390 



$0 both at top and bottom, but it is a very singula* 

 fact, and one which Mr. Knight would hardly 

 have omited mentioning if he had been acquaint- 

 with it, that both the tops and bottoms of the 

 flutes in question, are square. As far as I can 

 learn, the only example of a similar termination 

 at both ends, is in a very ancient temple at Pa- 

 lestrina : it therefore appears probable, that later 

 architects, from being sensible that such a form 

 counteracted the circular character of the shaft, 

 changed it to the oval ; the superior beauty and 

 congruity of which has been established, by its 

 having been so generally adopted, and never I 

 believe, in the upper part of the flute, changed 

 again for the square termination. 



As i have generously made Mr. I^night a pre- 

 sent of a set of angles with which he appears to 

 have been unacquainted, 1 may be allowed to 

 bring into notice another set, usually attached to, 

 columns, and particularly striking from their be- 

 ing very near the eye, but which do not accom- 

 pany those of the temple at Tivoli : and though 

 I shall give no information to Mr. Knight, who 

 is well aware of his loss, I peihaps may to several 

 of his readers, when J mention that the columns 

 of the temple at Tivoli have no plinths. It is true 

 that this circumstance may be inferred from what 

 he has stated ; but as the plain fact is not men- 

 tioned, his less attentive readers are not likely to 



