ARCHITECTURE. 443 



CHAPTER III. 



ARCHITECTURE. 



ARCHITECTURE, in a general sense, denotes the whole art of build- 

 ing ; but the term is now usually restricted to what was formerly 

 called Civil Architecture; or the building of dwellings and other 

 edifices for civil purposes, with all their subordinate arrangements. 

 The name is derived from the Greek, ap^oj, chief; and textuv, build- 

 er ; or from awttxtovm, the term by which this art was known 

 among the Greeks. The building of ships, is sometimes called 

 Naval Architecture ; and that of fortifications, Military Architecture : 

 but these subjects are now generally regarded as distinct branches, 

 and seldom called by these relative names. Architecture is occasion- 

 ally spoken of, in reference to its ornamental parts, as one of the 

 Fine Arts : but though it involves ornamental forms, and principles 

 of taste, it is still, in the main, an art of construction, ranking even 

 higher in utility, than in beauty and sublimity. The practice of this 

 art, presupposes a knowledge of Geometry, of Mechanics, and of 

 Hylurgy ; and requires a sound judgment, correct taste, and practi- 

 cal skill and experience, for its successful prosecution. 



As Architecture is one of the most useful, so is it one of the most 

 ancient, among the arts. The earliest habitations of mankind were 

 probably caverns, tents, rude cabins, and bowers of trees. From 

 these, may have originated the four principal styles of Architecture, 

 which have prevailed in the world; the Egyptian, or Hindoo; the 

 Chinese, or Tartar ; the Classic ; and the Gothic. The Egyptian 

 and Hindoo styles, appear to be the most ancient ; but their origin is 

 lost in remote antiquity. They have since given way to the lighter 

 style of the Arabs, and Tartars ; introduced, by conquest, into Hin- 

 doostan and China. The use of unburnt bricks, may doubtless be 

 traced back to the building of Babel and Babylon ; and the invention 

 of tents, for dwellings, is ascribed in the Mosaic Scriptures to Jabal, 

 the son of Lamech, long before the Deluge. 



The Grecian style of building, appears to have originated with the 

 Doric order; the oldest specimen of which was the temple of Juno 

 at Argos, built about 1400 B. C., under the reign of Dorus. The 

 Ionic order, was invented by the Ionian colonies in Asia Minor, 

 about 1000 B. C. : and the Corinthian order, is said to have been 

 first employed by Scopas, about 430 B. C. ; the story that its capital 

 was invented by Callimachus the sculptor, being doubtless fabulous. 

 After Greece was subjugated by Rome, the Grecian orders were 

 modified by the Romans; who added two other orders, of minor 

 note ; the Tuscan, and the Composite. This style has been some- 

 what further modified by the modern Italians ; but its best specimens 

 are those modelled aftef the ancient Greek. The Gothic style, origin- 

 ated as early as A. D. 1093, when pointed arches were introduced in 

 Winchester cathedral, in England; or 1137, when they were used 



