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the various remains of ancient temples, none, 

 perhaps, have so grand an effect as the old 

 Doric temples, in Sicily, and at Paestum ; 

 though from their general look of massi- 

 ness, and from the columns being without 

 bases, none are more opposite to what are 

 usually considered as light buildings : but 

 may it not be doubted, whether the giving 

 of bases to those columns, and consequently 

 a greater degree of lightness and airiness to 

 the whole, might not'proportionably dimi- 

 nish that sol id, massive grandeur, which is so 

 striking to every eye ? If, again, we consider 

 modern buildings, no mansion of regular, 

 finished, ornamental architecture that I have 

 yet seen, has from such a number of differ- 

 ent points, so grand an appearance as Blen- 

 heim ; and never was the reproach of heavi- 

 ness so unceasingly applied to any build- 

 ing.* How far the heaviness of the ancient 



* It would hardly be supposed that the heaviness of 

 iBlenheim would ever have been mentioned as a compliment 

 to the noble fAvner ; yetl remember hearing an instance of 

 it. The conversation happened to torn upon the immense 

 weight that an egg would support, if pressed, exactly in a 



