389 



not be free free from angles, it may perhaps be 

 thought that some kind of fascination must have 

 deprived my friend's mind of its usual discernment, 

 or he would never have entered into so scientific 

 a detail of angles in the soffit, angles in the aba- 

 cus, some acute, some obtuse, some indented, 

 but, after all, much as they usually are in such 

 places. Could he indeed have made it appear 

 that columns are unusual in ancient temples, that 

 the capitals of those of the temple of Tivoli, as 

 well as its entablature, were more angular than 

 any others, and that the building had altogether 

 a more angular appearance — he would have shewn 

 what would have been very closely to his point, 

 instead of employing so much science to inform 

 us 



" That ships have anchors, and that seas are green ! u 



There is however one set of angles that must not 

 be classed with the rest ; for though columns are 

 seldom if ever without capitals, they are very 

 commonly without flutes ; and the flutes of those 

 at the temple of Tivoli encrease, and very consi- 

 derably, the quantity of angles. Mr. Knight 

 very justly describes their effect and character by 

 calling them circles of angles, and as such they 

 manifestly accord with the circular character of 

 the shafts, and of the building altogether, more 

 than those of any other kind. The flutes of co- 

 lumns are almost always rounded at top, frequently 



