BRIDGE. 



elm fly towards n li.U'T.s rtructnrcs that power and 

 influei One singular instance oc- 



curs of enthusiasm being directed to the useful pur- 

 poses of impro\iii!;- the pa :-.:i-vs over river-!. Gauticr, 

 authority of Magna Agricola of Aix, says, 

 lh.it upon the decline of tho second, and commence- 

 ment of tin; tliiid race of kings, the state full into 

 an;u there was no security for travel- 



lers, particularly \\\ \:>.c.:'.ug livers, where violent ex- 

 actions were made by banditti. To put a stop to 

 lluse disorders, sundry persons formed themselves 

 into fraternities, which became a religious order, under 

 the title of Brotlu-rsof the Bridge. The object of this 

 institution was to build bridges, establish ferry boats, 

 and receive travellers in their hospitals on the shores 

 ,f rivers. The first establishment, was upon the Du- 

 r.u:ce, at a dangerous place named Maupas; but in 

 , quvi.ce of the accommodation arising Iroiu this 

 i>lLhment, the same place acquired the name of 

 Bcnpas. He relates further, that St Bcnexet, who 

 proposed and directed the building of the bridge of 

 _;non, was a shepherd, and that he was not twelve 

 years of age when repeated revelations from heaven 

 commanded him to quit his flock and undertake this 

 er.terprize ; that he arrived at Avignon just at the 

 time the bishop was preaching to fortify the minds 

 of the people against an eclipse of the sun, which was 

 to happen the same day. Benezet raised his voice in 

 the church, and said he was come to build a bridge. 

 His proposition was accepted by the people with ap- 

 plause; but rejected with contempt by the magis- 

 trates, and by these who thought themselves wisest. 

 As it was at that time an act of piety to build 

 bridges, and Avignon being then a popular republic, 

 the people prevailed, and every one contributed to the 

 good work, some by money, and some by labour, all 

 under the direction of Benezet, aided by the brothers. 

 And he, by performing a great number of miracles, 

 animated the zeal of eve: y body. Upon the third pier 

 was erected a chapel to St Nicholas, protector of those 

 who navigate rivers. This was done after the death of 

 Benezet, which happened in 1184. His tomb became 

 celebrated for pilgrimages, where many miracks were 

 performed. He had taken care to establish a con- 

 ventual house, and a hospital, leaving the brothers to 

 continue the work of the bridge. 



This bridge, which was composed of 18 arches, was 

 begun in 1 176, and completed in 1 183. In 1385, du- 

 ring the contentions of the Popes, some of its arches 

 were destroyed ; three others fell in 1602, from the 

 neglect of repairing a fallen arcii. In 1670, the frost 

 was so great, that the Rhone for several weeks bore the 

 );ca\iest carriages : when the thaw followed, the ice 

 t roved the piers ; but the third pier, with the cha- 

 pel oi St Nicholas, has stood notwithstanding all 

 these accidents. 



Our admirable bridge saint, not the least useful 

 of that once numerous class of enthusiasts, in accom- 

 plishing, under such circumstances, so difficult, valu- 

 able, and magnificent a work as the bridge of Avig- 

 non, has perhaps quite as just a claim to the power 

 of performing miracles as most -of the saints of his 

 day ; and it is not improbable, that from the influ- 

 ence of his tcmb, and that of his mantle upon the sur- 

 viving brethren, that the still greater bridges of Ly- 



, and St E.-prit of 19, \vc\-? I 

 ,11 of those bri<! 



(!. 

 giv,n in Plate LXXXIII. 



Per. , that in 1 :.>4an arch of 15') French 



and 111 II.'. I, OM uF 17-' Fixm-li I 

 lish span, and 66 French feet, or 70.6 English of 

 from the springing, at Viellc-Brioude upon the river 

 Allier in France. The last mentioned is the great- 

 est span we know of for a stone arch. 



In Italy there are many fine bridges. The pecu- Briclgn i 

 liar situation of Venice has required a number far be- Iulv> 

 yond what is to be found in any other city. The fi- 

 nest is the Rialxi of <)S{- feet span, and 23 feet rise. 

 It was designed by the celebrated Michael Angtlo, 

 and erected between 1 .V-iS and 1591. Gautier stat 

 that the numbers jn the different quarters of the city 

 arc as follows, viz. 



In the quarter of St Paul . . . 



La Croix . . 



Canal Regio . 



Arsenal . . . 



laledu Juift . 



37 

 35 

 71 

 72 

 9 

 Derso Duro . 67 



St Marc . 



44 



339 



In France, during the two last centuries, many 

 fine bridges have been erected. The Pont Royal P ranc - 

 over the Seine at Paris, in 1685, from a design of 

 Mansard. It consists of five arches. The centre one 

 77 French, or 82.3 English feet span ; the breadth, 

 including parapets, 56 French, or 59.9 English feet. 

 The bridge at Blois, built from a design of the Sieur 

 Gabriel, consists of 1 1 arches ; the centre one 86 

 French, or 91.10 English feet span ; the breadth over 

 the parapets, 50 French, or 53.5 English feet. 



Perronet gives plans and descriptions of sundry 

 large bridges in France, constructed between the 

 years 1750 and 1772. 



The first in point of time ar.d magnitude is the BnY 

 new bridge upon the Loire, at Orleans. The an- Oil 

 cient bridge, which consisted of If) arches, was in so 

 bad a state, that it was found necessary to construct 

 a new one ; for which a design, made by M. Hupeau, 

 then first engineer of bridges, was preferred ; and by 

 that time such was the progress made in bridge 

 building, that, instead of 1!) arches, as in the old edi- 

 fice, this new design consisted of o:ily nine. The 

 middle arch is 100 French, or 106.9. English feet 

 span, and the rise or versed sine 28 French, or 29.1 1 

 English feet. The arches next the abutments are 92 

 French, or 98.3 English feet span, and rise 25 French, 

 or 26.8 English feet : the others are in proportion. 

 The breadth, including the parapets, 46 French, or 

 49.2 English feet. It was begun in 1750, and open- 

 ed to the public in 171)0. Nothing can exceed the 

 simplicity and elegance of this bridge, as will appear 

 by the elevation, one half of which is given in Plate P'-*Tr 

 LXXXIV. i.xxxiv. 



Of the same beautiful simplicity of character is the jj r ;,j w at 

 design of the bridge upon the river Seine, at Mantes. MJIIU-J. 

 It consists of three arches : the middle arch is 120 

 feet French, or 12^.2 English iVct span, and rise ;?6 

 French or 38.5 English feet ; the two side arches 

 6 





