An Abridgment of the Architecture of Vitruvius Part 7

[Sidenote: _Lib. 3. Chap. 2._]

There is another sort of _Diminution of Pillars_, which is made of one Pillar in respect of another; It is of 2 sorts, _viz._ when a second rank is placed upon the first, for then the second Pillar must be lesser a fourth part than those below, or when _Portico's_ are made that have Pillars in the Corners, for those in the middle must be less than those in the Corners, a 50th part.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 4. Chap. 1._]

The _Channellings_ are so called, because they are as it were _Demi-Channels_, which descend from the top of the Pillar to the bottom; they represented the Plaites of the Garments of Women, which the Pillars resembled.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 4. Chap. 3._]

There are three sorts of _Channellings_, the two first are particular and proper to the _Dorick Order_; the third is common to the _Ionick_, _Corinthian_ and _Compound_: The two first are more plain and simple, and fewer in number than the others.

The most Simple is that which is not hollowed at all, and which hath only _Pans_ and flat Fronts or Faces.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 3. Chap. 3._]

The other is a little hollowed; to make this hollowness, a Square must be made, whose Side must be equal to the _Pan_, in which the _Channelling_ is to be made, and having put one foot of the Compa.s.s in the middle of the Square, make a crooked Line from one Angle of the _Channelling_ to the other, both these _Channellings_ are made up to the number of Twenty.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 4. Chap. 1._]

[Sidenote: _Lib. 4. Chap. 4._]

The other Orders have 24, and sometimes 32, when it is design'd to make the Pillars seem greater than they are; for the Eye judgeth that all things are greater when they have more and different Marks, which lead as it were the Sight to more Objects at once.

These _Channellings_ are deeper than those of the _Dorick Order_, and the depth ought to be just so much, that a Carpenter's Rule being put into the Cavity, touch with its Angle the bottom, and with its sides the two Corners of the _Channelling_. _Vitruvius_ hath not taught us what the Proportions of the _Channelling_ should be, in respect of the _Fillet_ which makes up the s.p.a.ce between the _Channellings_, nor what the breadth of the _Fillet_ should be, which he hath establish'd for the rule of the swelling Belly of the Pillar.

The _Piedement_ is composed of a _Tympan_ and _Cornices_; to have the true height of the _Tympan_, we must divide the breadth which is between the two ends of the _Cymatium_ of the _Larmier_, or _Drip_ which supports the _Piedement_, into 9 parts, and give one to the _Tympan_.

The thickness of the _Cornice_ being added to this 9th part, makes up the height of the whole _Piedement_ or _Fronton_.

The _Tympan_ ought to be Perpendicular upon the _Gorge_ of the Pillar, the things that are common to all _Cornices_ are, that the _Cornice_ of the _Piedement_ must be equal to that below, excepting the last great _Cymatium_, which ought not to be upon the _Cornice_ below the _Piedement_, but it ought to go over the _Cornices_ which are sloping upon the _Piedement_ or _Fronton_.

This great _Cymatium_ ought to have of height an 8th part more than the _Crown_, or _Drip_, or _Larmier_.

In places where there are no _Piedements_, in the great _Cymatiums_ of the _Cornices_, must be cut the Heads of Lions, at such a distance, that there must be one directly upon every Pillar, and that the other answer directly upon the great _Dalles_, that cover the House. These Heads of Lions are pierced through to convey the Water which falls from the Roof upon the _Cornice_: The Heads of the Lions which are not directly upon the Pillars, ought not to be pierced, to the end the Water may flow with the greater impetuosity through those which are directly upon the Pillars, and that it may not fall between the Pillars upon those who are to go into the _Portico's_.

The _Greeks_ in their great Buildings never put any _Dentels_ under the _Modillons_, because the _Rafters_ could not be under the _Forces_, or _Sheers_, and it is a great fault that That, which according to the true Rules of Building ought to be placed above, should be placed under in the Representation.

For this Reason, the Ancients never approved of _Modillons_ in the _Piedements_, nor of _Dentels_, but only simple _Cornices_; for neither the _Forces_, _Sheers_, nor the _Rafters_ can be represented in the _Piedements_, out of which they cannot jet but only directly out of the Eaves of the House upon which they lie sloping.

The _Acroteres_ are three _Pedestals_, which are upon the Corners and Middle of the _Piedement_ to support Statues; those of the Corner ought to be as high as the Middle of the _Tympan_; but the _Acrotere_ in the middle ought to be higher by an 8th part than the other.

All the Members or Parts which shall be placed upon the Capitals of Pillars, _viz. Architraves_, _Frises_, _Cornices_, _Tympans_, and _Acroteres_, should encline forward the 12th part of their height.

There is likewise another General Rule; which is, that all the parts that jet out, should have their Projecture equal to their Height.

ART. V.

_Of the_ Thuscan _Order._

It hath been said that all Buildings have three Parts, which may be different according to the divers Order, _viz._ The _Pillars_, the _Piedements_, and the _Chambranles_, or _Door-Cases_; and that the _Pillars_ had three Parts, which are the _Pedestal_, the _Shaft_, and its Ornaments, _viz._ The _Architrave_, the _Frise_ and the _Cornice_.

Neither the Proportion of the _Pedestals_, nor of the _Gates_ and _Chambranles_ of the _Thuscan Order_ are to be found in _Vitruvius_.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 4. Chap. 7._]

The Proportion of the Pillar is this, that its thickness below is the 7th part of its height, it's Diminution is the 4th part of the Diameter of the Pillar, its _Base_ has half of the Diameter of the Pillar for its height, the _Plinthus_ being round, makes one half of the _Base_; the other half is for the _Thorus_, and for the _Conge_ or _Apophygis_, Vid.

_Conge_ explained.

The height of the Capital is half the Diameter of the Pillar, the breadth of the _Abacus_ is equal to the whole Diameter of the Pillar at the bottom, the height of the Capital is divided into three Parts; one of them is allowed the _Plinthus_, which serves instead of an _Abacus_; the _Echine_ hath another; and a third Part is for the _Gorge_ of the Capital comprehending the _Astragal_, the _Conge_, or _Apophygis_, which are immediately under the _Echine_.

Upon the Pillars must be laid the _Sabliers_, or _Wooden Architrave_, joyned together by _Tenons_, in the form of a Swallows Tail.

These _Sabliers_ ought to be distant one from another about an Inch; for if they should touch one another, the Timber would heat and corrupt.

Upon these _Sabliers_ which serve for an _Architrave_, must be built a little Wall, which will serve instead of a _Frise_.

The _Cornice_ which is laid upon this little Wall or _Frise_, has _Mutal's_ which jet out.

All the Crowning should have the 4th part of the height of the Pillar.

The little Walls that are built between the ends of the Beams which rest upon the Pillars, must be garnished and covered with Boards, which must be nailed upon the ends of the Beams.

The _Piedement_, which may be either of Stone or Wood, and which must support the _Faistag_ or _Top_, the _Forces_, and the _Pans_, has a particular Proportion; for it must be much raised to give it a sufficient sloping for the running of the Water. See Tab. V.

ART. VI.

_Of the_ Dorick _Order._

[Sidenote: _Lib._ 4. _Chap._ 1.]

The _Dorick_ Pillar has had in divers times, and in different Buildings, different Proportions; for at first it had only for its height 6 times its Diameter; this Proportion imitating that of Humane Bodies, in which the length of the Foot is the 6th part of all the Body, afterwards they allowed 7 times its Diameter.

[Sidenote: _Lib._ 5. _Chap._ 9.]

But this Proportion that the Pillars of the Temples had at the Beginning, was afterwards changed in that of the Theaters, where they were higher by half a Diameter; for they made them 15 Modules high, for in the _Dorick Order_ the Semi-Diameter of the Pillar at the bottom is the Module, which in other Orders is a whole Diameter.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 4. Chap. 1._]

The _Dorick_ Pillar is composed as well as the rest of a _Shaft_, _Base_ and _Capital_, though _Vitruvius_ makes no mention of the _Base_; and it's easie to conclude, that in the Ancient Buildings this _Order_ had none; for it is said, That when they would make the _Ionick Order_ more Beautiful than the _Dorick_, they added a _Base_ to it; and there is yet to be seen in Ancient Buildings of this Order, Pillars without a _Base_; but when a _Base_ is added to it, it must be _Attick Base_, whose Proportion is as follows.

The whole _Base_ ought to have a _Module_ for its height; that is to say, half the Diameter of the Pillar; this _Module_ being divided into three parts; one is for the _Plinthus_; the other two parts are divided into four, of which one is allowed for the upper _Torus_, the three which remain, are divided into two: The half below is for the lower _Torus_, the other is for the _Scotiae_, comprising the two little Squares or Filets. The breadth of the _Basis_ in General is a 4th of the Diameter of the Pillar at the bottom, added on every side; but this jetting is excessive, and without any Example, and _Vitruvius_ himself makes it lesser in the _Ionick Base_.

[Sidenote: _Lib. 4. Chap. 3._]

The height of the _Capital_ as well as the _Base_ is one _Module_, the breadth is two _Modules_ and an half, the height of the _Capital_ being divided into three parts, one must be allowed for the _Plinthus_ or _Abacus_, with its _Cymatium_; the other is for the _Echine_, with its _Anulets_; the third appertains to the _Gorge_ of the _Capital_.

_The Architrave_ which comprehends its _Platte-Band_ with the _Gouttes_ or _Pendant Drops_, which are under the _Triglyphs_, is as well as the _Capital_ of one only _Module_; the _Gouttes_ or _Drops_ with their little _Tringle_, ought to have the 6th part of a _Module_, the breadth under the _Architrave_ ought to be equal to that above the Pillar.