444 ARCHITECHNICS. 



in the abbey church of St. Denis in France. This style afterwards 

 underwent successive modifications ; and it received its name from 

 Inigo Jones, and Sir Christopher Wren ; both of whom gave a pre- 

 ference to the Italian style. 



We proceed to offer some farther details on this subject, under the 

 heads of Elements of Architecture ; Oriental Architecture ; Classic 

 Architecture ; and Gothic Architecture. 



J . The Elements of Architecture, comprise a description of the 

 various parts of buildings, with their construction and their modifica- 

 tions. The foundations of a building, are the lowest parts, usually 

 carried below the earth's surface, to support the principal structure, 

 or superstructure, resting thereon. They should extend to firm 

 ground, below the reach of frost ; or, when the ground is soft, they 

 should be commenced by driving piles, or sharpened timbers, firmly 

 down, for an adequate support. The walls of a building, are the 

 sides which form the enclosure , whether of stone, brick, wood, or 

 other materials. Fireplaces, and chimneys, are usually built in con- 

 nection with the walls ; and doors are provided for entrance, and 

 windows for admitting light. The part immediately over a door or 

 window, supporting the wall above, is called a lintel ; the projections 

 around the top and sides, the architrave ; and the part at the foot is 

 called the sill. Arches, are used either for support, or enclosure, as 

 over doors, between columns, or piers, and for ceilings. 



The roof, is the superior covering of a building ; and, if rounded, 

 it is called a dome. Roofs are eiiherflat, that is level ; or pent, that 

 is with two opposite slopes ; or curb roofs, that is with a double slope 

 on each side ; or hip roofs, having four slopes, extending down to 

 the four walls. The frame of a roof, is composed of trusses ; each 

 including a pair of rafters, and a tie beam. A small dome, is called 

 a cupola. Floors are surfaces for supporting persons and other 

 objects, often dividing the building into upper and lower stories. 

 Stairs, for connecting different stories, are either straight or wind- 

 ing; and their proportions depend on the length of the human step. 

 Partitions, are used for separating rooms ; and galleries, in public 

 buildings, for accommodating a greater number of persons. A piazza, 

 is a colonnaded shelter, along the whole front of a building : but a 

 portico shelters only the door; and a balcony is a projecting floor 

 on the outside of upper windows, not supported from beneath. 



The front of a building, is called the facade ; and the triangular 

 part, at the end of the roof, is called the pediment. An order of 

 Architecture, (Plate X.), usually comprises a colonnade, or row of 

 columns, with their support and entablature. A stylobate, is a colon- 

 naded platform, with steps, extending around a building ; and a pedes- 

 tal, is an elevated block, or mass, supporting one or more columns. 

 A column, is a round pillar, or elongated support ; and a pilaster is 

 a square one. A column usually consists of a base, or enlarged 

 part, at the foot ; a shaft, or central part ; and a capital, or orna- 

 mented part, at the top. The entablature, is the continuous part 

 resting on the columns. It consists usually of an architrave, next 

 above the capitals ; a frieze or central part, separated from the archi- 

 trave by mouldings ; and a cornice, composed of projecting mould- 



