S7s 



before arches were known in China ; and 

 consequently that we owe this surprising 

 work, not to ideas of magnificence, but to 

 the ignorance of a principle in building, 

 with which every common stone-mason is 

 practically acquainted. 



The contrivance of a wooden centre, on 

 which a circular wall of brick, stone, or any 

 hard material might be built, so as to re- 

 main self-supported after the removal of 

 the original support, nay itself capable of 

 sustaining the greatest weight, implies a 

 very advanced state of the arts. Accord- 

 ingly it is generally thought, that no exam- 

 ple of an arch prior to the Macedonian con- 

 quest, can be produced, in the countries 

 known to the ancient Greeks and Romans ; 

 though buildings of great extent and mag- 

 nificence had been executed in them, long 

 before that period. 



This invention of arches, is an epoch of 

 great moment in architecture. Openings, 

 formed by the most beautiful curves, were 

 found to be the firmest of all supports; these, 

 therefore gave a new character to many 



VOL. II. T 



