Chapter XX. Of Abuses

HAVING laid down the ornaments of architecture, that is, the five orders, and shewn how they ought to be made; and having placed the profiles of every one of their parts as I found the antients did observe them; it seems to me not improper to inform the reader in this place of many abuses introduc’d by the Barbarians, which are still followed, that the studious in this art may avoid them in their own works, and be able to know them in those of others.

I say therefore, that architecture, as well as all other arts, being an imitatrix of nature, can suffer nothing that either alienates or deviates from that which is agreeable to nature; from whence we see, that the antient architects, who made their edifices of wood, when they began to make them of stone, instituted that the columns should be left thicker at the top than at the bottom, taking example from the trees, all which are thinner at the top than in the trunk, or near the root. weight is put, bases were placed under the columns, which, with their aston and cavetti, seem to be crushed with the burden laid upon them.

So likewise in the cornice they introduced the triglyphs, modiglions and den, which represent the ends of those beams that are put for a support to the floors and roofs.

The same also may be observed in all the other parts, if they are consider. Being thus, that manner of building cannot but be blamed, which departs from that which the nature of things teacheth, and from that simplicity which appears in the things produced by her; framing as it were another nature, and deviating from the true, good and beautiful method of building, For which reason one ought not, instead of columns or pilasters, that are to sustain some great weight, to place cartelli, also called cartocci, being a kind of a scroll, which to the intelligent appear very shocking, and to those that are not so it gives rather a confusion than a pleasure; nor have they any other effect besides increasing the builder's expence.

For the same reason none of these cartocci ought to projet from the cornices; for it is |! ht to pro i requisite that all the parts of the cornices should be made for some purpose and shew, like what they would seem to be if the whole work was of wood.

Besides, it is necessary that a great weight should be sustained bv fomethive solid and strong enough to support it: now it is certain that those cartocci would be slewgether fuperfiuus, because it is impossible that any beams or timber should produce the clicct represented; and since they are supposed to be soft and tender, I cannot conceive with what reason they can be placed under a thing both hard and heavy.

But, in my opinion, the most important error is that of making the front of doors, windows, and loggia's broken in the middle, since these were made to keep the rin from the fabricks, “and which the antient builders, instructed by necessity itself, made to close and sell in the middle.

I x now therefore nothing that can be done more contrary to natural reason, than to divide that part which is supposed to shelter the inhabitants and those that go into the house from rain, snow, and hail.

AND altho’ variety and things new may please every one, yet they ought not to be done contrary to the precepts of art, and contrary to that which reason dictates; whence on sics, that altho’ the antients did vary, yet they never departed from the universal and necessary rules of art, as shall be seen in my books of antiquities.

Also as to the projection of the cornices, and the other ornaments, the making them come out too much is no small abuse; because when they exceed that which is reasonably roper for them, especially if they are in a close place, they will make it narrow and disa-prop, clip y y place, they greeable, and frighten those that stand under them, as they always threaten to fall.

Nor ought the making cornices which are not in proportion to the columns less to be avoided; because if upon little columns great cornices are placed, or little cornices upon great columns, who doubts but that such a building must have a very unpleasing aspect?

Besides which, the supposing of the columns to be divided, making certain annulets and garlands round them, that may seem to hold them firmly united together, ought as much as possible to be avoided; because the more solid and strong the columns appear, the better they seem to execute the purpose for which they were erected, which is to make the work thereon both strong and secure.

I could mention many other such abuses, as some members in the cornices that are made without any proportion to the others, which, by what I have then above, and by that which lias been already said, may very easily be known.

It remains now, to come to the disposition of the particular and principal places of the fabricks,