BUILDING. 
Stone Columns: Stone coin mns should be 
executed with as few joints as possible ; if 
they can be procured in one piece, they 
will have a much grander effect: there 
should be no such things as verticaljoints ; 
for they not only destroy the beauty of the 
column, but are inconsistent with the laws 
of strength. Before the number of pieces 
can be fixed, two important circumstances 
must be taken into consideration : first, to 
find out those quarries which will produce 
durable stones, of the size and colour wantr 
ed, and the nearer to the place of erection 
the better; next, to inquire concerning the 
price of the carriage ; if these come within 
the maximum limit of what the proprietor 
would chuse to fix, tlien the number of 
pieces is determined; but, if not, this num- 
ber must be increased, in order to make it 
equal to, or less than, the proposed sum, ob- 
serving to choose the nearest odd number. 
The circumstances being thus accommo- 
dated to each other, and the stones laid 
down at the place intended for building, 
draw a section of the column through its axis, 
to the full size ; divide the height of this sec- 
tion, by lines parallel to the base, into 
heights equal in number to that of the 
stones ; by these means, the diameters of 
each end of every stone in the altitude 
will be determined. The upper and lower 
bodies of each stone are first to be wrought 
exactly to parallel planes, and a& one great 
beauty of columns is to make them appear 
at a small distance, as if they were in one 
entire piece, they should be rubbed at first 
with a large coarse stone, in order to pre- 
vent the surface from beitsg excavated, and 
then with a fine stone of the same size, as 
the coarse one ; with the utmost care ob- 
serving to try the straight edge, or rule, as 
the rubbing goes on ; in this the edge of the 
rule should always coincide with the sur- 
face, otherwise the two superfices which 
are to form the joint can never coincide. 
The two beds of a stone being thus formed, 
find the centre, and describe the circle at 
one end, divide tire circumference into a 
convenient number of equal parts; (it is 
usual to divide it into six or eight) ; ..draw 
lines fi'om each point to the centre ; find 
the centre of the circle on the other bed, so 
that the two centres may be in the straight 
line, forming the axis of the column ; that 
is, when the straight line joining their cen- 
tres is perpendicular to each bed ; through 
the centre of this last circle draw a straight 
line, parallel to any one of the Une.s drawn 
through the centre and circumference of 
the former ; also from the point in the cir- 
cumference of the last drawn circle, where 
the line drawn through the centre cuts this 
circle, divide the circmnference into tlte 
same number of equal parts as that of the 
circle formerly drawn; then draw lines 
from the centre to each of the points so di- 
vided, and these lines will be respectively 
parallel to those of tlie former circle; tire 
extremities of each pair of parallel lines, in 
each circumference, will regulate tlie chisel 
draught, which is to be wrought along tlie 
surface of the column. The corresponding 
draught being made from each pair of pa- 
rallelsj the spaces between will be more ea- 
sily wrought down ; then, if the number of 
pieces which compose the! column exceed 
seven or nine, a straight 'Edge may be ap- 
plied, the side of which always being in a 
plane passing through tlie axis ; but if fewer 
pieces are used, make a diminishing rule, 
that is, one to the curve lin e of the column : 
on the, side of the diminishing rule draw a 
straight line parallel to th e axis ; tliis rule 
will serve to plumb the stones in setting 
them ; and to work the co nvex surface of 
each stone ; prepare another rule, equal in 
length to that of a stone, having its edge 
curved the same as the dimi nishing rule. 
The cement used in settii ig each column 
stone is eitlier oil-[iutty, or white lead, or 
white lead mixed with chalk -putty, or fine 
mortar, or milled lead rolled very thin. If 
the column be large, and I'olled lead be 
used, it needs only to form arinip; half an inch 
distant from the edge of the joint, and let 
the joint at the edge be filled ^vith oil-putty. 
Stone Stairs. When stairs so’e supported 
by a wall at both ends, nothing difficult 
ean occur in the construction ; in this the 
inner ends of the steps may either terminate 
into a solid newal,^ or be tailed into a wall 
surrounding an open newal. Where elegance 
is not required, and where tin; newal does 
not exceed two feet six inches, tiie ends ef 
the steps may be conveniently supported by 
a solid pillar ; but when the newal is thicker, 
a thin wall surrounding the new'al would be 
cheaper. In the stairs of a sunk story, 
where there is a geometrical stair above, the 
steps next to the newal are generally sup- 
ported upon a dwarf wall. Geometrical 
Stairs have the outer end fixed in the wall, 
and one of the edges of every step supported 
by the edge of the step below, and constiuct- 
ed with sally-formed joints ; so that they 
cannot descend in the inclined direction of 
