216 Architecture in the United States. 



some to be copied from the curling of hair, or of the bark of trees, 

 or of the leaves of tender plants ; but it is more probably only an im- 

 provement on capitals to be seen among the ruins of Persepolis, in 

 which a strong resemblance of parts may be traced. The curving of 

 the Grecian volute is extremely graceful and the whole order has taken 

 a corresponding character. The Romans diminished the size of the vo- 

 lute, and also formed a new order by changing the two parallel volutes 

 into four diagonal ones, and uniting these with the lower part of the Co- 

 rinthian capital. This forms the composite order; the latter addition is 

 more frequently rejected, the four diagonal volutes alone being used, 

 under the name of the modern Ionic. In all these changes the beau- 

 tiful and striking sweep of the volute is entirely lost, and the charac- 

 teristic of the order is turned into mere driblets, through fondness for 

 a variety of parts. The composite and the modern Ionic have no 

 whole; nothing to fasten on the mind and to which we may readily 

 and naturally bring all the rest to bear. The whole of the Grecian 

 Ionic is gracefulness, extreme neatness with extreme beauty; the 

 expression of the entire edifice is made to correspond, and the sensa- 

 tions it communicates are of the most pleasing kind. We should not 

 employ then, either the Composite or the modern Ionic, in the main 

 part of a building, or in any part where expression is desired. 



We should be far, however, from excluding them entirely from 

 our buildings : they are certainly not devoid of beauty, and may 

 often be used with advantage as subsidiaries to the Grecian order : 

 while we reserve the latter for the facade and those parts which are 

 chiefly to give character to the edifice, these may be assigned to the 

 more retired situations, where they will serve to give variety, without 

 destroying the unity of design. They will thus also save our respect 

 for the principal order, by keeping it from being employed in the in- 

 ferior parts : their character, rich and pleasing, without being very 

 expressive, seems to adapt them in every respect, to such an use. 



We come now to the Corinthian. This order has made an effort 

 among us for the preference which it has received in most other 

 countries, and with considerable success. The ease with which it 

 may be employed has probably contributed to this. It transfers the 

 labor of an architect from his mind to his hands, and almost any one 

 who has mechanical skill enough to shape its several parts, may use 

 it with success. It is also the richest of the orders, and the glare 

 of its ornament is well calculated to dazzle the minds of those who 

 look not beyond the mere parade of the arts. Here is its greatest 



