ARCHITECTURE. 
that the garden might be feen. The Tetraftyle ceci, from 
the name, appears to have had only four columns, and 
consequently was of the lei's enriched fort. 
The Roman villas confided of three parts, one called 
the urbana, a part where the mailer and his family dwelt, 
the other the ruJHca, deftined for the ufes of hufbandry ; 
and the third the fruEluaria , or receptacle for the fruits of 
the earth. In the choice of Situation and afpeCT, the Ro¬ 
mans were very particular ; the latter requiring peculiar 
attention, as only by the afpedt of the buildings and rooms 
could they be rendered conveniently habitable in bad wea¬ 
ther; glafs for windows being then unknown, and its fub- 
ftitutes coltly. The fubftance ufed inltead of glafs, was a 
Hone called lapis J'pecularis, a Species of talc, according to 
Pliny’s natural hiliory ; which, naturally (plitting into thin 
transparent plates or lamina, was fit for the purpofe : it 
has a Similar application now, for objeCts to be viewed by 
the microfcope. 
Vitruvius has given us the following rules : the winter 
triclinium (dining-room) and bath Ihould look to the win¬ 
ter’s declining fun, becaufe the afternoon light is there 
lifeful; belides the weftcrn fun finning thereon produces 
heat, and makes that afpeCt warm and pleafant in the even¬ 
ing ; bed-chambers and libraries Ihould look to the eaft, 
for in thefe the morning light is required; it is alfo proper 
that the books in libraries may not decay, for in thole that 
look to the South and welt, they will be damaged by damps 
and worms, which the humid winds generate and nouriih. 
The Ipringand autumn triclinium Ihould look to the eafi, 
for the windows being then turned from the Sun, proceed¬ 
ing weftward, render thofe places temperate at the time 
they are generally ufed. The Summer triclinium Ihould 
look to the north, becaufe this afpedt is not like the others 
rendered hot at the Summer folltice ; for, being turned 
from the courfe of the fun, it remains always cool, and, 
when ufed, is Salubrious and pleafant. To the fame alpedt 
‘alfo fiiould be difpofed pinacotheca (pidture-rooms), as 
well as embroidering and painting rooms, that tire colours 
ufed in the works, on account of the equality of the light, 
may remain unchanged. 
The better to convey an adequate idea of the extent, 
accommodation, and grandeur, of the villas ol the Ro¬ 
mans, we Shall add the conful Pliny’s description of his 
villa at Laurentinum. [t may be proper to obferve, that 
this villa was conlidered as on a Jmall Scale. After de¬ 
scribing the route, the views on the road, &c. he adds, 
“ My villa is large enough to afford a convenient, though 
not Sumptuous, reception for my friends. The part which 
firrt: prelents itlelf is the atrium, (court-yard,) plain, but 
not mean ; then the portico, in form of the letter O, which 
Surrounds a Small but pleafant area; this is an excellent 
retreat in bad weather, being (heltered by glazed w indows 
(of lapis J'pecularis J, but more by the projection of the roof. 
Beyond the portico is a pleafant cavaedium, (open court;) 
palling which, is a handfome triclinium, which advances 
upon the fliore, So that it is gently wafhed by the waves, 
when the South-welt wind blow’s. On every fide are fold¬ 
ing-doors, or windows as large, So that from the tides and 
the front you enjoy a profpedt as it were of three Seas, and 
backwards are Seen the cavaedium, the poitico, and the 
area ; again the portico and atrium terminated by woods 
and diltant mountains. On the left of the triclinium, but 
not So forward, is a large cubiculum, (cltamber or apart¬ 
ment,) and then a Smaller one, where one window admits 
the riling and another the Setting fun. From hence you 
view the lea rather more difiant, but more Securely. This 
cubiculum and triclinium, by their projeCture, form an 
angle, which not only retains but augments the heat of 
the fun’s rays. 
11 fclere then is my< hvbernaculum, (winter room or 
apartment,) and the gynmafntm (place of exercife) for 
my family, which is never incommoded by any winds but 
fuel) as bring cloudy weather, and deltroy the otherwise 
Serene Situation of the place. Adjoining to this angle is a 
cubiculum of a curved or round form, the window s of 
Vo l. 11. No. 58 . 
77 
which admit the fun of confeqnence through its whole 
courfe. In tire walls are inierted library prelfes, fumilhed 
w ith books, more for amufeinent than liudy ; clofe to this 
is the dormitorium, (fleeping-room.) feparated by a fpace, 
having a covering of wood-work, w hich collects and dis¬ 
tributes the vapour to the room, in falubrious tempera¬ 
ment. The remainder of this wing is allotted to my 
fervants and flaves, yet is generally fufficiently neat for 
vilitors. On the right fide of the triclinium is a moft ele¬ 
gant cubiculum, with another large cubiculum, or mode¬ 
rate caenatio, (common eating or fupper room,) which 
receives light both from the fun and the fea ; after tin's 
is a cubiculum, with a procaeton, (fervants room,) for 
height a fummerbut for fhelter a winter apartment, being 
fkreened from all winds; a wall only feparates another cu¬ 
biculum, with a proemton. There you enter the fpacious 
and extenfive cella frigidaria of the bath ; againft the walls 
of which are two projecting baptifteria, fufficiently large 
to Swim in ; joining to this is the unCtuarium, the hypo- 
cauftum, and propnigeon, of the bath ; and two other 
cells, more elegant than Sumptuous. Skilfully contrived, 
adjoins the callida pifeini, (warm bath,) where thofe who 
iw im enjoy a view of the Sea ; not far diltant is the fphae- 
rilterium, (tennis-court,) of a circular form, which enjoys 
the warmelt rays of the declining fun. Here arifes a 
turris, (pavilion or fummer-houfe,) under which are tw* 
diaetae, (luite or let of apartments,) and two alfo above, 
belides a caenatio, from which is a beautiful profpedt of 
the lea, the difiant coaft, and feveral pleafant villas; there 
is alfo another turris, containing a cubiculum, expoled to 
the riling and the fetting fun ; behind this is an apotheca 
and horreum, (cabinets or fiore-rooms,) and underneath 
a triclinium, where the noife of the fea is not heard but 
only in (forms, and then but faintly. This looks on the 
geftatio, (a place to exercife on horleback or in a carriage,) 
and the garden which it furrounds. 
“ The geftatio is encompaffed with box, or rofemar/' 
where the box is wanting ; for box, when well flickered, 
flouriflies much, but withers if expofed to the wind or 
weather, or to the fpray of the fea. To tjie inner circle 
of the geftatio is joined a ftiady row' of young vines, with a 
walk, loft and pleafant even to the naked feet. The gar¬ 
den abounds with fig and mulberry trees, to which the foil 
is fuitable, but not to other trees. The profpedt here, 
not lels pleafant than that of the fea, is enjoyed from a 
caenatio rather difiant from the fea; on the back it is en- 
compalled with two diaetae, whole windows look to the 
veftibule of the villa, and to a friiitful kitchen garden. 
Hence a crypto-porticus, (a long inclofed room or portico,) 
extends, for lize comparable' to a public building, with 
windows on both (ides : thofe next the fea the molt nume¬ 
rous; on the garden fide they are (ingle, with few er in the 
upper row. Thefe, when the day is ferene and calm, are 
all opened ; but, when the wind is troublefome, thole on 
the oppoiite fide are opened without any inconvenience. 
Before the crypto-porticus is a xyftus, (a fpacious place 
for exercife, or a terrace,) fragrant with violets, in which 
the heat of the fun is increafed by the reflection of the 
crypto-porticus, which at the fame time keeps oft' the 
nortli-eaft wind; wherefore it is hot in the front and cool in 
the rear; it alfo Ikreens from the fouth-weft and feveral 
other winds. Thefe are its delights in winter, but much 
greater does it afford in fummer; for before mid-day the 
xyftus, and after the geftatio, and neighbouring parts of 
the garden, are made temperate by its fliadow, which is 
longer or fliorter, as the day proceeds. The building is 
alfo the cooleft when the fun (hines moft intenlely on the 
roof; by opening the windows the weftern breezes are en¬ 
joyed, and it is therefore never clouded by thick or fta»- 
nant air. At the top of the xyftus, projecting from the 
crypto-porticus, is the diaetm of the garden, and thelc aie 
my delight; for here, in truth, have I placed my affec¬ 
tion. In this is an lieliocaminus, (an apartment made warm 
by the fun,) one fide of which looks to the xvftus, the 
other to the fea, and buth to the fun. From the folding- 
X doora 
