[ 797 ) 
The temple of Vefta, at Rome. 
This building is remarkable for the flyle of its archi- 
tecture, and the elegance of its workmanship. The 
pointed abacus fhews the architecture to be Greek ; 
which is a ftrong prefumption in favour of its anti- 
quity, as it is the only example of the kind now re- 
maining at Rome (i). 
None of the diameters will anfwer to the fame 
mealure of the foot with the other parts, by probable 
divifors. This was likely enough to be the cafe, if 
the circles of the plan were deferibed by a cord, 
whofe ftretching might increafe their diameters be- 
yond the intended meafures. But the reft of the 
meafures agree pretty nearly with each other, by as 
limple divifors as ,can be expeCted in l'o fmall a 
building. 
At the door-cafe, the arch of the wall is difeon- 
tinued, and the groundfil is ftrait. The width be- 
tween the jambs is p feet i-| inches, equal to 5)73 6,6 i 
which, divided by 10, gives a foot of P73 ? 7 London 
parts. 
From the wall to the centers of the columns, is 
8 feet 8-3- inches, = ^244, 6 j which, divided by p-i, 
gives a foot of p7 3,1 parts. 
From the wall to the extremity of the bafement, 
is 10 feet 6 inches, — 11186,73 which, divided by 
iii gives p7 2 ,7* 
(1) That is to fay, it is probably older than the Pantheon; for, 
according to Pliny, in his thirty-fixth book, there feems to have 
been no marble temple in Rome above fixty years older than that 
building. And his hiftory of marble is confirmed by the faying of 
Auguftus, “ That he found Rome brick, and left it marble.’* 
Sueton. in Aug. c. 28. 
5 K 2 
From 
