



It is a good proportion in small doors, to have 

 their dimensions in the ratio of three to setcn ; and in 

 large doors, of one to two. Inside doors must be re- 

 2 



gulated by the height of the apartment to which they 

 belong ; there is, however, a limit in this respect, be- 

 cause the difficulty of opening and shutting is increased 

 by its weight; and therefore single doors of private 

 houses should not exceed three feet six inches in breadth. 

 The lintels of doors should be on the same level with 

 those of windows. But in magnificent houses, where 

 all the doors are frequently thrown open, they may be 

 from six to eight feet, made in two leaves or divisions : 

 here the proportion will be less in height when compared 

 to the breadth. The apertures of exterior doors, placed 

 in blank arcades, have their lintels usually on a level with 

 the imposts or springing of the arch. 



The principal entrance door ought to be in the middle 

 of the length of the building ; it divides the mass of 

 front into more uniform portions ; and the hall, vesti- 

 bule, &c. are thereby placed in the centre of the apart- 

 ments, to which they will have more convenient access, 

 than if placed in any other situation. The doors which 

 communicate between principal apartments, should be 

 placed sufficiently distant from the side walls, to admit 

 of furniture being placed there conveniently ; for pre- 

 serving an uniform temperature in apartments, there 

 should be double doors, that is, two in the thickness of 

 the partition wall. 



For decorations to doorways, it is usual to have an 

 architrave up each side, and along the top ; and upon 

 this is sometimes placed a frieze and cornice ; the ends 

 of the cornice are occasionally supported with trusses or 

 consols, which stand upon the top of a pilaster. When 

 the pilasters have bases and capitals, the projections are 

 always kept within that of the architrave ; the architrave 

 over the capitals of the pilasters is similar to that of the 

 door. Columns of some of the regular orders are some- 

 times introduced, supporting a regular entablature and 

 pediments ; but these, though proper enough for exte- 

 rior, can scarcely be reckoned suitable for those that 

 are between interior apartments. Outside doors are also 

 frequently ornamented by rustic work ; but rustics being 

 imitations of the unfinished work of the ancients, ap- 

 pear improper when applied as ornamental. Doorways 

 are also, in these northern climates, made in close porches, 

 constructed in the shape of a part of a small Greek or 

 Roman temple. When they are of a rectangular form, 

 they admit of a doorway, with sufficient regularity and 

 conveniency ; but when circular, there is some trouble 

 attending them ; because, unless the door is also circu- 

 lar, it cuts off a segment, which creates a;', awkward 

 appearance ; and, upon the whole, we will venture to 

 affirm, that although doorways are highly susceptible 

 of decoration, yet the it/genious architect may con- 

 trive some much more suitable than any of the Greek 

 orders ; which being here so diminutive, are totally di- 

 vested of that dignity which ij necessary to produce a 

 striking effect. 



The door itself is cither framed, battened, or ledgcd., 

 and the materials are wood or metal. Formerly, in Eng- 

 land, the doors were made of oak ; in most ho uses they 

 are now made of deal, and in some cases of mahogany ; 

 for strong closets for books, writings, money, jewels, 

 plate, &c. the doors are made of catt iron. The an. 

 cients frequently constructed the doors of their temples 

 of gold, silver, bronze, ivory, &c. As the particulars 

 respecting the modes of preparing and framing doors be- 

 long to JOINERY, the reader will, under that term, find 

 it defined and illustrated. 



In WINDOWS, (see Plates CLXXXVII. and 

 CLXXXVIII.), the size of the apertures depends chief- 

 ly ou the circumstances of climate, aspect, proportion, and 



Practice. 



Principal 

 door. 



Decora, 

 tioni. 



Door itst!f. 



Windows. 



PlATIS 



CLXXXVII. 



CLXXXVII)- 



