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FRONTISPIECE. 
 
 :B: Cc^ ocm^. 
 
A N 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 O N 
 
 ARCHITECTURE; 
 
 IN WHICH 
 
 Its True PRINCIPLES 
 are explained, 
 
 AND 
 
 Invariable RULES propofed, 
 
 FOR 
 
 Directing the Judgment and Forming the 
 
 Taste of the G E N T L E M A N 
 
 and the ARCHITECT, 
 
 With regard to the 
 
 Different Kinds of Buildings, the 
 Embellishment of Cities, 
 
 And the 
 
 Planning of Gardens. 
 
 Adorned with 
 
 A FRONTISPIECE, defigned by 
 Mr. Wale, and curioufly engraven. 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed for T. Osborne and S H i p t o n, 
 in Grnys Inn, ^7SS' 
 
^ 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 WE have various treatifes 
 of Architedture, w^hich 
 explain with fufficient exadnefs 
 the meafures and proportions 
 which enter into the detail of 
 the different orders, and which 
 furnifh models for all kind of 
 buildings. We have not as yet 
 any work, which eftablifhes in 
 a folid manner the principles of 
 it, which manifefts the true 
 fpirit of it, or which propofes 
 rules proper to dired the ta* 
 lent and to fix the tafte. It 
 
 a 2 
 
 appears 
 
iv Preface. 
 
 appears to me that in thofe arts 
 that are not purely mechanical, 
 it is not fiifficient to know how 
 to work only, we ought to learn 
 how to think upon them. An 
 artift ought to give a reafon for 
 every thing he does. For this 
 end he has occalion for fixt 
 principles to determine his judge- 
 ment and juftify his choice: 
 fo that he may tell if a thing be 
 good or bad, not purely by in- 
 ftindt, but by reafoning, and as 
 a man inftrudled in the fine paths. 
 
 Obfervations have been car- 
 ried to a great extent in all the 
 liberal arts : abundance of people 
 of talents have applied them- 
 felves to make us fenfible of thc- 
 
 delicacies 
 
P R fi t A C E. V 
 
 delicacies of them. They have 
 wrote A^ery learnedly of poetry, 
 painting and mufic. The myf- 
 teries of thefe ingenious arts have 
 been fo nicely examined, that 
 there remains very few difco- 
 veries to be made in them. 
 There are fuch judicious criti- 
 cifms and refledled precepts of 
 them, that determine their real 
 beauties. Imagination has put 
 them on the way, and ferved 
 as reins to reftrain them in their 
 proper limits. The jufl rate is 
 fixed upon the merit of their 
 fallies and the diforders of their 
 wandrings. If we want good 
 poets, good painters or good 
 muficians, it could not be for 
 want of theory, it would be the 
 defed of their Talents. 
 
 a 3 Archi- 
 
vi Preface. 
 
 Architedure alone has hither- 
 to been abandoned to the ca- 
 price of Architedts, which have 
 given us precepts of it without 
 difcernment. They have deter- 
 mined its rules at hazard upon 
 the bare infpedlion of ancient 
 buildings. They have copied 
 their defedts with the fame fcru- 
 ples as their beauties; wanting 
 principles to diftinguifh their 
 difference, they have impofed 
 on themfelves the obligation of 
 confounding them: vile imita- 
 tors, all that has been autho- 
 rised by examples has been de- 
 clared legitimate: limiting all 
 their inquiries by confulting the 
 fadt, they have wrongfully con- 
 cluded the right, and their lef- 
 
 fons 
 
.P R E F A C E. ,^*Vii 
 
 fons have only been a fountain 
 of errors. 
 
 Vitruvius has only learnt us 
 what was pradifed in his time; 
 and altho' fome lights efcape 
 frona him, that fhews a genius 
 capable of penetrating into the 
 true fecrets of his art, he does 
 not confine himfelf to the tear- 
 ing of the veil that covers them, 
 and avoiding always the abyfle's 
 of theory, he leads us thro' the 
 roads of pradlice, which fre- 
 quently makes us wander from 
 the end. All the moderns ex- 
 cept Mr, de Cordemoi, only 
 comment upon Vitruvius, and 
 follow him in all his wandrings 
 with confidence. I fay Mr. de 
 a 4 Cordemoi 
 
viii P R fi # A c E. 
 
 Cordemoi excepted : this author 
 more profound than the greateft 
 part of others, hath difcovered 
 the truth, which was hid to 
 them. His treatife of Archi- 
 tedure is extremely fhort, but 
 he has comprehended therein 
 excellent principles and views 
 extremely refledted. He was 
 capable in unravelling a little 
 more, to have drawn from thence 
 confequences which would have 
 fpread a light upon the obfcu- 
 rities of his art, and banifhed 
 the {hameful uncertainity which 
 renders the rules thereof arbi- 
 trary. 
 
 It is then to be wi£hed that 
 fome great architecl may under- 
 take 
 
.P R E F A C E. ix 
 
 take to proted x\rcliite<9:ure from 
 the caprice of opinions, in dif- 
 covering to us the fixt and deter- 
 mined laws thereof. Every art, 
 all fciences have a determined 
 objed. To arrive at this objed:, 
 all the paths cannot be equally- 
 good, there is but one that leads 
 diredly to the end, and it is that 
 road only that we ought to be 
 acquainted with. In all things 
 there is but one manner of doing 
 well. What then is this art? 
 but that eftablifhed manner upon 
 evident principles, and applied 
 to the objed by invariable prin- 
 ciples. 
 
 . In expcdation that fome one 
 much more able than my felf, 
 
 may 
 
X Preface. 
 
 may undertake to clear up this 
 chaos of the rules of Architec- 
 ture, that none of them may re- 
 main hereafter, but for which a 
 folid reafon may be given. I 
 am endeavouring to produce an 
 inconfiiderable ray of light for 
 that end. In confidering with 
 attention our great and fine edi- 
 fices, my foul hath experienced 
 various imprefiions. Sometimes 
 the charm was fo flrong that 
 it produced in me a pleafure 
 mixed with tranfport and enthu- 
 fiafm: at other times without 
 being fo lively drawn away, I 
 found my felf employed in an 
 agreeable manner ; it was indeed 
 a, lefs pleafure, but neverthelefs 
 a true pleafure. Often I re- 
 mained 
 
P R E F A C E. Xi 
 
 malned altogether infenfible * 
 often alfo I was furfeited, fhock- 
 ed, and mutinied. I refledled a 
 long time upon all thefe different 
 effeds. I repeated my obferva- 
 tions until I was affured that the 
 fame objefts always made the 
 fame impreflions upon me. I 
 have confulted the tafte of others, 
 and putting them to the fame 
 proof, I found in them all my 
 fenfibilities more or lefs lively, 
 according as their fouls had re- 
 ceived from nature a lefs or 
 greater degree of heat. From 
 thence I concluded firft that 
 there were in Architedure ellen- 
 tial beauties independent of the 
 habitude of the fenfes, or of the 
 agreement of them. 2dly, That 
 
 the 
 
xii , P R E P A c fe. 
 
 the compolition of a piece of Af- 
 chitedlure was as all the opera- 
 tions of the mind, fufceptiblc 
 of coldnefs or vivacity, of exa<5t- 
 nefs and diforder. 3dly, That 
 there fhould be for this art as for 
 all others a talent which is not 
 acquired, a mealure of genius 
 that is given by nature, and that 
 this talent, this genius, ought 
 neverthelefs to be fubjeded and 
 confined by laws. In medi- 
 tating always more upon the va^ 
 rious impreffions. that the diffe- 
 rent compofitions of Architec- 
 ture made upon me, I was de- 
 firous of fearching into the caufe 
 of their effect. I have called 
 upon felf for an account of my 
 own fentiments. I was willing 
 
 to 
 
Preface. xiii ! 
 
 J 
 
 to know why fuch a thing ra- 
 vifhed me, another only pleafed 
 me ; this was without agreements 
 that were to me infupportable : 
 This inquiry at firft prefented to 
 me nothing but darknefs and un- 
 certainties. I was not difcou- 
 raged, I have fathomed the 
 abyfs, until I believed I had dif- 
 covered the bottom. I have not 
 ceafed to interrogate my foul un- 
 til it had rendered me a Satisfac- 
 tory anfwer. All at once it has 
 given to my eyes a great light. 
 I have beheld diftind objeds, 
 where before I could not fee 
 any thing but mifts and clouds : 
 I have feifed thefe objedts with 
 ardour, and in making ufe of 
 their light I have difcovered by 
 
 little 
 
xiv Preface. 
 
 little and little my doubts to dif- 
 appear, my difficulties to vanifli, 
 and I am at laft able to demon- 
 ftrate to my felf, by principles 
 and confequences, the neceffity 
 of all the effedis ; the caufes of 
 which I was ignorant. Such is 
 the road I have followed to fatis- 
 iy my felf. It has alfo appeared 
 to me that it would not be un- 
 ufeful to impart the fuccefs of 
 my endeavours to the public. 
 Altho' I fhould only engage my 
 reader to examine if I have not 
 contradided my felf, to criticife 
 with feverity my decisions, even 
 to try them to penetrate farther 
 into the fame abyfs, Architedlure 
 would thereby be infinitely be- 
 nefited. I can fay with truth, 
 
 that 
 
Preface. vx 
 
 that my principal aim is to put 
 the public, and efpecially , ar^ 
 tifts in a way to doubt, to 
 conjediure, and to content thera- 
 felves with difficulty : too happy 
 if I can lead them to make in- 
 quiries that might difcover my 
 defedls, corred: my inaccuracies, 
 and to excel my own reafonings. 
 
 This is only an Eflay, wherein 
 I do but properly hint the things, 
 and pave the way, leaving to 
 others the care of giving to my 
 principles all their extent and 
 all their application; with an 
 intelligence and fagacity which 
 I fhould not be capable of. I 
 fhall fay enough herein to fur- 
 nifh architeds with fixt rules for 
 
 working 
 
xvi Preface. 
 
 working, and with infallible 
 means of perfection. I have 
 endeavoured to render my felf 
 as intelligible as poflible. I have 
 not been able to avoid very of- 
 ten terms of art; they are well 
 enough known: At leaft: their 
 explanation may be found in 
 dictionaries which gives the true 
 fenfe of them. As my principal 
 delign is to form the tafte of the 
 architefts, I avoid all the details 
 found elfewhere, and I find it 
 unneceffary to load this little 
 work with figures which might 
 trouble and diftafte the reader. 
 
 TABLE 
 
TABLE 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 CHAPTERS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION Page i 
 
 Chapter I. Of the general prin-- 
 
 ciples of ArchiteSiurey page 9 
 
 Article I. T^he Column^ 15 
 
 Ar t I c l e II. ^he Entablature^ 3 o 
 Article III. T!he Pediment^ 36 
 Article IV, The different fortes 
 
 of ArchiteSiure. 41 
 
 Article V, T^he ^windows and 
 
 doorsy £2 
 
 Chapter II. Of the different orders 
 
 of ArchiteEiure^ 64 
 
 . Article I. T^hat all the orders 
 
 of Architedlure have in common^ 69 
 Article II. "The Doric order yy 
 Article IIL Hhe Ionic order ^ 8y 
 Article IV, The Corinthian or- 
 
 der, 94 
 
 Article V. The different order 
 
 of the Compofitey 104 
 
 Article VL The manner ofen^ 
 
 riching 
 
TABLE 
 
 riching the different orders rf 
 ArchiteSlure^ ill 
 
 Article VII. Of Buildings 
 where they dont employ any or- 
 der of ArchiteSiurey .. ii 8 
 Chapter III. Confderation upon the 
 art of buildings 128 
 Article I. Of the folidity of 
 
 buildings y 129 
 
 Article II. The convenieftcy or 
 
 fttuation of buildings. 1 5 3 
 
 Article III. T^he Decorum to be 
 obfervedin buildings ^ lyy 
 
 Chapter IV. The manner of build- 
 ing churches ^ 195 
 Chapter V. The ornaments of city s 
 
 242 
 Article I. The entrance to citys 
 
 245 
 Article IL Difpo/itivn of [ireets^ 
 
 258 
 Article III. The decoration of 
 buildings 265 
 
 Chapter VI, The emhelijhing of 
 gardens. 272 
 
 The End of the Table of Chapters. 
 
An essay 
 
 UPON 
 
 ARCHITECTURE. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ARCHITECTURE of 
 all the ufeful arts is that 
 which requires the moft 
 diftinguifhed talents , as well as the 
 moft extenlive knowledge. Perhaps 
 as much genius, fpirit and tafte is re- 
 quired therein as for the forming a 
 Painter or a Poet of the firft rank. It 
 is a great miftake to think that me- 
 chanifm only is required j that all is 
 confined to laying foundations, and 
 building walls, all according to rules; 
 the pradice of which fuppofes eyes 
 accuftomed to judge of a line, and 
 hands to manage the trowel. 
 
 A When 
 
2 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 When we fpeak of the art of build- 
 ing, of the confufed heaps of trouble- 
 fome rubbifh, of heaps of fliapelefs 
 materials, dangerous fcaffolds, a fright- 
 ful game of machines, a multitude of 
 ragged labourers ; this is all that pre- 
 fents itfelf to the imagination of the 
 vulgar, it is the rind, the leaft agreeable 
 of any art, the ingenious myfteries of 
 which are underftood by few, and ex- 
 cite the admiration of all who difcern 
 them. Therein are difcovered inven- 
 tions, the boldnefs of which intimates 
 an extenfive and moft fruitful genius. 
 Proportions, the ufe of which declares 
 a fevere and fyftematic precifion. Or- 
 naments, the elegance qf which dif- 
 clofes a moft excellent and delicate 
 thought. Whoever is capable of dif- 
 cerning fuch a variety of beauties, far 
 from confounding architedlure with 
 thfe leffer arts, will be tempted to place 
 it in the rank of the moft profound 
 fciences. 
 
 The 
 
INTRODUCTION. 3 
 
 The light of an edifice, built with 
 all the perfedtion of art, creates a plea- 
 fure and enchantment, which be- 
 comes irrefiftible. This view raifes 
 in the foul noble and moft afFeding 
 ideas. We experience therein that 
 fweet emotion , and that agreeable 
 tranfport that fuch works excite, which 
 bear the impreflion of true fuperiority 
 of genius. A fine building fpeaks 
 moft eloquently for its architeft. 
 Monf. Perrault in his writings only ap- 
 pears a knowing man ; the colonade 
 of the Louvre determines him the 
 great one. 
 
 Architefture owes all that is perfect 
 in it to the Greeks, a free nation, to 
 which it was referved not to be igno- 
 rant of any thing in the arts and fcien- 
 ces. The Romans, worthy of ad- 
 miring, and capable of copying the 
 moft excellent models that the Greeks 
 helped them to, were defirous thereto 
 A 2 to 
 
4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 to join their own, and did no lefs then 
 fliew the whole univerfe, that when 
 perfedtion is arrived at, there only re- 
 mains to imitate or decay. 
 
 The barbarity of fucceeding ages 
 having buried the liberal arts under 
 the ruins of that empire, which alone 
 retained its tafte and principles, crea- 
 ted a new fyftem of Architedlure, 
 wherein unfkilful proportions , or- 
 naments ridiculoufly conneded and 
 heaped together, prefented ftones as 
 paper work, unformed, ridiculous, and 
 fuperfluous. This modern archi- 
 tedure hath been but too long the 
 delight of all Europe. Moft of our 
 great churches are unfortunately de- 
 flined to prefervc the traces of it to the 
 remoteil: poflerity. To fay the truth, 
 with numberlefs blemifhes, this archi- 
 tedlure hath had Tome beauties, and 
 altl o' there governs in its mofl magni- 
 ficent produdions a heavy and grofs 
 
 fpirit 
 
INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 fpirit of invention, we may yet admire 
 the bold traces, the delicacy of the 
 chifel , the majeftic and difengaged 
 air that one beholds in certain pieces, 
 which through all their ways have fome- 
 thing forlorn and inimitable. But at 
 length more happy genius's difcovered 
 from the ancient monuments proofs 
 of the univerfal wandrings, and alfo 
 refources to return from them; made 
 to tafte the wonders that had in vain 
 been expofed to every eye for (o many 
 ages. They meditated on the reports 
 of them, they imitated their jfkill, and 
 by the force of inquiry, examination, 
 and trial, they again revived the ftudy 
 of good rules, and re-eftablirtied Archi- 
 tedure in all its rights. They aban- 
 doned the ridiculous geugaws of the 
 Goths and Arabians, and fubftituted 
 in their room manly and elegant ap- 
 pearances of the Doric, Ionic and 
 Corinthian. The French flow of in- 
 vention, but quick to improve happy 
 A 3 - ima- 
 
6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 imaginations , envied Italy the glo- 
 ry of reviving the magnificent crea- 
 tions of Greece. Every place is full 
 now of ^monuments that atteft the ar- 
 dour, that eftabliflied the fuccefs of 
 our fathers emulation. We have had 
 our Bramanti, our Michael Angelos, 
 our Vigniolis. The paft age, an age 
 where in regard to talents, nature 
 amongft us, hath difplayed, and per- 
 chance exhaufted, all its fruitfulnefs. 
 The paft age has produced in feats of 
 Architedure performers worthy of the 
 beft times. But at the moment that 
 wc arrive at perfection, as if barbarity 
 had not loft all its rights with us, we 
 are fallen again into the bafe and de- 
 feftive : every thing feems to threaten 
 at laft an entire downfall. 
 
 This danger that approaches every 
 day nearer, which may yet be prevented, 
 engages me to propofe herein modeftly 
 my reflections upon an art for which 
 
 I have 
 
INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 I have always had the greateft love. 
 In the defign I propofe, I am not 
 moved by the paflion of cenfure ; a 
 paffion I deteft ; nor by the defire of 
 telling new things, a defire I think at 
 leaft frivolous. Full of efteem for 
 our artifts , many of whom are of 
 known abilities: I confine myfelf to 
 communicate to them my ideas and 
 my doubts, of which I defire them to 
 make a ferious examination. If I 
 bring to mind real abufes, as certain 
 ufages univerfally received amongft 
 them, I do not pretend that they {hould 
 refer themfelves to my opinion only, 
 which I fubmit frankly to their critical 
 judgment. I only requeft, they will 
 diveft themfelves of certain prejudices 
 too common, and always hurtful to 
 the progrefs of the arts. 
 
 Don't let them fay that not being 
 
 of their profeflion I cannot Tpeak of it 
 
 with fufficient knowledge : it is aflured- 
 
 A 4 ly 
 
8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ly the moft vain of difficulties. Wc 
 daily judge of tragedies without having 
 ever made verfes. The knowledge of 
 rules is not prohibited to any body, al- 
 tho' the execution is given but to fome. 
 Let them not oppofe me with refpec- 
 table authorities, without being infal- 
 lible. It would undo all only to judge 
 of what ought to be by what is. The 
 greateft have fometimes erred. It is 
 not therefore a fure means of avoiding 
 error to take always their example for 
 a rule. Don't let them interrupt me 
 by pretended impoffibitities : idlenefs 
 finds many of them, when reafon fees 
 none. I am perfuaded that thofe of 
 Gur architedls that have a true zeal 
 for the perfection of their art, will ac- 
 cept of my good- will. They will find, 
 perchance in this writing, refledions 
 that had efcaped them. If they make a 
 folid judgement of them they will not 
 difdain to make ufe of them : this is 
 all I alk cf them. 
 
 Chap- 
 
mow 9 
 
 Chapter I. 
 
 General principles of Archi- 
 teEiure. 
 
 IT is wIthArchitedureaswithail other 
 arts; its principles are founded upon 
 fimple nature, and in the proceedings 
 of this are clearly fliewn the rules of 
 that. Let us confider man in his firft 
 origin without any other help, without 
 other guide, than the natural inftindt 
 of his wants. He wants an abiding 
 place. Near to a gentle flream he per- 
 ceives a green turf, the growing ver- 
 dure of which pleafes his eye, its ten- 
 der down invites him, he appn^aches, 
 and foftly extended upon this enameled 
 carpetjhe thinks of nothing but to enjoy 
 in peace the gifts of nature : nothing he 
 wants, he defires nothing \ but pre- 
 fently the Sun's heat which fcorches 
 him, obliges him to feek a (hade. He 
 
 per- 
 
lo An Efay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 perceives a neighbouring wood, which 
 offers to him the coolnefs of its (hades: 
 he runs to hide himfelf in its thickets 
 and behold him there content. In the 
 mean time a thoufand vapours raifed 
 by chance meet one another, and ga- 
 ther themfelves together s thick clouds 
 obfcure the air, a frightful rain throws 
 itfelf down as a torrent upon this de- 
 licious foreft. The man badly covered 
 by the fhade of thefe leaves, knows 
 not how to defend himfelf from this 
 invading moiflure that penetrates on 
 every part. A c^ve prefents itfelf to 
 his view, he Aides into it, and finding 
 himfelf dry applauds his difcovery. 
 But new defedls make him diflike his 
 abode, he fees himfelf in darknefs, 
 he breathes an unhealthful air; he 
 goes out of it refolved to fupply by 
 his induftry the inattentions and neg- 
 lefts of nature. The man is willing 
 to make himfelf an abode which co- 
 vers but not buries him. Some bran- 
 ches 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSfiire^, ii 
 
 rhes broken down in the foreft arc 
 the proper materials for his defign. 
 He chafes four of the ftrongeft, which 
 he raifes perpendicularly and which 
 he difpofes into a fquare. Above he 
 puts four others acrofs, and upon 
 thefe he raifes fome that incline from 
 both fides. This kind of roof is co- 
 vered with leaves put together, fo that 
 neither the fun nor the rain can pe- 
 netrate therein ; and now the man is 
 lodged. Indeed cold and heat will 
 *make him feniible of their inconveni- 
 ences in his houfe, open on every part; 
 but then he will fill up between the 
 fpace of the pillars, and will then find 
 himfelf fecure. Such is the flep of 
 fimple nature : It is to the imitation of 
 her proceedings, to which art owes its 
 birth. The little ruftic cabin that I 
 have juft defcribed, is the model upon 
 which all the magnificences of archi- 
 tedure have been imagined, it is in 
 coming near in the execution of the 
 
 fimplicity 
 
12 An EJfay en Architedlure. 
 
 fimplicity of this firft model, that we 
 avoid all eflential defeds, that wc 
 lay hold on true perfeftion. Pieces 
 of wood raifed perpendicularly, give 
 us the idea of columns. The hori- 
 fontal pieces that are laid upon them, 
 afford us the idea of entablatures. In 
 fine the inclining pieces which form 
 the roof give us the Idea of the pedi- 
 ment. See then what all the mafters 
 of art have confefTed. But then we 
 ought here to be very much on our 
 guard. Never principle was more 
 fruitful in confequences. It is eafy 
 from hence to diftinguifli the part that 
 enters eflentially into the compofition 
 of an order of architediure, from thofe 
 which are introduced only by necef- 
 fity, or which have not been added 
 thereto but by caprice. It is in the 
 effential parts that all the beauties 
 confifl: ; in the part , added thereto 
 by caprice, coniift all the defcvSs : 
 this requires explaining. I am endea- 
 
 vouring 
 
An Efay on ArchiteSlure. 13 
 
 vouring to throw all the light upon it 
 poffible. 
 
 Do not let us lofe fight of our 
 little ruflic cabin. I can fee nothing 
 therein, but columns, a floor or entabla- 
 ture i a pointed roof whofe two ex- 
 tremities each of them forms what we 
 call a pediment. As yet there is no 
 arch, ftill lefs of an arcade, nopedeftal, 
 no attique, no door, even nor window. 
 I conclude then with faying, in all 
 the order of architedure, there is only 
 the column, the entablature, and the 
 pediment that can eflentially enter into 
 this compofition. If each of thcfe 
 three parts are found placed in the 
 fituation and with the form which is 
 neceflary for it, there will be nothing 
 to add 3 for the work is perfedtly done. 
 There is remaining with us in France 
 a very fine monument of the ancients, 
 it is what they call at Nifines the 
 AjUare houfe, connoifi^eurs or not con- 
 
 noilTeurs, 
 
14 An Effay on ArchiteSiure-. 
 
 ttoifleurs, everybody admires this beau- 
 tiful building : What is the reafon ? 
 becaufe all therein is agreeable to the 
 true principles of architedure. A long 
 fijuare, wherein thirty columns fupport 
 an entablature, and a roof terminated 
 at the two extremities by a pediment, 
 this is all it contained ; this colledlion 
 hath fuch a fimplicity and grandeur 
 that ftrikes every eye. Let us enter 
 then into a detail of the effential parts 
 of an order of architedture. 
 
 ^ II <i <? II ^ 
 
 1^ ^ t 
 
 Article 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteSiure. 15 
 
 Article L 
 
 l%e Column. 
 
 I ft, A Column ought to be cxadly 
 jljL perpendicular; becaufe being 
 defigned to fupport all the weight, it is 
 the perfed: line that gives it its ftrength. 
 2dly, The column ought to be de- 
 tached, to exprefs more naturally its ori- 
 gin and defign. 3dly, The column 
 fhould be round, as nature forms no- 
 thing fquare. 4thly,The column fhould 
 have its diminution from the bottom 
 to the top, as imitating nature, Mrhich 
 gives this fort of dimunition to all 
 plants, 5thly, A column {hould bear 
 immediately upon the pavement, as the 
 pillars of the ruftic cabin bear imme- 
 diately upon the ground. All thefe 
 rules are found juftified in our model. 
 We (hould therefore look on every 
 thing as defedive, which deviates 
 from thence without a real neceffity. 
 
 ift 
 
1 6 An EJfay on Architedlure. 
 
 J- 
 
 ift Defect is when inftcad of 
 detaching the columns, they hold 
 them engaged in the wall. Moft cer- 
 tainly the column lofes infinitely of 
 its grace, if the leaft obftacle takes 
 from it, or takes from its circumfe^ 
 rence, we would live in covered places 
 and not in open halls: Then there 
 is a neceffity to fill up the fpaces be- 
 tween the columns, and by confe- 
 quence the columns are engaged. In 
 this cafe this engagement of the co- 
 lumn would not be looked upon as a 
 defeft, it will be a Hcence authorifed 
 by neceffity : But it is always to be re- 
 membred, that every licence declares 
 an imperfedion^ that we muft ufc 
 them difcreetly, and in an impoffi- 
 bility only of doing better. When 
 we are obliged to engage the columns, 
 we (hould engage them as little as 
 poffible, a fourth part at moft and 
 ftill lefs, fo that even in their ufe they 
 may ahvays retain fomething of that 
 
 air 
 
Att EJfay on ArchifeBure, ly 
 
 air of freedom and difengagement, 
 which gives them fo much grace. 
 We {hould always avoid the (hame- 
 ful neceflity of ufing engaged co- 
 lumns. The beft way would be to 
 referve columns for porticos, where 
 they may be perfedly difengaged, and 
 always to fupprefs them, wherein we 
 are conftrained by neceflity to fix them 
 againft a wall : In fhort whenever 
 we are fubje€led to this convenience, 
 which prevents difengaging the co- 
 lumn, to let it be entirely feen. Can 
 we believe that the portal of St. Gervais 
 would not be more perfedl, if the 
 columns of the Doric order were de- 
 tached as thofe are of the fuperior or- 
 4ers ? Was there any thing impofli- 
 ble in it ? It is having very little hu- 
 e^an refped:, to dare to cenfure a 
 work, that the public has always been 
 accuftomed to look upon as a maflier- 
 piece without a fault. In expofino- 
 the imperfeflions of this edifice, I ac- 
 B quire 
 
1 8 An EJfay on ArchiteSfure. 
 
 quire the right of not fparing any 
 other, without wounding the fondnefs 
 of every one that it may affedt. You 
 will fee then I fliali fpeak without re- 
 ferve. After what I have been faying 
 one will not be fo furprifed, that con- 
 noilTeurs fet fo little a value upon the 
 portal of the Jefuits church in St. An- 
 tony 's-ftreet. Without reckoning the 
 other faults, which are there to be 
 found in great numbers, the three or- 
 ders of columns engaged make a moil 
 difagreeable effedt. It is not there, as 
 iVIr Cordemoi has ingenuoufly confef- 
 ' fed, that an architecture in baffo relie- 
 vo wherein the cleareft fight will not 
 pleafe its felf. I have often groaned at 
 the madnefs of fome architects for the 
 attached columns, but I fliould never 
 have thought that it could enter into 
 the mind of man to engage columns 
 one in another 5 there is not a more 
 monftrous and infupportable defeft. 
 Novices themfelves in the art do agree 
 
 in 
 
j/ln BJfay on Archite5Jure. 19 
 
 in this ; neverthelefs this fault is found 
 repeated upon all the fronts of the in- 
 ward court of the Louvre. So grofs a 
 blunder in fo great a work may be 
 placed in the rank of the humiliations 
 of the human mind* 
 
 2d Defect. This is in the 
 place of round pillars to employ fquare 
 pilafters. Pilafters are but a bad re- 
 prefentation of columns. Their angles 
 declare the narrownefs of the art^ and 
 deviate fenfibly from the fimplicity of 
 nature. There is in them lively and 
 incommodious ftops that obftrud: the 
 view. Their furfaces without the 
 roundings give a flat air to the whole 
 order. They are not fufceptible of 
 that diminution that makes one of the 
 greateft harmonies of the column. 
 Wherever they are made ufe of th« 
 columns would be ufed with as much 
 advantage. We ought then to look 
 upon them as a low innovation, which 
 B 2 not 
 
20 jin Effay on ArchiteSiure. 
 
 not being founded in nature in any 
 manner could not be adapted but by 
 ignorance, and is not yet allowed of 
 but by cuftom. The tafte of pilafters 
 has prevailed every where: alas! where 
 are they not found ? Neverthelefs to 
 get rid of this tafte, one need only re- 
 La upon the grand effe<ft, that the 
 columns always produce, an effeft, 
 which is er;tirely deftroyed by pila- 
 ftres. Change the joint columns of 
 the portico of the Louvre, and you will 
 rob 'it of all its beauty. Compare the 
 two fides of this magnificent portico 
 with the pavilions in the front that 
 tenpinates it, what a difference is 
 there ! there is not a valet or any fer- 
 vant who does not enquire why the 
 pavilions were not finifhed as the reft 
 of the work. This regret is infpired 
 by the tafte of what is truly beautiful, 
 a natural ufte of all the world. It is 
 the fame order of architedure which 
 governs upon all the fronts : but the 
 . ,,. portico 
 
An Ejfay on ArchtteSture. 21 
 
 portico expofes columns, the pavi- 
 lions prefent pilafters : This variety a - 
 lone fuffiices to trouble all the plea fu re, 
 that a more uniform coUedion would 
 have occalioned. In entering into the 
 fpaces of the chapel of Verfailles, 
 every one is ftruck with the beauty of 
 the columns, with the fmartnefs of the 
 intercolumnation ; but as foon as one 
 arrives at the fpring of the round point, 
 there is no body who may not fee with 
 chagrin that fine train of columns ii^- 
 terrupted by a flovcnly pilafter. We 
 muft therefore conclude that the ufe 
 of pilafters is one of the greateft 
 abufes that has been introduced into 
 architecSure ; and as one abufe never 
 comes alone, they have given us fold- 
 ed pilafters in the angles, pilafters 
 arched in the circular plans, hidden 
 pilafters confounding one in the other. 
 The pilafter is a trifle that they put 
 to all fort of ufes. They marry it 
 m\}ci the column, and it feems as if 
 B 3 placed 
 
tZ' An Efay on ArchiteSfure. 
 
 placed there as an infeparable compa- 
 nion : was there ever a more ridiculous 
 allotment ? Of what ufe is this pila- 
 fter engaged behind a detached co- 
 lumn ? Indeed I know nothing of 
 it, and I defy them to give one rea- 
 fon for it. Is there any fenfe in unit- 
 ing two things fo incompatible ? The 
 <:olumn has its diminution, the pila- 
 fter cannot have any 5 from whence it 
 happens that this' will appear either 
 too ftrait at bottom, or too large at top. 
 Is there any fpace to fill up ? It is fil- 
 led up with a pilafter. Is there any 
 defect to hide, any place to enrich ? 
 There is a half or a quarter of a pi- 
 lafter cut. The ancients were not 
 more fcrupulous than the moderns 
 upon th:s article. They even have 
 fometimes fhewn lefs delicacy than 
 thefe : for they have made porticos 
 alternatively ojixed wdth columns 
 and pilallers. In a word the pilafter 
 is a thing I cannot bear with. This 
 
 averfion 
 
An EJfay on Architetlure. 23 
 
 averfion was born with me : The more 
 I have ftudied architedture, the more 
 I have found in it true principles 
 wherewith to juftify in myfelf this 
 averfion. They make ufe of pilafters ; 
 (hall one fay to avoid the expence of 
 columns ? I anfwer if we are gover- 
 ned only by the confideration of ex- 
 penfe, there remains the part only of 
 fupprdffing every order of architedlure. 
 One may without this help form build- 
 ings which fhall have beauty. But If 
 we would make ufe of the great orders 
 of architedlure, I (hall never pardon 
 the retrenching the column, which is 
 their moft eflential part. 
 
 3d Defect. This Is inftead of the 
 ordinary diminution of the columns to 
 give them a fwelling about the third of 
 the height of their (hank. I do not be- 
 lieve nature ever produced any thing to 
 juftify this fwelling. Let us do juftice 
 to our artifts. It is a long time fince 
 B 4 that 
 
^4 ^^ E^ay on ArchifeBure. 
 
 that the fluted pillars have been jprac- 
 tifed, there are none to be found in 
 our latefl works. The ruftic co- 
 lumns are no lefs vicious than the 
 fluted. Phillibertof Ormus, who was 
 a g eat admirer, of them and who has 
 filled the palace of the Tuilleries with 
 them, had not fo pure a tafl:e that 
 his authority ought to efl:ablifli their 
 admittance. This great man deferved 
 dillii guifhed praifes. Architedlure 
 will always reckon him amongfl; th^ 
 number of the mofl: excellent mafters. 
 It is to him we owe the revival of this 
 fine art amongfl: us, but his works 
 fl:ill tafle of the depravity of former 
 ages. The rufl:ic columns are but a- 
 capricious imagination. It is not an 
 entire column that one fees ; they are 
 different cut pieces of columns, heaped 
 one upon another in an unequal mo- 
 del, the efl^ed: of which has fomething 
 pitiful and extremely harfh. The 
 fine palace of Luxemburg is not in- 
 
 difl^erently 
 
^n EJfay on Architedfiin. 125 
 
 -differently disfigured by thefe ruftic co- 
 lumns. The twifted columns are ftill 
 worfe. He that invented them had 
 undoubtedly ability, for thefe required 
 a great deal to execute them well ; but 
 if he had had tafte and judgment, 
 moft certain he would not have takeh 
 fo much pains to execute fo ridiculous 
 an imagination. The twifted cc>- 
 lumns are in truth in architecture, 
 what in human bodies is called a leg 
 broken in wreftling, but the Angula- 
 rity of it has at firft given pleafure to 
 fome who were enemies to the natu- 
 ral taile. They have thought the 
 work fine, becaufe it vvas difficult. 
 Others ftill of a lower tafte have given 
 us pieces of columns ftraight, upon 
 which they have miferably enchafed 
 the two thirds of a column twifted. 
 Others in ftiort enfnared by the fame 
 tafte, but overcome by the difficulty 
 of the execution, have been defirous 
 to fatisfy themfeives in twifting the 
 
 chan- 
 
26 jin EJfay on Arcbiteclure. 
 
 channelling of an upright column. 
 Thefc extravegancies have above all 
 been effeded in repairs of altars. 
 I admire the canopies of St. Peter's at 
 Rome, of the Val de Grace and the 
 invalids, but I (Lall never forgive the 
 great men that have given the delign 
 of them, for having made ufe of the 
 tv/ifted columns. Do not let us run 
 into the counterfeit brillant^ it only 
 proves the want of genius; let us con- 
 fine ourfelves to the fimple and natu- 
 ral, it is the only path of beauty. 
 
 4th Defect. This is in the 
 room of making the columns r.eft im- 
 mediately upon the pavement, to hoift 
 them upon pedeftals. The columns 
 being, if I may fay fo, the legs of the 
 edifice, it is abfurd to give them other 
 legs. The pedeftals of which I fpeak 
 have been invented through v^ant. 
 When they have had columns that 
 Were too fhort^ they have taken the 
 
 method 
 
An Effay on ArchiteBure. 27 
 
 method of mounting them on fcaf- 
 folds to fapply their want of elevation. 
 The fame inconvenience has made 
 them have recourfe to double pedeftals, 
 when one only was not fufficiont. 
 Nothing can give to architedure a 
 more heavy and ridiculous air than 
 thefe enormous and angular maifeys, 
 that they make ufe of as a furbafe 
 to the column. The portico of the 
 palace of Soubife is intolerable, be- 
 caufe of the frightful pedeftals : and 
 if the columns touched the bottom, 
 it would be a charming work. The 
 columns may bear upon a continued 
 mafly wail, that is to fay upon the 
 foot of a pedeftal without a bafe, with- 
 out corniCh, and of a middle height ; 
 and this always when we build a porx 
 ticowhofe interior pavement is higher 
 than the pavement of the place that 
 the portico furrounds. Far from 
 blaming this pradice, I am perfuaded 
 that it will h^ve great fuccefs. The 
 
 columns 
 
28 An EJfay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 columns may alfo fometimes bwr 
 tach of them upon a little feparate 
 bafe, when the fpaces between the 
 columns are filled up by a fupported 
 balluftrade, asthefpace of the chapel 
 of Verfailles, iand in the portico of 
 the Louvre. This fecond manner is 
 iefs perfect : it would even be deficient, 
 if it was not excufed through thene cef- 
 fity of placing a fupported balluftradc 
 ^o a portico which is found raifed to 
 the firft ftory. But when upon a level 
 they place pedeftals under the columns, 
 it is a fault nothing can excufe. The 
 altars of our churches offer mofl of 
 them this ridiculous fpedtacle. They 
 would have columns there ; it would 
 have cofl too much to have them of 
 a model great enough, to make them 
 bear immediately upon the pavement, 
 from thence arofe the neceflity of pe- 
 deflals. At the principal altar of the 
 Jefuits church in St. Antony' s-flreet, 
 -one fees for that reafon columns 
 
 raifed 
 
r 
 
 An Ejayi on ArchiteSlure. 29 
 
 raifed upon two pedeftals, one upon 
 the other. I fhall not recite, but this 
 time, this monftrous performance. 
 All that one can fay for- it, i^ that of 
 all the grofs faults made in architedure 
 there has not been one therein that 
 has been forgot. In a word pedeftals 
 are only good to fupport a ftatue, and 
 it is an eflential want of tafte to appoint 
 them for any other ufe. Let what 
 will be faid, that pedeftals have been 
 admitted in all times, that Vitruviusi 
 and all his commentators have afligped 
 to every order his own : That in the 
 fineft pieces of ancient edifices are 
 found fome of them ; I have my prin- 
 ciple, from which I will never depart. 
 Every invention which is againft na- 
 ture, or for which one cannot give a 
 folid reafon, had flie the greateft ap- 
 provers, is a bad invention, and we 
 rovift profcribe it. 
 
 Article- 
 
30 An EJfay on Architecture . 
 
 Article II. 
 The Entablature. 
 
 THE entablature is the fecondot- 
 jed: that prefents itfelf in the 
 model of our ruftic cabin. The 
 pieces placed horizontally upon the ver- 
 tical pillars to form a floor are repre- 
 fented, as we name them, the entabla- 
 ture. Now in not wandring from 
 our model we (hall conclude ift, That 
 the entablature (hould always reft upon 
 the columns in plat-band. 2ldy, That 
 in its length it ought not to form any 
 angle or recefs: from thence follows 
 the condemnation of the following: 
 defeds. 
 
 ift Defect is, inftead of giv- 
 ing the entablature the true form of 
 a floor only fupported by the detached 
 columns, to fupport It by great arches. 
 A pradiice too common in our churches 
 and elfewhere. Thefe arches are vi- 
 cious. 
 
An Ejfay on Architediure. 31 
 
 cious, ift, Becaufe they make fquare 
 pillars and impoftes neceffary, the fo- 
 lidity of which attached to the co- 
 lumns, robs them of that difengaged 
 air in which their principal beauty 
 confifts, ana gives to all the work a 
 heavy air. 2dly, Becaufe thefe fquare 
 pillars fall a^ain into the inconve- 
 niency of pilafters. They reprefent 
 to us fquare figures, angles and ftops, 
 figures which deviate from the natu- 
 ral one, which feels the conflraint, 
 and the firft view of which cannot 
 have that native grace of the perfe<a: 
 roundings of the columns. 3dly, Be- 
 caufe thefe arcades are here found 
 made ufe of againft nature. The ar- 
 cades are vaults. Vaults ought always 
 to be fupported, and can never fervc 
 as a fupport. Now thefe arcades here 
 only ferve to bear the entablature. For 
 if this is not their deftination, of what 
 ufe can they be ? 4thly, Becaufe thefa 
 arcades by their fwcUing force the co- 
 
 lumnS 
 
3 a J,ti EJjay on ArchiteSfure^^ 
 
 lumns to- bear on the ii^e; whicha^ 
 ijill more oppofite to nature, colurnn> 
 not being defigned but to bear pprpen- 
 dicularly. It is then certain that the 
 ajTcades are altogether vicious. 
 
 . I fay more , they are abfolutely 
 unufeful , and the entablature ex- 
 tended in plat-band upon the columns 
 has no want of their help to fupport 
 it, I know if one fliould make a plat- 
 band of too great a length, it would 
 r)ot fupport iifelf, becaufe its fupports 
 woud be too diftant. But what ne- 
 ceffity is there to give the architraves 
 fuch enormous bearings, when the 
 fight of which would be frightful ? 
 why therefore to fpare the columns? 
 a prudent increafe of which would 
 ever be of a, Angular agreement. We 
 l^now in architedure what ought to be 
 the fpace between the columns, that; 
 nothing may be wanting to the foli- 
 dity of the building. Thp ancients 
 
 * have 
 
An Efay on ArchiteSlitre. 33 
 
 have left us upon this fubjedl infallible 
 rules. We have found the fecret of 
 putting ourfelvcs more at large in 
 imagining the coupling the. columns, 
 an happy thought that never occurred 
 to them. Why fhould we exceed at 
 the rifk of fubftituting the heavy and 
 mafly in the room of the elegant and 
 delicate? If it is yet pretended that 
 the architraves in plat-band are con- 
 trary to folidity, I appeal thereupon 
 to the portico of the Louvre and the 
 fpaces of the chapel of Verfailles. 
 Thefe aredemonftrations of the greatefl: 
 weight. We need not be connoifeurs 
 to admire thefe two fine pieces of ar- 
 chitedlure, as exaft, as bold, as folid, 
 as delicate. Tiieir beauty ftrikei all 
 the world, becauie it is natural and 
 true. It is aftonifhing that with fuch 
 models before their eyes our archi- 
 tects turn from them to their miferable 
 arcades. 
 
 » C adiy, 
 
/ 
 
 34 ^^^ ^ff^y ^^^ ArchiteSiure. 
 
 Second Defect. Is when the en- 
 tablature is not in aright Hne, without 
 angles nor recefles. The entablature ' 
 
 .rcprefen'^s the long piece defigned to 
 bear the roof. Have we ever re- 
 fleftedj and would it not be fuperla- 
 tively ridiculous to execute this piece 
 with projedions and receffes ? what ^ 
 neceffity ! what caprice? 1 fay the 
 fame of the entablatures as they ad- 
 vance on the columns, and to retire 
 into the fpaces of the columns. This 
 croud of projeding angles and returns 
 in truth renders the execution more la- 
 borious, biit they declare fuch a va- 
 riety without tafte and without defign. 
 
 * Thefe inequalities in an entablature 
 continued, are not excufable, but when 
 by the meeting of a projedive or un- 
 equal front it is prudent to have an 
 interruption there. But if I am not' 
 deceived, the ufe of projedive fronts 
 is nothing lefs than abritrary. Pavi- 
 
 ^ lions difpofed on the length of the fore- 
 front. 
 
An Bjjay on ArchiteSiure. 35 
 
 front, add which arc, as fo many 
 little buildings detached from the body 
 of the principal apartment, are the 
 only legitimate projedlive or unequal 
 fronts that I know of, all the reft are 
 pure caprice. Becaufc we have re- 
 marked the good efedt that thefe un- 
 equal fronts make in a great building, 
 of which I have been juft fpeaking, 
 one may believe, that one might fol- 
 low fancy, -ia every thing that rcr 
 lates to fronts 3 afid the unequal fronts 
 become in the hands of indifferent 
 architects an ornament of ^efource for 
 every occafion wherein one would 
 avoid monotony. It is certainly an 
 abufe. I return from thence to my 
 great principle: that one fhould n^ver 
 put any thing in a building for which 
 we cannot give a folid reafon : And^the 
 idea that many people have in things 
 of tafte only, that a fevere logic is 
 not neceffary, it is the moft fatal of 
 all prejudices. 
 
 C 2 Arti- 
 
36 An EJfay on Architediure. 
 
 Al\TICLE III. 
 
 Upon the Pediment. 
 
 THE pediment is the laft piece 
 of the edifice, it reprefents the 
 ridge of the roof; it therefore cannot 
 be but upon the breadth of the build- 
 ing. Its form is effentially triangular, 
 it ought always to be placed above 
 the entablature. Let us. then refolve 
 to avoid the following defedts. 
 
 Firfl Defect. This is to make 
 a pediment upon the length of the 
 building, fince the pediment is only 
 the reprefentation of the ridge of the 
 roof, it ought to be placed confor- 
 mable to the objedl it reprefents. Now 
 the^ *idge of the roof is always taken 
 upon the largenefs or breadth, and 
 never from the length of the building. 
 I would have our architedls refled: a 
 little upon this reafoning, which is 
 
 fim- 
 
An E/fay on Architetlure. 37 
 
 fimplicity itfelf, and it will never 
 happen to them to place in the midfl 
 of long frontifpieces prepofterous im- 
 pediments which iignify nothing. 
 They think of giving more agreement 
 in thus interrupting the uniformity; 
 but let them know that in all arts it is 
 to offend againfl: the rules of it, only 
 to put any thing fuperfluous. It is 
 with regret I always obferve that the 
 great man who gave us the plan of the 
 Louvre, forgot himfelf fo much as to 
 raife a great pediment in the middle. 
 This pediment is as much more ill 
 placed here, as the balluftrade that 
 governs above the entablature, or ne- 
 cefTarily declaring an edifice covered 
 with a flat ro;f: All that the idea of a 
 roof calls into .ones mind becomes 
 herein very fhocking. A much greater 
 incovenience ftill Is, that the balluf- 
 trade is found cut by this pediment, 
 and is united thereto in a moft ridicu- 
 lous manner. At leaft they have 
 C 3 ' avoided 
 
38 An Ejjay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 avoided the horrid fault that fom^^ 
 have committed in making their bal- 
 luftrade to climb up to the inclining 
 plans of the pediment that it meets 
 with. What fhall I fay of that row 
 of pediments which crown the gal- 
 lery of the Louvre, but that is a very 
 flat imitation of the german roofs ? I 
 don't fee many pediments that are al- 
 lowable, excepting thofe which cover 
 the portal of a church. There they 
 are found in their proper pofition ; inr 
 all other places they are generally mif- 
 placed, becaufe the triangular roofs are 
 of no ufe therein. 
 
 Second Defect. To make pedi- 
 ments which are not triangular. The 
 roof always terminates in a point 
 rnore or lefs fharp / the pediment 
 which is the reprefentation of it ought 
 ftriftly to imitate this form. Then the 
 arched pediments are againft nature ^ 
 therefore with ftill more reafon broken 
 . . pedi- 
 
I 
 
 An Ejfay on Architediure. 39 
 
 pediments are deteftable, iince they be- 
 Ipeak a roof covered within: Then 
 with more reafon yet pediments are 
 of all frenfies the moft confummate. 
 
 Third Defect is to place pe- 
 diments one above the other, nothing 
 is more abfurd than this pradtice. A 
 pediment below fuppofes a roof, a pe- 
 diment above fuppofes alfo a roof: 
 behold then two roofs one upon the 
 pther. The portal of St. Gervais hath 
 this defeat, which leiTens very much 
 its merit, how great foever the preju- 
 dice may be in favour of this edifice, 
 I don't believe, after the reafon I have 
 been juft giving, that any fenlible 
 man can approve the double pedi- 
 ment above and below^ as I have ob- 
 ferved. It is riiuch worfe ftill, when 
 the pediment is found under the en- 
 tablature. To make this ufe of it, is 
 to put the roof into the houfe and the 
 floor above the roof. Neverthelefs, 
 C 4 how 
 
40 An Effhy on ArchiteSiure. 
 
 how many of thefe examples don't wc 
 find! How many doors, how*many 
 windows covered with thefe ridiculous 
 pediments ! 
 
 K?% P^^ ^is) 
 
 m 
 
 Article 
 
An Efjay on ArchileBiire. 41 
 
 Article IV, 
 
 Of the different Jiories of 
 ArchiteEiure. 
 
 THERE isfometimer: a neceility 
 of placing many orders of ar- 
 chitecture one upon another, whether 
 it be that the ftru6lure we build ought 
 to have different ftories, or that be- 
 caufe, when even we (liould not be 
 obliged to have more than one ftory, 
 convenience or fome other motive ce- 
 quires an elevation, to which one or- 
 der of Archited:ure is not fufficient. 
 In this cafe the orders placed one 
 upon the other, becomes a licence 
 that is authorifed by neceflity, and 
 in which nothing is blamable, pro- 
 vided that we obferve the following 
 rules : 
 
 Firft, We muft retrench from the 
 inferior orders, all that carries in it the 
 
 repre- 
 
42 An EJjay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 reprefentation or idea of a roof 5 from 
 hence above all things the pediments 
 ought to difappear , as well as the 
 brackets , dentils , triglyphs or the 
 corbels, which, agreeable to the opinion 
 of all the g?eat mafters, reprefent the 
 extremities of different pieces of car- 
 pentry. To admit them is a fault 
 againft good rules, and a fault as much 
 more grofs, as nothing obliges one to 
 commit it. I will go further, and 
 I do pretend that we fhould alfp re- 
 trench of the inferior order all parts 
 of the entablature, that is called frife 
 and cornifh , that there may be left 
 only a fimple architrave, and for this 
 reafon it is that the great projedion 
 of the cornifhes was invented only to 
 ferve as a fupport to the advance- 
 ments of the roof, defigned to throw 
 off from the wall the fall of the water. 
 It is then certain that every cornilh 
 refte<5ls the idea of a roof, and eon- 
 fequently that it ought not to take 
 
 place 
 
An Ejjay on ArchiteSlure. 43 
 
 place but in the higheft ftory. Other- 
 wife the great projection of the cor- 
 niili.es cuts too (harply, perplexes the 
 harmony, and offers no more than fe- 
 parate parts, from whence there re- 
 fults not an entire one. The column 
 and entablature entire make a com- 
 plete building. If then the entabla- 
 ture is entire at every ftory, this wouU 
 form feveral complete buildings raifed" 
 one upon another. Inftead of which' 
 if every ftory have but one fimple 
 Architrave; the entire entablature is 
 referved for the lad ftory j then there 
 will be connedion and unity, and thef 
 different parts will then really compofe 
 an entire one. The projedion of the 
 corniihes hath in itfelf great inconve- 
 niencies : The water refts thereuport, 
 and in procefs of time makes the 
 greatefl dcftrudion. The confequenee 
 of this is a heavineis, which renders 
 the building exceffively maffy or in- 
 fallibly ruinous. The new portal of 
 
 St. 
 
44- Af^ mf^y on Arthite£lure. 
 
 St. Sulpicius proves but toj evidently 
 the truth of what I advance. The 
 firll doric entablature, the cornifh of 
 which has an enormous projection, is 
 found f ibjected tj all the inconvenien- 
 encies I have mentioned. The tours 
 which have to every ftory a complete 
 entablature, rcfemble nothing fo little 
 as tours : the two corniOies interrupt, 
 feparate, and disfigare the whole. So 
 that though practice be almofl: univer- 
 fally contrary it could be wifhed, that 
 whwn they would place order upon 
 order, to terminat:^ all the inferior 
 orders, by one fiaiple architrave, 
 which being the reprefentation of a 
 floor fliews very naturally the di- 
 viiion of the flories. At moft would 
 it be admitted to add thereto fomc 
 members of cornKli.s, as a quarter of 
 around, a filet, and an ogee 3 in or- 
 der to draw nearer a liitle lefs the ba- 
 fes of the fuperior columns and the 
 capitals of the inferior ones. 
 
 Second, 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSlure. 45 
 
 Second, W e (hould always have the 
 caution to place the heavieft order at 
 bottom and the lighteit at top. It_ is 
 nature that dictates this rule, and 
 pradiice is generally conformable there- 
 to. One may then, according to ne- 
 ceflity, make compofitions, from two 
 to three, four to five orders of archi- 
 tedlure. But at laft when we fliail 
 be arrived to the laft, which alone we 
 ought to have its entablature complete, 
 I cannot fee what can fignify the 
 ordinary and fuperaboandlngof a half 
 ftory under the nameof Attic, nothing 
 is more unformed and -more defec- 
 tive in its proportions than this: Attic. 
 It brings to mind only th^ poor idea 
 of fome loovres^, that have been pierced 
 through the roof,becaufc ab')vc the cor- 
 nifh there is only the rovf. TThis Attic 
 then can only disfigure entirely an edi- 
 fice, in crowning ic in a pitiful end 
 ignoble manner. The great front of 
 tlie palace of Vcrfailles towards the 
 
 gar- 
 
46 j4n EJfay on ArchtteSiure. 
 
 gardens is not to be born with, be- 
 caufe of the miferable Attic which ter- 
 minate it from one end to the other. 
 They had only to diminifh it. and to 
 have placed the balluftrade immediately 
 upon thecornifli,theeyeand tafte would 
 have been fatisfied. If it is objected 
 that v^irhout ah Attic fo long a front 
 would not have had fufficient height: I 
 anfwer thiy need only have added a fe- 
 cond order above the firft, and there 
 would have been allthe neceflary height. 
 
 Thirdly, As often as there are ftories 
 to a building, there fliould be as many 
 orders of architecture as there are fto- 
 ries : be'caufe if one order only in- 
 clofe many ftories, then the ftories 
 would properly be only as little rooms 
 or lodgments between the floors', 
 which is moft miferable. It is the 
 architedtrave only that gives the idea 
 of a floor, then it would be neceflary 
 to have a new architrave for every 
 
 floor, 
 
An Efay on ArchiteSiure. 47 
 
 floor, and confequently a new order of 
 Architedure. They have followed 
 jiterally this rule for the fronts of the 
 interior courts of the Louvre, and for 
 that of the palace of the Tuilleries : 
 but they have ridiculoufly deviated 
 from it in the pavilions added to this 
 ancient palace, and in the building 
 in return, v^hich forms the great gal- 
 lery upon the river. It is very 
 £ngular, that being willing to length- 
 en the front of the Tuilleries by the 
 help of thefe pavilions, they have af~ 
 fefted to employ a fort of Archi- 
 tedl:ure, which has no connexion with 
 that of the ancient building ; there 
 was wanting but a very little good 
 fenfe to avoid a contrail fo fingular 
 and fo contradicting. There have 
 been architedls, who not content to 
 put two ftories under one order of 
 •architedture, but have increafed their 
 folly even to place a litde ordef 
 of architedtiire under a greater. It 
 
 is 
 
48 An EJfay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 is as if they built one houfe within 
 another. The porch of St. Peier's 
 church at Rome furnin:;es this ex- 
 ample of bad tafte ; it is found again 
 in the great lobby of St. Sulpicius, 
 and many other places beiides. 
 
 Fourthly, In placing two orders one 
 upon another, we fiiould avoid the 
 falfe bearings which are* of all the 
 vices the moft oppofite to nature 5 
 it is then neceflary that the axes of 
 the fuperior and inferior columns an- 
 fwer to the right line, and do not 
 make but one perpendicular line. 
 One fees fometimes a thick column 
 underneath, which carries upon it two 
 lefs above : This is one of the groffeft 
 faults ; there fliould not be in the fu- 
 perior order neither more nor lefs co- 
 lumns than in the inferior order* 
 Here I find myfelf conflrained to op- 
 pofc myfelf againft the domes upon 
 architecture, with which fo many 
 
 people 
 
An Ejfay on Archite&ure. 49 
 
 people are in love. Let what will be 
 faid in their favour, it will always be 
 true, that it is a monftrous thing td 
 fee an entire periftyle of columns, 
 born by four great arcades which 
 afford them but a falfe foundation, be- 
 caufe it is from a cave or hollow. 
 All Architects agree that the void 
 ought to be upon the void, and the 
 full upon the full. Now domes with 
 an order of ArchiteSure always put 
 before us the full upon the void. If 
 they will have domes made, let them 
 execute them in another manner than 
 they do. An archited: will give an idea 
 of his genius, if he invents a manner 
 of building them, which prefcrves their 
 agreement in avoiding the infupport^ 
 table fault of falfe- bearings. If the 
 thing is not poffible they had better 
 not to make them. I ought yet to 
 take notice here, that when we build 
 domes, we ought as to the exterior 
 part to let no roof appear, for it is uni- 
 D verfally 
 
£0 An Efay on ArchiteSiure. 
 
 verfally ridiculous to prefent to us a 
 tower built upon the carpenters work 
 of a foof. The dome of the Jefuits 
 church in St. Antony's-ftreet, befides 
 a thoufand other defeds, offends in 
 this point in the moft obftinate man- 
 ner. In fpeaking of the falfe-bearings 
 I {hould not forget to oppofe thofe 
 pieces of Architecture which bear' 
 upon nothing. Such are the co- 
 lumns in the air fuftained by corbels, 
 by arches that are not fupported by 
 any fquare pillars, and many other 
 fuch boldnefles, which dazzle the ftu- 
 pid only. I was fliewed one day a 
 lobby, fixt upon three arches, fupport- 
 ed in the air in form of a tail-piece. 
 They told me. See here what a bold 
 piece this is. That is true, faid I^ but 
 if your archited, in the place of thefe 
 frightful tail pieces, had made your 
 lobby in plat-band all even, his piece 
 . would not have been lefs bold, and 
 It would ha\e been more natural: it 
 
 would 
 
An Ejjay on Architecture. 5 1 
 
 would have had lefs admirers, but it 
 would have had more honorable ones. 
 In a word all that is againfl: nature may 
 be particular, but will never be beau- 
 tiful. In a building there is a ne- 
 ceflity that all fhould bear from the 
 foundations. See then a rule from 
 which it is never permitted to deviate. 
 
 pgog^QOOcQ 
 
 * II « « II 
 
 ^ ^ ^ 
 
 t 
 
 Arti c l» 
 
5^ -^^ ^D^^y ^^ A^chiteSlOrt^ 
 
 A R T I C L E V. 
 
 Of windows and doors ^ 
 
 A N edifice of detached columns 
 which bear an entablature has 
 no want of doors and windows : but 
 alfo, being open in all parts it is not 
 habitable, the neceffity of preferving 
 one's felf from the injuries of the 
 air, and many other motives ftill more 
 interefting, oblige us to fill up the 
 fpaces between the columns, and from 
 thence doors and windows are necef- 
 fary. Their form ought to be deter- 
 mined by conveniency, and it would 
 be well to join thereto elegancy. The 
 fquare form is the moft fimple and 
 commodious, becaufe then the fold- 
 ing doors open themfelves with a 
 perfedl freedom, without being obliged 
 to concealed arches, the labour of 
 which feelg t09 much art and con- 
 
 ftraint. 
 
j$tt Effay on ArchifeSlure. 53 
 
 ftraint, or to fixed branches which 
 are as little natural. One imagines 
 that in arching the doors and windows 
 above it gives them more grace. But 
 then what happens ? This arch leaves 
 on one part and the other upon the 
 bare wall an irregular figure, that is 
 to fay, a triangle right angle, the two 
 fides of which are right lines, and the 
 hypotheneufe is a curved-line. Thcfe 
 fort of irregular fpaces have always a 
 bad effedtin Archlteilurc. They oblige 
 you toplace therein low ornaments, for 
 which one can give no other reafon, 
 than that they have been placed 
 there to cover a defe(5l. It would 
 be much better to avoid it. Doors 
 of a full arch ought to be referved for 
 triumphal arches, to which ufe they 
 have been confecrated. Any where 
 elfe they are ridiculous. At prefenC 
 there is a fury governs for windows 
 full arched. I doubt one might find ex- 
 amples thereof in the good monuments 
 D 3 ^f . 
 
54 ^^ .mf^y on ArchiteSfum- 
 
 of antiquity, but they are yet more tc^ 
 Icrable than the arched windows with 
 an arch extremely furbafed. Thefe 
 fort of windows very common at this 
 time have almoft all the inconvenien- 
 cies of the full arch, and deviate much 
 more from the natural by the great 
 irregularity of their form. The win^ 
 dows ought always to be under the 
 entablature. If they place them a- 
 hove the cornifh, they are no more 
 than loovers. It is a moft deplorable 
 thing, in almoft all our modern chur^ 
 ches, to find no light therein ; but 
 thefe loovers pierced after this man- 
 ner into the arch. Windows upon the 
 fame right line fhould have all the 
 fame form, and one cannot fee upon 
 what is founded the meannefs of fome 
 architeds who have endeavoured to 
 vary them. Windows and doors en- 
 tring but accidentally into the compo- 
 fition of an order of architecture, ought 
 not to intrench upon the eifential parts. 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSlure. 55 
 
 He that curtailed the architrave 
 of the great collateral pavilions of the 
 palace of the Tuilleries in order to 
 give more elevation to the windows 
 did not know his bufinefs. MonC 
 Perrault has yet unfortunately forgot 
 himfelf, in his magnificent portico of 
 the louvre, when he placed below a 
 great arched door which cuts the fu- 
 perior bafe upon which the columns 
 are placed. 
 
 Hitherto I have run through 
 all the neceflary parts of Architedlure, 
 and I have not met a nich in my 
 road. What then in efFe£t is a nich ? 
 For what ufe is it ? In truth I know 
 none. I cannot believe that good 
 fenfe can be pleafed with looking on 
 a ftatue placed in a window cut as a 
 hollow tower. My antipathy to niches 
 is invincible, and till they have (hewn 
 me the principle and neceffity of it, 
 I (hall lay violent hands upon all thofe 
 D 4 who 
 
56 An Efay on Archifediure. 
 
 who (hallprefent them. A ftatue is not 
 naturally and elegantly placed but 
 upon a pedeftal. Why then to 
 bury it in the hollow of the wall, 
 ^nd to hide thereby the circumfe- 
 rence ? I would fain have them ex- 
 plain what fignifies thqfe fhoulder 
 pieces which commonly flank the top 
 of the fronts of our churches, Thefq 
 corbels pan only r^prefent the fpurs, 
 or fupporters, a difagreeable objecft, 
 which feels too much of pain and 
 labour to expofe it to view. If one 
 could hide all thefe fpurs, where they 
 are of indifpenfable neccflity, we 
 fiiould render to Architedlurc a fignaj 
 fervice, 
 
 I am very fenfible it is dange- 
 rous to oppofe received cuftoms, 
 Our artifts will owe me much re- 
 fentment, if I come to trouble them 
 in the pofleflion, wherein they are, 
 to permit liberties which I condemn, 
 
 Bui 
 
An Efay on Arcbitedfure. 57 
 
 ^t I defire not to facrifice to ideas of 
 prevention or idlenefs principles up- 
 on which depends the true perfec- 
 tion of their art. It will b.e z loft 
 to them indeed to acknowledge that 
 they are miftaken, but when one i$ 
 in a condition to do well as they are, 
 a like conceflion in humbling a little 
 their felf-love only ferves to encou- 
 rage emulation. It is not required 
 that herein we fliould fervilely obey 
 cuftom, or blindly follow a pra6lice. 
 It is requifite to examine if my ideas 
 are juil, if they have not a neceflary 
 connexion with the principles in 
 which all the world is agreed. I 
 have expofcd to them thefe princi^ 
 pies faithfully: I have endeavoured 
 from thence to draw neceflary con- 
 fequences that I have eftabliflied as 
 rules. I have not excluded thofe ex- 
 ceptions that real neceflity authorifes; 
 I have admitted them as licences, 
 which we make ufc of, provided it be 
 
 in. 
 
58 An EJJay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 in a prudent and judicious manner i I 
 have treated boldly a fault, all which 
 having no connexion w^ith the prin- 
 ciples, is not elfewhere authorifed by 
 any neceffity. See then my method. 
 If it is bad, and that it can be proved 
 fo, I fliali make it a duty in me to 
 f eforni it. 
 
 It therefore follows, fay they, that 
 our greateft architeds . have been 
 guilty of the groiTeft faults : there is 
 none of them who have not habi- 
 tually fwerved from the fe verity of 
 your rules ; and if we are to believe 
 you, what we admire as mafter-pieceg 
 would be full of faults. I confefs 
 the objedion is very ftrong. No one 
 hath lefs deiire to tarnifh the reputa- 
 tion of the great maflers of the art. 
 I elleem their talents ; I refped their 
 memory; I have forfhem all the fin- 
 cereft veneration. But after all it 
 would be a blind prejudice to believe 
 
 that 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteSlure, 59 
 
 that all they have done is well, pre- 
 
 cifely becaufe they have done it. In 
 
 fuppoiing that they have been capable 
 
 of committing faults, and that they 
 
 have in efFeft committed them, I only 
 
 acknowledge that they were men. If 
 
 the fe verity of rules which I have juft 
 
 now been fpeaking of, gives room to 
 
 cenfure their beft works, what will 
 
 happen from it ? We fhall go further 
 
 than they have done. The art (hall be 
 
 more perfedt. We fhall imitate their 
 
 beauties, we (hall avoid their defects. 
 
 Rules that will contribute tothisdifco- 
 
 very, are too ufeful for them to reje<ft. 
 
 They will flill cbjedl to me, that 
 I reduce Architecture ahuoft to no- 
 thing, fince excepting columns, en- 
 tablatures, pediments, doors and win-;, 
 dows, I retrench very near all the 
 reft. True it is that I take from 
 Architecture a great deal offuperfluity 
 that I ftrip it of a great many trifles, , 
 
 which 
 
fco Att EJfay on Ar chit cdl art. 
 
 which makes its ordinary parades, 
 that I only leave it what is natural 
 and plain. Biit iiO not let them 
 ^deceive themfclves, I do not take 
 any thing from the architedt nor 
 from his labour, nor from his re- 
 fource. I oblige him always to pro- 
 ceed limply and naturally, never to 
 prefent any thing that hurts art and 
 conftrains it. Thofe who are ma- 
 ilers of their bufincfs will agree, that 
 far from abridging them of their la- 
 bour, I condemn them to a clofe ftu- 
 dy and to an extraordinary precifion. 
 As to the furplus I leave for the architect 
 very great refources. With the little 
 ♦hat I put into his hands, if he has a 
 genius, and a light tille of geometry, 
 Jie will difcover the fccret to vary his 
 plans. infinitely, and to regain by the 
 variety of forms what he lofes on the 
 fide of fuperfluities that I abridge him 
 of. It hath been ages that they 
 |iave combined, always differently the 
 
 fcrcft 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteSiure. 6i 
 
 {tvta tones of mufic, it therefore 
 follows that they have exhauftcd all 
 the combinations of which they were 
 fufceptible. I fay the fame of the 
 parts which make the eflential compo- 
 fition of an order of Architedure, 
 They are in a fmall number, and one 
 may without adding any thing there- 
 to, combine them infinitely. To know 
 how to feize thefe different combina- 
 tions, fources of an agreeable variety 
 is the effeft of genius. One attaches 
 one felf to thefe extraordinary works 
 only becaufe genius is wanting. We do 
 not load a work, but that we have not 
 genius fufficient to render it (imple. 
 
 They may at laft objed to mc 
 that many of the rules that I give, ad- 
 mirable in fpeculation, become im-* 
 poflible in pradice ; for example^, 
 fimple columns are fupports too weak 
 to bear an edifice; and that the ar- 
 chitraves in plat-band are wanting of 
 
 folidity. 
 
6z An EJfay on Archi tenure. 
 
 folidity. I have already brought ex- 
 amples that totally deflroy the ob- 
 jedion. What has been done may 
 be done again. When one confults 
 the portico of the Louvre and the fpa- 
 ces in the chapel of Verfailles, v\re 
 Ihall fee this impoflibility difappear; 
 otherwife why will they advance that 
 columns are fupports too weak? Have 
 they lefs ftrength than pilafters ? Is 
 ftrength more applicable to the fquare 
 figure than the round ? Columns have 
 their proportions demonftrated upon 
 principles of folidity. As foon as 
 they are in a right line, they will bear 
 without effort all that they ought to 
 bear. Why do they aflert that the 
 architraves in plat-band are ruinous 
 They will be fo, if they give to the 
 fpaces between* the columns a breadth 
 againft rules. They will be fo, ifftill 
 againft rule they load them with a 
 mafly wall. But if the fpaces between 
 the columns are well fpaced, if they 
 
 put 
 
'An Efay on ArcbiteSfure. 63, 
 
 put above the architraves what they 
 ought to have, frife and cornifh at the 
 moft, with a light balluftrade fup- 
 ported, there will never be any thing 
 to fear. It is the bare wall that makes 
 all the extraordinary weight. It is the 
 bare wall that takes from architecflure 
 all its grace. The lefs there appears 
 of it, the more beautiful the work is ; 
 and if it does not appear at all, the 
 work will be perfedl. 
 
 >|<X ^ t^ ^ ^*ck 
 
 ^ 4* ♦ ♦ 4* j«9 
 
 Chap- 
 
^4 i^ o ^ 
 
 Chapter II. 
 
 H^e different orders of Archi- 
 teSiure. 
 
 THE number of the orders of 
 Architedure is not abfolutely 
 fixed. The Greeks have no more 
 of them than three. The Romans 
 have reckoned even to five of them, 
 and the French are williiig to add 
 thereto a fixth. As this is an affair 
 of tafte and genius, it naturally appears 
 fit to loave to artifts an entire liberty 
 in this refped:. We are not in a worfe 
 condition than the Greeks and Ro- 
 mans: fince the firft have invented 
 three orders of Architefture, and that 
 thefecond have pretended to add thereto 
 two others of their kind; why lliould 
 it not then be permitted for us to pave 
 a new way according to their example ? 
 It is certain we have a right thereto, 
 and provided that we ufe it with as 
 
 much 
 
An mf^^y on ArchiteSturf. 65 
 
 much fuccefs as the Greeks, we fhall 
 deferve to partake in this point of their 
 true glory. The fadt is that till the 
 prefent time all our efforts have not 
 made any real invention. Perchance 
 we fhall one day fee fome happy ge- 
 nius take a flight, and lead us by un- 
 known ways to the difcovery of a 
 beauty that has efcaped ihe ancients. 
 We will hope all from the bounties of 
 nature, which very likely has not yet 
 diftributcd all her gifts. In taking 
 things in their aftual pofition, it feems 
 to me that we have properly but 
 three orders of Architecture, the Doric, 
 Ionic and Corinthian. They are the 
 only ones wherein one can oblerve in- 
 vention and particular charadter, whihl 
 the Tufcan and Compofite have no- 
 thing but borrowed, and do not differ 
 from the forgoing ones but in a very 
 accidental manner. The Tufcan is only 
 a grofs Doric, and the Compofite 
 an agreeable mixture of the Ionic 
 
 E and 
 
66 jdn EJfay on ArchtteSlure. 
 
 and Corinthian. It is then true, that 
 architecture has only midling obliga- 
 tions to the Romans, and that it owes 
 all that is precious and folid to the 
 Greeks alone. I will not fpeak here 
 of the Gothic and Arabic or Moorifh 
 orders which have governed a long 
 time, they have nothing remarkable 3 
 the one, but its exccffive heavinefs, the 
 ther, but its exceffive lightnefs. There 
 is in both fo little invention, of tafte 
 and exadnefs, that one only looks upon 
 them as the fublifting proofs of the bar- 
 barity that has filled up the fpace of 
 time for ten ages. From the revival 
 of the fine arts our Architecfls have had 
 the noble ambition to immortalize the 
 french name by feme new invention 
 in Archited:ure Phillibert of Orme is 
 he who has made the greateft effort, to 
 penetrate beyond the limits wherein til 
 his time we were conftantly confined. 
 He was defirons of giving uS ane w order, 
 but tho' he v/as otherwife a very able 
 
 man. 
 
An EJfay an ArchiteBure. 67 
 
 man and perchance more able than any 
 one of thofe that have followed him, he 
 has {hewn in the execution of his pro- 
 jedl a great barrennefs of genius. All 
 is reduced to a new compofite ill 
 enough underftood ; for it is generally 
 neglected. It has been long lince 
 remarked, that invention is not our 
 talent. We value ourfelves more 
 for perfcdling the inventions of others, 
 and to improve upon them. How- 
 ever it be, three orders only are our 
 real riches. The Doric is the firft and 
 the heavieft : Defigned for thofe works 
 that require great folidity. The pro- 
 portions thereof are regulated after fuch 
 a manner as to give it the greateft 
 ftrength poflible, without banifhing 
 delicacy. The Corinthian is the laft 
 and the lighted: Defigned for works 
 that require more elegancy^ they have 
 fo regulated the proportions of it, to 
 give it the greateft delicacy poflible, 
 without excluding ftrength. The 
 E z Ionic 
 
68 An EJfay on ArchtteBurf. 
 
 Ionic is between both. It has neither 
 all the folidtiy of the Doric, nor all the 
 elegancy of the Corinthian* It partakes 
 of each. Thefe three orders fo under- 
 ftood feem to fill all the extent of the 
 art, in fupplying all our wants and all 
 our taftes. The Doric and Corinthian 
 are two extremes beyond which one 
 cannot go without meeting on one fide 
 the mafly, on the other the weak. Be- 
 tween thefe two extremes the Ionic 
 gives us a juft and happy medium. See 
 then all the gradation from the folid ta 
 the delicate ingenioufly filled up. It 
 will then be extremely difficult to add 
 any thing to fo happy an invention. 
 
 Article 
 
I 
 
 An Effay en ArchiteSture. 69 
 
 Article I. 
 Of what all the orders of Archi- 
 teElure have in common. 
 
 N all the orders of Architefture 
 the column is compoled of three 
 parts : The bafe, the 'fhaft, and the 
 capital. Pedeftals have been profcribed 
 in the foregoing chapter. Their al- 
 lotment hath been decided once for all. 
 They fhall then ferve to carry ftatues, 
 and never to bear columns. It is not 
 the fame with the bafe, which in every 
 order ought not to be retrenched ; 
 becaufe it fortifies the column at bot- 
 tom, and augments the folidity of it j 
 becaufe the fine effedl of the diminu- 
 tion is more difcernible as well as the 
 difcharge of the column. There is 
 no pretenfe whatever for rendering the 
 ufe of it arbitrary : for that the reaf- 
 ons of folidity and agreement juftify 
 the ufe of it. The Doric order is the 
 only one which in the origin hath 
 E 3 had 
 
70 An EJfay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 had columns without bafe. There is 
 no bafe to be feen in the theatre of Mar- 
 ceUus, wherein this order is executed. 
 Vitruvius him felf gives ho bafe to the 
 the Doric column : all thefe authorities 
 are very weak againfl the motives which 
 render the bafe neceffary in all the br- 
 ders, Thefe motives have for them the 
 almoft univerfal ufage of architects, an- 
 cient and modern j who have efleffed to 
 the Doric order the atticurgic bafe, as 
 the twoother orders have every one theirs. 
 
 In all the orders of architefture 
 the entablature is divided into archi- 
 trave, frize, and cornifh. Of thefe 
 three parts there is only an archi- 
 trave that may and ought to be ufed 
 when there are different ftories of ar- 
 chitedlure. The frize and the cornifli 
 can jiever be ufed but joindy between 
 them and with the architrave. That 
 is to fay^ that every time they put a 
 ^ frize or corni/l), the^ entablature muft 
 
 be 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteBure. 71 
 
 be entire. Many architeds when 
 they fee themfelves ftraitned for 
 height, have given themfelves the li- 
 berty to fupprefs the frize, and to re- 
 unite the cornifli to the architrave. 
 This fault has been committed very 
 boldly in the immenfe edifice of the 
 Abbey of Pren:ont, which hath no- 
 thing for it but the extent, and which 
 is otherwife a mafler-piece of bad tafte. 
 I fay that therein it is a great fault, 
 becaufe the entablature has no more 
 its proportions 3 becaufe the frize hath 
 teen naturally introduced, to fhew 
 an interval between the pieces that 
 compofe the floor, and thofe that 
 form the carpentry. The frize there- 
 fore cannot be fuppreifed without of- 
 fending againfl rules. This fuppref- 
 fion then having a very bad eff^cdt, de- 
 monftrates that the archited: has taken 
 his demenfions very badly. Here of- 
 fers itfelf another queflion, that many 
 people have not dared to decide. 
 E 4 They 
 
yz An E/fay on Architediure. 
 
 They afk if below the pediment, the 
 entablature onght to be left entire. 
 In pradice I obferve they follow one 
 and the other indifferently, if the 
 true principles are confulted, the cor- 
 nifli which is eflentially fixt to the 
 roof will always be retrenched by 
 the entablature which is below the 
 pediment. Fiom thence there will 
 refult many good effeds. Firft, there 
 will be no reprefentation of a roof but 
 where the true roof is found. Secondly 
 the tympan of the pediment will 
 no more be hid by the great projec- 
 tion of the inferior cornifli. Thirdly 
 they will avoid the meeting of two 
 corniihes, making an acute angle in 
 the two extremities of the pediment ; 
 a conjunction altogether difagreeable. 
 
 In all the orders of Architefture 
 there are two forts of mouldings, 
 which ferve for all ornaments, the 
 fqnare and the round mouldings. The 
 
 firft 
 
An Ejfay on Architcdlure. 73 
 
 firft have fomcthing in themfelves 
 harlh and dry, the fecond have more 
 foftnefs and grace. When thefe mould- 
 ings are found allotted and mixed 
 with tafte, there refults from it much 
 agreement. What then is this true 
 mixture or fortment? A comparifon 
 that I hazard, and am going to clear 
 up the myflery of. The round 
 mouldings are in architedure what 
 the agreements of found are in harmo- 
 ny, and the fquare mouldings what 
 the difcords are therein. The mixture 
 of the one and the other has the fame 
 objeft, and ought to follow the fame 
 rules. The fliarpnefs of the difcords 
 is an artifice, that a wife compofer 
 lliould ufe, to that he may increafe 
 by the contraft the delightful im- 
 preffion of the according founds : A 
 piece of mufic would become fading 
 and infipid if from time to time the 
 difcord was not felt: it would flicck 
 the ears if the difcord w.^s too abound- 
 ing : 
 
74 ^^ mf^y on ArthiteSfure. 
 
 ing: From thence comes the rule, 
 not to employ any difcord which is 
 cot prepared and foftned by an accord. 
 Let us apply this to Architedure 
 whofe ornaments have an harmony 
 vvich is fuited to them. The round 
 mould. ngs make all the foftnefs, and 
 the fquare moiddings all the harfh- 
 neisof it. Ther^fl^re to render this 
 harmony perfeft, it is neceflary that 
 the harilinefs of the fquare mouldings 
 from tin^e lO time interrupt the foftnefs 
 of the round mouldings ; which might 
 degenerate into the infipid: but itis more 
 effential flill, that the foftnefs of thefe 
 ihould be always ready to corred: the 
 harfhnefs of thofe. Let us prepare 
 and preferve the difcord, that is to fay 
 that every fquare moulding be always 
 'preceded and followed by a round 
 moulding. Then the work will ne- 
 ver have any thing dry, and altoge- 
 ther will be an enchantment to the 
 eye. 
 
 In 
 
An Ejfay on Architediure. 75 
 
 In all die orders of Architecture, 
 icvery particular member is a field, in 
 which the fculptor may exercife him- 
 felf. But in this, as in all the reft 
 we muft avoid canfufion and excefs. 
 .Sculpture is to buildings what em- 
 brodery is to habits. When the em- 
 broidery is light and when it lets the 
 ground fuflicicntly appear it has no- 
 thing in it but delicacy 3 and becomes 
 a truly noble ornament, becaufe it 
 preferves a character of fimplicity. If 
 on the contrarry the embroidery is 
 loaded and confufed, it has no other 
 merit than that of richnefs and labour. 
 One fays in looking upon a habit fo 
 bcdawbed : Look, there is fomething 
 that has coft a deal of money but ne- 
 verthelefs has nothing in it handfom. 
 Sculpture in buildings requires the 
 fame prudence. If we do not take care 
 to fpread it upon them Vv^ith ceconomy 
 and without confufion we fliall have 
 expended a great deal to very little 
 
 pur- 
 
76 An EJfay on Architedlure. 
 
 purpofe. Let us then have a great 
 care in carving well all the members 
 of an order of architedlure. There 
 ihould be intervals and receflcs. If 
 we would inrich the work and inrich 
 it difcreetly, one fl^all never carve two 
 members together, but there fhould 
 always be one without carving, which 
 will ferve as a fund for that carved. 
 If we are ignorant of confining our- 
 felves in the juft bounds, we fhall al- 
 ways run into the trifling. 
 
 ^ m^ 
 
 >.*ra +♦»• JK^ 
 
 Article 
 
An EJfay^ on ArchiteSlure. 77 
 Article II. 
 The Dork Order. 
 
 THE Doric Order will always have 
 the preference of thofe architeds 
 who delight in fignalifing their abili- 
 ties in the difficult and thorny paths* 
 It hath in it conftraints and fervitudes 
 that no other appro.iches to. It is 
 therefore rare to find them executed 
 with exadnefs. That which makes 
 the greateft difficulty in this order, is 
 the alternate mixture of triglyphs, and 
 metopas , which decorate the frize. 
 The triglyphs ought always to have the 
 form of a long fquare, and the metopes 
 that of a perfed fquare. This divifion 
 is extremely reftraining, becaufe there 
 refults from it firft, that one can never 
 join the columns in the Doric order. 
 It would be necefTary in coupling them, 
 either that the bafes or even the caoi- 
 tals of the columns ihould penetrate 
 
 one 
 
78 An EJfay on Architedlure, 
 
 one another, or that the metopes which 
 would meet between the joined columns 
 would be more large than high ; two 
 faults which ought never to be tole- 
 rated. Secondly, One cannot tell how 
 to get rid of the returning angles. One 
 cannot tell how to avoid one of thefe two 
 inconveniencies, either of bending a 
 triglyph in curtailing the too neigh- 
 bouring metopes, or to join two me- 
 topes together without any interme- 
 diate triglyph'. Hitherto the ignorant 
 have not been ftopt by thefe two difR- 
 culties, becaufe they have not felt, the 
 inconveniencies which I fpeak of. We 
 do not want edifices in which the Doric 
 order is made ufe of, but there is none 
 of them, wherein we do not find either 
 triglyphs folded, or half triglyphs or 
 metopes cuitailed, or metopes much 
 larger than high. The church of the 
 noviciates of the Jefuits in Iron-Pot- 
 Street, that we place with reafon in 
 the number of our edifices, the leaft 
 
 defec- 
 
An Ejfay en Ar<:hifedfure. 7^ 
 
 defed:ive; this church it felf is in the 
 cafe. I do not fpeak of that of St. Roche 
 much more recent, and wherein the 
 like faults are committed with much 
 more freedom. It will be faid per- 
 chance that there fauhs are unavoidable^ 
 one ought not to make a crime of them 
 to thofe that commit them. I anfwer, 
 there are occafions wheixin thefe faults 
 are abfolutely unavoidable; an able ar- 
 chiteft ought ftricftly to avoid thefe dan- 
 gerous cafes. There is only the re- 
 turning angle which could fuffer any 
 licence ^ becaufe in (hort whatever 
 building itis, it is as it were impoffible, 
 that there fliould not be fome fuch like 
 angle met with. Tlierefore of two 
 faults one (hould chufe the leaft, that 
 which advances nearefl the natural, t 
 believe it would be better to adhere in 
 fuch a cafe to the meeting of two fquare 
 metopes, than to let appear there a tri- 
 glyph folded or an half triglyph. \ 
 
 When 
 
So An EJfay on Architedturf. 
 
 When therefore It fhall be ncceflary 
 to make ufe of the Doric order it will 
 be alfo neceflary that the architedl full 
 of difficulty in the undertaking, arms 
 himfelf with a great refolution to ftudy 
 with exadnefs this embarrafling, this 
 dangerous divifion of triglyphs and mc- 
 topas. As the execution cannot be 
 exad: without being infinitely labo- 
 rious 5 the fuccefs will then be the 
 more glorious. 
 
 The Doric column has the fineft 
 and mofl perfed bafj. It is the Attic 
 or atticurgic bafe. Its two torus'^ of 
 a different model reunited bv a rundel, 
 are a very fine effed:, becanfe its foli- 
 dity is found joined to. its agreement. 
 From whence it comes, that architedls 
 make no difficulty to borrow from the 
 Doric order its fine bafe, to render it 
 comqion to all the other orders. One 
 cannot blame them to make this ufe of 
 them \ and it will always be permitted 
 
 to 
 
An Ejfay on Archttedlure. 8i 
 
 to take into an order that which is ex- 
 cellent, and to tranfport it into another 
 order, provided that we never touch 
 the parts which charaderife. The or- 
 der eflentially : for then it would be to 
 confound two orders in one. This 
 liberty with the bounds that I prefcribe, 
 hath nothing contrary to the true fpirit 
 of Architecfture; it may even contribute 
 to its perfedtion. 
 
 The Doric capital is the moft plain 
 and the leaft elegant of all the capitals. 
 A fquare plinth, an egg fuftained by 
 three armils, or rather with an aftra- 
 gal and its fillet, followed by a united 
 member that is called a neck, confti- 
 tutes all iis riches. This capital is 
 neverthelefs one of the parts which 
 eflentially conflitues the Doric order, 
 and we cannot fubftitutein its room ano- 
 ther, without altering and corrupting 
 ciitirely the charader of the order. 
 
 F The 
 
Bz An Efay on Architecture. 
 
 The Doric entablature hath Its 
 beauties and dcfeds. The beauty of 
 this entablature conlifts in the divifion 
 continued from the frize into triglyphs 
 and metopes. We cannot deny but this 
 fortement is agreeable and engaging, 
 above all, when the metopes ^re or- 
 namented with difcernment and de- 
 figned with propriety. The agreement 
 of the triglyphs is ftill augmented by the 
 brackets which crown them , and 
 which are fixt under the fofit. The 
 defers of this entablature are the harfli- 
 nefs. Its harflinefs becaufe the mould- 
 ings fquared, are therein very much 
 multiplied, and that the round mould- 
 ings are very rare therein. Its heavi- 
 nefs becaufe the eve of the cornifh has 
 a very great projedion. Its large plat- 
 form loaden with enormous mouldings 
 which have no fupport, feems conti- 
 nually to threaten ruin. The eye is 
 hurt, the imagination is fatigued, to fee 
 thefe large quarters of flones thrown 
 
 into 
 
An Efay on Arcbitedfure. 83 
 
 into the middle of the air. All thefe 
 defecfls which are great, are found to 
 be ingenioufly compenfated for, by the 
 fingular efFccfr which refults from the 
 combination of the trygliphs and me- 
 topes. This effedt has fomething fo 
 ftriking, that is abforbs all the atten- 
 tion, and that all the reft is paft over 
 in favour of fo happy an invention. 
 
 Let us examine the entablature in 
 the detail. Its architrave is very plain, 
 there's nothing remarkable in it. But 
 the hanging drops below the trygliphs. 
 Good pra<5tice will have it that thefe 
 drops be always in form of a fquare 
 pyramid, and it is looked upon an 
 abufe to give them a fpherical form : 
 Here it is the judgement of the eye 
 only muft be our guide ; and I can- 
 not tell why thefe drops in a fquare 
 pyramid make a better effed: than the 
 fpherical drops. The frize of this en- 
 tablature is the fineft place of all 
 F 2 ^ the 
 
84 ^^ ^If^y ^« ArehlteBun. 
 
 the order. There ought always td 
 be a trygliph to anfwer exadly to the 
 axis of each Golumn, becaufe thefe 
 trygliph s are the reprefentation of the 
 end of the timbers y or rather ftill the 
 joifts, and that it is natural that there 
 ends bear upon the fupports. Good 
 pradlice alfo will have the trygliphs 
 in an odd number in the fpaces of 
 the columns. In common pradlice 
 we contrad: a little upon this laft 
 article, but it is a negled:, and we 
 ought not to permit any when w« 
 afpire to true perfection. In the pro- 
 jecting angles one cannot avoid putting 
 a half metope on both fides of the 
 angle. Good pradice will have it^ 
 that if the metopes are ornamented 
 with bafs relief metopes of the pro- 
 jeding angle remains even to the end, 
 that they avoid {hewing a bas re- 
 lief folded. For the cornifh I have 
 but one remark to make. That the 
 cieling of the eve is fubjed to the 
 
 fame 
 
Ah Ejfay on ArchiteSfure. 85 
 
 feme ufes as the frife, becaufe it is 
 divided into brackets and lozenges. 
 The brackets ought to be ornamented 
 each with thirty fix round drops in 
 form of little cones. The lozenges 
 may be decorated with carving. Here 
 the angles will be always perplexing. 
 In the returning angles there will 
 be no difficulty, if we hold to what 
 was remarked above : but in the pro- 
 jeding angles, the fpace between the 
 brackets near to the angle will be a 
 ' longer fpace than large of the two 
 fides. Good pradice will have it 
 then, that above the two half metopes 
 of the projecting angle, there be in 
 the cieling of the eve a long fquare 
 on each fide, fo that the remainino- 
 fpace becomes a perfect fquare, and 
 ierves as a field to the lozenges, 
 
 I fhall not enter into the detail of 
 
 the proportions, one (hall find them 
 
 with more clearnefs and exactnefs in 
 
 F 3 the 
 
S6 An Efay on Archite£lure_. 
 
 the treaty of Architecture by Mr. 
 Cordenioi, or in the Vitruvius of Mr, 
 Perrault. I refer to thefe authors for 
 the proportions and the detail of each 
 of the orders, my defign being to 
 obferve only what taile is concerned 
 in every one of them. 
 
 Many architects have felt the in- 
 convenience of the Doric cornifh, 
 and fome have taken the part to fub- 
 ftitute in its place the Ionic cor- 
 nifh, or to invent one by fancy, which 
 had left projection and weight. Bro- 
 ther Martel Angelo in his church of 
 the Noviciates of the Jefuits has given 
 us an example of it. I do not care 
 to condemn a freedom from rules 
 which is fo reafonable, but then a 
 like fyftem of Architecture is not 
 properly fpeaking the Doric order. 
 It becomes a kind of compofite, of 
 which I fliall fpeak hereafter. 
 
 Articl e 
 
An E/fay on ArchiteSlure. 87 
 Article III. 
 Of the Io?tic order. ^ 
 
 THE Ionic order lighter and 
 more delicate than the former, 
 altho' it was not otherwife fo great a 
 peifecflion, hath neverthelefs the ad- 
 vantage of being without defeat. It is 
 no more that I know not what of that 
 mafculine firmnefs, which diftinguifhes 
 the Doric order, nor has it yet that 
 richnefs, that magnificence that is the 
 property of the Corinthian order. It is 
 one of thofe middle beauties whofe 
 lines neither too grofs nor too fine 
 pleafe by their uniformity. They 
 have nothing ftriking, neither in the 
 good or ill, but there governs therein 
 an exad: agreement, and fo fenfible 
 a fweetnefs, that without having the 
 quality of furprifing or enchanting, 
 they have but more afTuredly that 
 «f intercfting and pleafing. The ef- 
 F 4 fential 
 
S8 An EJfay on Arc hi tenure. 
 
 fential merit of the Ionic order then 
 confifts in a certain mediocrity of 
 agreement, the charm of which is not 
 altered by any too fenfible imperfec- 
 tion. Let us enter into the parti- 
 culars. 
 
 Vitruvius has given to the Ionic 
 order a bafe, which according to me 
 and many others is the only thing 
 that ought to be retrenched. This 
 bafe is unformed, and vifibly wounds 
 the true principles of nature. That 
 great torus which has only for its 
 fupports two weak rundels, interrupt- 
 ed by two light bolts, is horridly 
 defective. In good rules the heavieft 
 ought always tobe below and the light- 
 eft above. Here this natural order 
 is reverfed, and of courfe the folidity 
 fuffers thereby. This bafe, far from 
 having its dimunition upwards, is on 
 the contrary diminifhed downwards. 
 Straiter near to the plinth, it en- 
 larges 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSfure. 89 
 
 barges itfelf monftroufly, on the fide 
 by which it is joined to the (hank 
 of the pillar. Thefe defects which 
 are really fo, and ftrike, have prevailed 
 on the greateft part of ancient and 
 modern architects to prohibit this 
 Ionic bafe of Vitruvius; to fubfitutc in . 
 its room the fine Attic bafe, of which 
 we have mentioned in the foregoing 
 article; and their example in this 
 point cannot be too faithfully imitated. 
 The Ionic capital is the part of all 
 
 the order wherein the moft inventloa 
 governs, and which (hews the moft 
 lively character of it. A bolt, an egg, 
 an outfide which folds itfelf as at the 
 two extremities, and which is fur- 
 mountedly a heel and by a fquarc 
 plinth makes all its richnefs. The 
 great beauty of this capital arifes from 
 the two volutes which fortifies it in 
 a manner infinitely becoming. For- 
 merly this capital had but two of 
 its parallel faces ornamented with 
 
 volutes^ 
 
90 An EJfay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 volutes: The two other fronts were oc- 
 namented with balliftcrs, reunited by 
 an intermediate apple, that we call 
 girdle or belt. This diverfity of fronts 
 had nothing inconvenient whilft the 
 voluted faces prefent themfelves in 
 front: but to the firl^.projcding ang|e, 
 to the firft return of the portico, the ca- 
 pital of the angular column cannot fail 
 to prefent in front his face balliftered : 
 from whence refults two unavoidable 
 inconveniences. It muft follow either 
 that the capitals of a whole range of 
 columns would prefent in front their 
 faces balliftered, which cannot but 
 make a very bad efFed, or that the ca- 
 pitals of the two angular columns might 
 prefent a different facing from all the 
 other capitals • which was commonly 
 praflifed, altho that could not fail to 
 grin in a ftrange manner. The an- 
 cients were ignorant how to obviate this 
 inconvenience from the Ionic capital. 
 We are obliged to Scamozzi for having 
 
 per- , 
 
 ;i..L / 
 
An EJfay on Architediure. 91 
 
 perfedled this agreeable capital. He 
 hath contrived how to make four pa- 
 rallel faces, and all voluted. From 
 thence this capital has had no more 
 this inconvenience. The moderns 
 Jbave ftill improved upon this inven- 
 tion of Scamozzi, who had preferved 
 the fquare plinth 3 and who had left 
 the thicknefs that this conjundion 
 makes of equal volutes through the 
 whole. The moderns have contrived 
 to make this thicknefs, after fuch a 
 manner that it might go always enlarg- 
 ing itfelf below : they have alfo floped 
 and bent the fquare plinth, in making 
 it follow the inflection of the faces of 
 the volutes. This capital performed ia 
 this manner has all poffible grace, and 
 I do not fee any thing can be added to 
 its perfedlion. The Ionic entablature 
 anfwers to the elegant fimplicity of all 
 the reft. Its architrave is divided into 
 three facings, each of different height; 
 they begin at the leaft and they finiih by 
 
 the 
 
92 An EJfay on ArcbiteSJure. 
 
 the greateft ; which is greatly crown- 
 ed with a heel. The frife is gene- 
 rally all even, it may alfo be cut into 
 carved work, as decency requires, 
 that the order be more or lefs en- 
 riched. The cornifh is charming, it 
 has only a middle projedion, and this 
 projedion is flill fo naturally concealed 
 by the members that fuftain the eves 
 that it has nothing in it dangerous, 
 nothing fharp. It is compofed of a 
 dentil, of a bolt, of an egg, an eve 
 and of an ogee. Here are few fquarc 
 members, by confequence nothing 
 harfti nor dry. The difcords are rare, 
 they ai-e exadly prepared and protec- 
 ted, and by confequence here governs 
 through the whole a foft harmony. 
 
 It is to be remarked that in the 
 tornifh there are two members that 
 diftinguifhes efientially the Ionic or- 
 der. The firft is the dentil always 
 
 cut 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteSlure. 93 
 
 cut as teeth, the fecond is the eve 
 whofe fofit is hollow. 
 
 The Ionic cornifh is without com- 
 parifon the beft taken and of all the 
 moft advantageous. It has only iimple 
 ornaments, but is in other refpefts of 
 a lightnefs, fo eafy and of an agree- 
 ment that renders it in many ref- 
 pedls preferable to all others : fo that 
 fldlful architeds do never fail to make 
 choice of it, when they find them- 
 felvcs too much ftraitned by the in- 
 conveniencies of other corniflbes, and 
 that they have motives capable of ex- 
 cufing, even of juftifying this liberty. 
 
 Art- 
 
94 -^^ mf^y on ArchiteBure. 
 Aticle IV, 
 
 Of the Corinthian order. 
 
 \ T laft we are come to what ever 
 Architefture has been able to 
 produce of the moft great, the moft 
 auguft and the moft fublime. The 
 Corinthian order forms one of the 
 moft ftriking objeds, where with the 
 leaft glance of the eye it feizes and 
 lifts up the foul out of its felf. It is 
 refcrved to this order well executed to 
 make great imprefiions by the noble- 
 nefs of its charafters, and the grand 
 manner of its ornaments. The poets 
 have known no more than three 
 graces, our three orders of Architec- 
 ture have each their own. Simplicity 
 is the property of the Doric order ^ 
 gentility diftinguifhes the Ionic ; the 
 noble graces are for the Corinthian 
 order. 
 
 Vitruvius 
 
An Ejfay on Arcbttc£ture. g^ 
 
 Vitruvius gives to this order a bafc 
 lefs vicious indeed then the Ionic, 
 but which has yet great imperfedions. 
 It is the Ionic bafe augmented v^ith 
 a great torus immediately above the 
 plinth. The great defedl of this bafe 
 is, that it is much too delicate; that 
 it wants a certain air of folidity fo 
 agreeable and necefiary to every bafe. 
 The mouldings are fo fine, that upon 
 the leaft effort they are ready to 
 break. Let us return then to our 
 charming Attic bafe, which only is 
 exempt frorh all defedl>', and the in- 
 vention of it infinitely fenfible. 
 
 The Corinthian capital is a mafter- 
 piece and it is above alfo in refpedt, 
 that the Corinthian order is fenfibly 
 above all the ether orders. It has a 
 perfect grace, and it is the moft rich : 
 It is a great round vefi'ei covered 
 with a fquare plinth bending back 
 again upon the four faces. The 
 
 veiTcl 
 
96 An Efay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 Veffel is covered below with two rows 
 of leaves, whofe- bending have ar^ 
 eafy projedion. From the breag of 
 this foliage, go out ftalks or branches 
 which ferve to form little volutes up- 
 on the corners of the fquare plinth^ 
 and upon the four mediums. All in 
 this compofition is admirable ^ this 
 veffel which ferves as a field upon 
 which the foliage is artfully difpofed, 
 the carvings of thefe leaves, the pro- 
 jeftion of which increafes gradually > 
 the ftalks which naturally raife them- 
 felves, and the flexibility whereof 
 feem to lend it felf to the defign of 
 the workman, who folds them into 
 fhell work, for to give the projection 
 of the fquare plinth a moft elegant 
 fupport of things. There governs 
 in all this fortment, a foftnefs, a har- 
 mony, that is natural \ a variety, a 
 grace, that in vain I would expre(s ; 
 and that tafte only can make one 
 feel. Mr. de Cordemoi condemns 
 
 with 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSiure. 97 
 
 with reafon the cuftotn that has pre- 
 vailed amongft our architeds, to prefer 
 for the Corinthian capital the laurel 
 and olive leaves to the acanthas 5 and to 
 referve thefe laft for the eompofite. I 
 cannot comprehend upon what this 
 ufage is founded, unlefs upon a blind 
 caprice. The acantha leaf naturally 
 affords all the roundings^ and all the 
 curves that agree with the leaves of the 
 Corinthian capital. This plant pullies 
 forth with its leaves tender ftalks, 
 which afford naturally the branches of 
 the capital ; and which branches with 
 the volutes which follow them, have 
 originally been the exprefTion. All 
 the world knows the hiflory of Calli- 
 machus the fculptor. The firfl idea 
 of the Corinthian capital came to hint 
 by chance, which made him difcover 
 a vefTel, about which an acantha root 
 had raifed negligently its leaves and 
 branches. Why then fhould we pleafe 
 «ur felves with corrupting the mof^ 
 G happy 
 
98 An EJfay on ArchiteBurc. 
 
 happy idea that ever occurred. The 
 fmall leaves of the laurel and the olive 
 cannot but forcibly lend themfelves by 
 their collection to the compofition of 
 the Corinthian capital. To fubftitute 
 them in the place of the large acantha 
 leaves, is to quit the natural way to 
 runafier trifling; jt is to facrificean ele- 
 vated thought to a weak and childilh 
 expreflion. 
 
 The Corinthian entablature hath 
 great refemblance to the Ionic, but the 
 ornaments therein are very much mul- 
 tiplied, and the Cornifh is not near fo 
 much perfedt. The architrave is di- 
 vided into three facings of unequal height 
 as in the Ionic. But every one of thefe 
 faces has a moulding which ornaments 
 it; the fir ft is crowned with an aftragal, 
 the fecond with a heel, the third with 
 two mouldings together. This archi- 
 trave is the moft perfea of any of them. 
 Nothing therein is harfh, and every 
 
 thing 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSiure. 99 
 
 thing proceeds gradually. The frize 
 may be either altogether fimple, or to 
 ferve as a field to a great piece of carved 
 work; in this it is perfectly like the 
 Ionic frife. The cornifh is compofed 
 of a heel, of a dentil which ought never 
 to be cut into teeth, of an aftragal, 
 of a ridge or egg, of brackets with 
 their hinder parts crowned with an 
 heel, an eve, with a heel and with 
 an ogee. Thi? compofition of this 
 cornifh is withont any thing harfli. 
 The fquare mouldings are always 
 prececded and followed with a round 
 moulding. The only inconveni- 
 ence of this cornifh is its great projec- 
 tion. The plat-form of the eve is al- 
 moft as heavy as that of the Doric or- 
 dei^ I confefs that this plat- form is 
 agreeably embcllifhed by the mixture 
 of brackets and fqirare boxes that we fill 
 by a carved rofc or rofiry; but in (hort 
 this is a true plat-form, whofe brackets 
 which fupport it, hide a liLtle and al- 
 G 2 ways 
 
loo An EJfay on Archife5lure. 
 
 ways pronounce the too perilous Ihoot- 
 ing out. The ogee which crowns this 
 large plat-form, increafes ft ill more 
 the projedlion of the entire cornifh. So 
 many architects have taken the fide of 
 fupprefling this ogee, when their Co- 
 rinthian order was of a very great model. 
 This fuppreffion is become neceflary 
 for the avoiding the exceffive load , but 
 then the cornifh fo contracted has no 
 longer had its proportions terminated 
 by an eve crowned with a fimple heel -, 
 it has loft a great part of its graces 5 and 
 its crowning has remained too trifling 
 and flat. I remark with defign all 
 the inconveniences which meet in the 
 compofition of all the orders of Archi- 
 tecfture, altho' one follows the exacS ru- 
 les of it, to the end that one may be 
 convinced, that this fine art has not yet 
 received all the pcrfedion of which it 
 is capable, and that this refledion may 
 engage people of <:apacity to make ufe- 
 of their talents for its entire perfeflion. 
 
 It 
 
An Effay on ArchiteBure. loi 
 
 It is an objedl that the academifts of 
 Architedure ought to have in view : 
 and it would be very good to propofc 
 rccompenfes for thofe who (hould in- 
 vent means, to make thefe defefts I 
 am mentfoning difappear without touch- 
 ing the- real beauties. Many amongft 
 us would have had genius enough to ar- 
 rive at this end, if it had only come 
 into their thoughts, that it was ren- 
 dring a fervice to our felves. We are 
 too much limited in imitating the an- 
 cients ; it would be neceflary to attach 
 our felves alfo to pufh even to their laft 
 term ideas that often they have not 
 examined fufficiently, either through 
 idlenefs or want of underftanding. 
 
 In waiting that my willies in this 
 refped may be accomplifhed, I fhall ob- 
 ferve that the brackets ought to be fo 
 difpofed, that there (hould always be 
 one which anfwers to the midle of the 
 column. We do not cut the dentil in 
 G 3 the 
 
102 4n EJJay on Archifedture. 
 
 the Corinthian order, becaufe of the 
 brackets which are above. Every 
 body knows the reafon of this drawn 
 from the rules of carpentry. The 
 moft part of architects free themfelves 
 in practice from this reftraint. Very 
 likely they think of rendring their 
 works finer in multiplying and con- 
 founding ail the Ornaments. As to 
 the fubjecS of the brackets, we are ac- 
 quainted with the fingalar pofition that 
 they have in the fquare houfe at Nif- 
 mes, wherein they are placed the con-- 
 trary way. Altho' this edifice is one of 
 the mofl precious remains of good an- 
 tiquity, we mud take care not to copy 
 from thence this defed:, which is fen- 
 libly againfl: nature. This example is 
 a frefh proof that the ancients have 
 not always been and in all cafes fure 
 models. 
 
 From all that I have been fpeak- 
 ing of it, it is very cafy to infer that 
 
 every 
 
An Effay on ArchiteSIure. 103 
 
 every one of the three orders hath his 
 charafter apart ; and that tho' there is 
 between their principal parts a great 
 refemblance, they differ amongftthem- 
 felves in places very obvious. Befides 
 their proportions, of Which I do not 
 fpeak, they have each of them their ca- 
 pital, and their own entablatures, with- 
 out reckoning their bafes, which abfo- 
 lutely fpeaking may be different. We 
 ought to be very faithful to find out 
 thefe differences, and not to confound 
 thefe proprieties ; nothing would fhew 
 more the ignorance and want of fkill 
 in an architedt, unlefs it was for mak- 
 ing a fort of compofite, of which I am 
 about to fpeak in the following article. 
 
 G 4 Article 
 
104 ^^ mf^y on AnhiteSiure. 
 Article V. 
 
 Of the different Sorts of 
 Compoftes. 
 
 IT has^always been free for architedts, 
 to whom invention is wanting, to 
 vary their works by compofitions of 
 fancy. The three orders of Architec- 
 ture are a fund from which they may 
 draw, in order to enrich, as therein is 
 contained a thoufand various combina- 
 tions, fruits of their tafte and genius. 
 The Romans have taken this Hberty 
 not only for the compofite, of which 
 Vitruvius hath left us its proportions 
 and charaders; but for many others 
 yet, of which there remain traces 
 in the ancient monuments. They have 
 not always been very happy in thefe 
 kind of arbitrary conbinations. I re- 
 member to have feen in the antiquities 
 difcovered a few years fince in the foun- 
 tains of Nifmes, fragments of corniflies 
 
 extremely 
 
An EJJay on Architedlure. 105 
 
 extremely ridiculous. It is fufficient 
 to fay that we fee therein two diftinft 
 brackets, with two rows of dentils and 
 brackets one upon the other. This 
 repetition is of a bad tafte, and of which 
 there are few examples. 
 
 Thofe of our architeds, who would 
 make compofites of genius, fhould be 
 extremely attentive to oppoint them e m- 
 bers of it, in fuch a manner as not to 
 fhock good fenfe, and therein to fub- 
 jedt themfelves to the common rules ; 
 fo that the agreement may be found 
 therein joined to foHdity. The com- 
 posite of Vitruvius may ferve as a model 
 in this kind. One will fee thereby 
 how we may know how to accommo- 
 date effcntial parts to each of thefe or- 
 ders \ to form there from an entire new 
 one ; which aquires a proper charac- 
 ter. This compoiite has neverthelefs 
 defedls that we fliall take care to obferve, 
 fo that we may avoid them. 
 
 The 
 
io6 An EJay on Archite&ure. 
 
 The compofite of Vitruvius has the 
 fame bafe as the Corinthian. Its capi- 
 tal has great refemblances with the Co- 
 rinthian capital, and it diffii^rs from it 
 in feme places very fenfibly. It is 
 equally a veflel covered with two rows 
 of acantha leaves difpofed in the fame 
 manner as in the Corinthian. Inftead 
 of flalks or branches there are little 
 flourings colledted to the veiTel, and 
 rounded towards the middle of the face 
 capital. The veiTel is terminated by a 
 Aring, an aftragal and an egg. From 
 withinfide this veflel there come out 
 great volutes like to thofe of the Ionic 
 order. Thefe volutes are ornamented 
 vvith a great acantha leaf, which bends 
 it felf as if to fuftain the corner of the 
 fqare plith, and lets fall below it upon 
 every voluted border a flour work, 
 which covers it again almofl: entire. 
 The plinth is entirely like to that of 
 the Corinthian capital. This com- 
 pofite capital has not the fame delicacy 
 
 nor 
 
An Effay on Archi tenure. 107 
 
 nor the fame lightnefs as the Corinthian, 
 but yet it is richer, and it muft be 
 agreed that altogether it hath a noble- 
 nefs and agreement. The beauty 
 of this capital hath rendered the com- 
 pofite extrem.ely celebrated. There 
 have been people of fmall genius that 
 have dared too give it the preference 
 to tlie Corinthian. Thofe of good 
 tafte have always taken care to a\ oid 
 this blindnefs. 
 
 The compoiite entablature does not 
 anfwcr to the beauty of its capital. 
 The architrave hath but tw^o unequal 
 fronts of height : the firft is crovs^nedi 
 with a heel, the fecond with an aftra- 
 g;il, with an egg and a little hollow. 
 There are too many mouldings heap- 
 ed together for fo little a part as the 
 face of an architrave. The little holr 
 low above all makes not a good ef- 
 fect, becaufe it renders the crowning 
 of the architrave too delicate, and too 
 
 brittle ; 
 
loS An EJfay on ArthiteSlure. 
 
 brittle: and the profil is not at alt 
 graceful. The frize is even or carved 
 as in the Corinthian. The cornifh is 
 compofed of an aftragal of an heel, of a 
 recefs w^ith two, faces upon which the 
 two mouldings are fixt with two faces 
 alfo, the firft of which is crowned 
 with a heel, the fecond with a fillet 
 and egg : then follows an eye, the 
 fofit of which is hollow \ a heel and 
 ogee. This cornifh is very heavy: 
 the fame member is too often repeated. 
 The form of the mouldings is ill- 
 contrived and mean. The projection 
 of the eve beyond the mouldings is 
 impertinent, and renders the ufe of 
 the mouldings of no effect. There 
 would be then a great deal to reform 
 in this cornifh, to make it perfect or 
 rather we fhould compofe one alto- 
 gether different. I am furprifed our ar- 
 chitects don't exercife themfelves more 
 in inventing compofites in this tafle. 
 There remains with us few examples 
 
 that 
 
'An Ejfay on Architediure. 109 
 
 that prove there have been any that 
 had ability or tafte for it. We have 
 compofites, the invention of which is 
 very common, and the choice of which 
 is little inquired into. Such are all 
 thofe wherein they only reunite the 
 great parts of diverfe orders, as an 
 Ionic cornifli upon a frife, and ar- 
 chitrave of the Doric order, or en- 
 tablature entirely of an order upon 
 the columns of a different order. The 
 moft fingular I knov/ of this kind, is 
 that found executed upon the interior 
 portal of the church of the culture of 
 holy Catharine. Upon a Corinthian ^ 
 column and architrave, is raifed a Do- 
 ric frife crowned with an Ionic cor- 
 nifh. This compofite is very beauti- 
 full, becaufe it reunites the riches of 
 the three orders. It has neverthelefs 
 a very remarkable defect, that is the 
 trigliphs, have not their drops hanging 
 upon the architrave, which diminifhes 
 greatly their agreement. It could 
 
 be 
 
lie An EJfay on ArchiteSiure^ 
 
 be wifhcd that our aftifts might carry 
 their views farther, and by the com- 
 bination of the members which are 
 particular to all the orders, they might 
 give new capitals, new architraves, 
 and new corniflies : it is a vaft open 
 field for genius and emulation. It 
 fcems to me even that one could add 
 new mouldings to thofe which are 
 already introduced ; and the number 
 of which is very much confined. But 
 we ought always to remember to a- 
 void great projed:ions, mouldings too 
 delicate, as well as thoTe that are too 
 harlh, and the needlefs works : we 
 fliould above all ftudy fine proportions, 
 upon which chiefly depend the folid 
 and the graceful. 
 
 Article 
 
Ah Ejfay on Archttedlure. in 
 Article' 'VL 
 
 The manner of enriching the 
 various orders of Architec- 
 ture. 
 
 AN order of Archltedure may be 
 enriched three ways : either 
 by the richnefs of the materials, or the 
 richnefs of the workmanfhip, or by 
 both together. By the richnefs of the 
 materials, when we ufe therein mar- 
 ble, brafs or gold. By the richnefs of 
 the labour when we ornament the 
 members with carving. By them both 
 together \ when marble, brafs or gold 
 have been joined to what is mod ex- 
 cellent in fculpture. It is very rare 
 that we can ufe marble, brafs and 
 gold. The expence thereof is too con- 
 fiderable. It is not in a great degree 
 but in princes houfes, and in our 
 churches, that one can have fuch 
 
 mite- 
 
112 An Effhy on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 materials to work upon. Whatever 
 they are there are many things to be 
 obferved in the method^of uling them'. 
 The various colours of marble re- 
 quire a particular attention to make a 
 fortment of them agreeable to a good 
 tafte. We muft not be led away by 
 the price that the novelty only has 
 given to certain marbles, nor believe 
 that the work will be exaftly fine, 
 becaufe it will have marble, either that 
 comes a great away, or that the quarry 
 is exhaufted. The granite and porphy- 
 ric are in the cafe, and they are not 
 for that reafon the moft agreeable 
 colour. The eye does not know 
 whether it be fcarce or the only one, 
 and this then is a perfedion, which 
 is not to be regarded, but it's known 
 very well if a colour is fine, and here- 
 in it is neceflary to fatisfy the fight. 
 Upon this principle we fliould place 
 in the rank of the moft beautiful 
 marble fuch whofe colours are very 
 
 lively^. 
 
J An EJfay on ArchiteSiuren 113 
 
 • 
 
 lively, thie veins of which are well 
 fhewn, well fhaded, or thrown into 
 a certain diforder and with a humorous 
 fhai:pnefs. To make the fortments as 
 weought of marble, fee here the rules 
 which we ought to follow as near as 
 poiiible. 
 
 Firft, We fhould referve the white 
 marbJe without veins for fuch places 
 wherein there is to be fculpture. The 
 veins of the marble always fpoil what 
 the chifel has touched; they confound 
 the windings, and produce inequalities 
 of (light very difadvantageous to the 
 neatriefs of the work. 
 
 . Secondly, We muft ufe white 
 veined marble for all the bottom work, 
 and referve the marble that is varioufly 
 coloured for the columns, the frizes 
 and all pannels of incruftation. 
 
 U Thirdly, 
 
114 -^^ mf'^y ^^ Architecture. 
 
 Thirdly, It is neceflary that the co- 
 lours of the marbles agree as much as 
 poffible with the character of the fub- 
 jedl. It would be equally abfurd to 
 employ green marble, red, yellow, or 
 any other fhining colours in a maufo- 
 laeum, and to be lavifh of black marble 
 in the ornaments of an altar. 
 
 Fourthly, We muft avoid thofe forts 
 of marble that are too cutting, and yet 
 more thofe of one and the fame colour. 
 The too great abounding of brown co- 
 lours render the work fad, and dimi- 
 niflies the light. The foft colours, if 
 they are too governing, render- the 
 work cold and infipid. It is then ef- 
 fential to mix one with the other, and 
 to make one of value by the other. 
 There is ftill herein a harmony which 
 we ought to ftudy the agreements of. 
 
 The decorations of marble always 
 want to be relieved by that of gilding. 
 
 Brafs 
 
An Ejfay On Archltediure. 115 
 
 Brafsgilt IS whatagreesthebeft^butthe 
 expence -of it is very great. Through 
 oeconomy we often make ufe of wood 
 or lead gilt. Wood takes the gild- 
 ing very well, but the moifture of the 
 marble makes it perifh. Lead is not 
 fubjed: to this inconvenience, but it 
 never takes the gilding well. We 
 muft never be lavilh in gilding. It 
 is fufficient that there be enough to 
 enliven the fadnefs of the marble too 
 ftrong in colour. 
 
 The fecond manner of enriching 
 Architedlure is to carve the members 
 of it. I have already faid to avoid 
 confufion one fhould never carve the 
 whole, and the beft would be to carve 
 alternately. There remains for me to 
 obferve various particularities concern- 
 ing carved work, and which decides 
 the fuccefs of it. The contours thereof 
 ought to be well terminated, and very 
 plain. If they are well terminated, 
 . H 2 the 
 
ii6 An Effay on Architediur^. 
 
 the work will be properly done; tf 
 they are very natural, it will be done 
 with much grace. The defign of it 
 muft be natural. Our architeds have 
 for fome time given into a capricious 
 humour that has had the vogue. All 
 the contours of their ornaments were 
 capricioufly disfigured. This fingula- 
 rity has not been wanting to fucceed 
 immediately in a nation as inconftant, 
 and as light as our own. If it had 
 reigned a long time, we were about 
 to comfort ourfelves upon the foolifh 
 inventions of the Vandals. Happy it 
 is we are returned from it, and this 
 dangerous epidemicy is upon its con- 
 clufion. In pieces of fculpture we 
 fhould avoid the round fwelling, be- 
 caufe the thicknefs of its maflys is al- 
 ways a heavy air to Architedure : we 
 Ihould always keep to the bas relief. 
 The fculptures of the chapel of Ver- 
 failles may ferve as a model. Every 
 thing there is plainly defigned, pro- 
 perly 
 
An EJfay on ArchtteBure. 117 
 
 perly terminated, and of a middle relief, 
 and from thence it comes that the eye 
 isjextremely fatisfied therewith. 
 
 I have nothing to fay upon the 
 third manner of enriching an order of 
 Architedlure. The rules I have given 
 upon the two preceeding, ought to 
 reunite in this. 
 
 
 H X Ar- 
 
Ii8 An Ejay on Architeclure. 
 Article VII. 
 
 Of Buildings wherein no Order 
 
 of ArchiteEiure is 
 
 employed. 
 
 ^ I ^ H E great orders of Architecfture 
 JL do not agree with all forts of 
 edifices, becaufe they occafion an ex- 
 pence that every one is not in a con- 
 dition to be at, and which require fron- 
 tifpieces of a great extent, of which 
 few buildings are capable. The great 
 orders do not properly belong but to 
 great churches, to the palaces of princes, 
 and to public buildings. For the reft 
 we mull have recourfe to decorations 
 more plain and lefs coftly. We. may 
 form very agreeable and even very fine 
 buildings v>^ithout the help of entabla- 
 tures and columns. Our architedls 
 are not ignorant thereof, and I dare fay, 
 that it is in thefe fort of buildings that 
 for the moft part they fucceed the beft. 
 
 As 
 
An BJfay on ArchiteSlure. 119 
 
 As the compofition of them is freer and 
 lefs critical, it is alfo more fuited to a 
 middle genius and capacity. It is not 
 that a great architedt ought to look 
 upon them below him. The more 
 free the compofition is, the more eafy 
 it is to make ufe of novelty and inven- 
 tion. They may beftow therein the 
 graces, juft to their liking. They 
 may execute therein all manner of ele- 
 gant thoughts, noble and fublime. 
 What is more precious they may vary 
 thefe defigns infinitely : So that a man 
 of ability in applying himfelf hereto, 
 will always have it in his power to do 
 himfelf honor. 
 
 The beauty of the buildings I am 
 fpeaking of depends chiefly on three 
 things. The exad:nefs of the pro- 
 portions, the: elegancy of the forms, 
 and the choice and difpofition of the 
 ornaments. 
 
 H 4 How- 
 
I20 An E/fay on ArchiteSiure. 
 
 However free this compofition may 
 be of the frontifpiece of a building the 
 proportions are never fo. Of all the 
 degrees of poffible elevation there is 
 but one that is good upon a length given. 
 The eye of the fpe(5tator will alvi^ats 
 find the too Jiigh and too lovi^, till he 
 meets with this only degree^ that It 
 feeks for mechanically. The^ ability 
 of the artifts confifts in ftudylng this 
 degree, and the laying hold of it with 
 juftice. Agreeable to the proportions 
 of the whole, ought to anfwer with 
 exactnefs the proportions of each part; 
 The dimenfions of the ftorie?, t&4)fe 
 of the doors, of the windows and 
 all the ornaments which accompany 
 them, ought to be regulated by the 
 length and the height of the building, 
 and to be of fuch an agreement that 
 there may refult from it a conned ion 
 thatpleafes. Upon the whole we have 
 not properly any rule well aflured us. 
 The only point we (hould attain, and 
 
 beyond 
 
An Ejfay on ArchitcBure. I2i 
 
 beyond which we {hould not carry our 
 fel\^€S -in the proportions, is not fuffi- 
 xiently known. There is nothing but 
 the natural tafte joined to great prac- 
 tice, which afluredly guide the archi- 
 tects in this dark road. They advance 
 -n>0Fe or lefs to the term, according as 
 their lent iments is more or Icfs delicate; 
 or that a long experience, and the judge- 
 ment of their eyes is more or leis intal- 
 hble. It could be wifhed that critical 
 obfervations were made in this regard, 
 which might in time iix the incerti- 
 tude, in determining, the precife li- 
 mits, and the juft point of divifion be- 
 tween the too high and too low, the too 
 great and too litde in all kinds. This 
 part of the art has been too much neg- 
 lecfted. How many buildings are there 
 either too flender or too much crufhed ? 
 How many flories, doors, windows, 
 plinths and cornifhes in the fame build- 
 ing, the elevation of which offends 
 either thro' excefs or by defcds. This 
 
 part 
 
122 An Effay on ArchiteSiure\ 
 
 part of the art is amongft the effen- 
 tials. All buildings that fhali be exad 
 in its proportions, had it* but this qua- 
 lity, was it otherwife of the greateft 
 plainnefs, will always produce a fatif- 
 fadlory effcd:. On the other hand if 
 the proportions are wanting, it is fuch 
 a defed; that the riches of the orna- 
 ment will never correftj and we {hall 
 have the (liagreen to hear faid at iirft 
 view; that it is too high, or that is 
 too low, 
 
 I have fpoken in the fecond place 
 of the elegancy of the forms. This 
 article is not to be negledted if we 
 would make works that pleafe. Forms 
 are determined by the plan. The 
 only means of rendring thefe agreea- 
 ble, is to avoid the vulgar and irifling, 
 and to ad in fuch a manner that there 
 may always be fomething new, em- 
 bellished, and even fingular. One may 
 avail ourfelves herein with the alTif- 
 
 tance 
 
An EJfay on ArchlteSliire. 123 
 
 tance of all regular geometric figures 
 from the circle to the mofl: extended 
 elipfis from the triangle to the lall: 
 poligon. We may mix with the right 
 line figures the curved line ones, by the 
 means of which it is eafy to vary the 
 plans almoft infinitely; in giving to 
 every one of them a form that has, no- 
 thing common, and which is always 
 regular. The ufual form of oar build- 
 ings is a long fquare. But this form 
 too common is become trivial, and has 
 nothing engaging in it. We natural- 
 ly love novelty and variety. It is 
 neceffary that all the fine arts give 
 their help to this tafte that nature has 
 given us. We do not efteem their 
 value, but for as much as we find in 
 them wherewith to excite and fatisfy 
 this tafte. If the infpecftion of the 
 greateft parts of our buildings makes 
 fo light an imprefiion upon us, we 
 may attribute it to the great mono- 
 tony which governs in their plans. 
 
 He 
 
124 ^^^ mf^y ^^ ArchiteSfure/ 
 
 He, that has feen one has feen almoft 
 all. It is always a long fquare plan, 
 there is no more nor lefs but for the 
 extent. The college of the four na- 
 tions is almoft the only one of our 
 buildings wherein are found novelty 
 and iingularity in the form : So that 
 it never f lils particularly to fix the at- 
 tention. If we look upon it near, we 
 fhall eafily difcover that the merit of 
 this agreeable building arifes from its 
 elegant form, and from the graceful 
 mixture of curved and right lines which 
 terminate its plan. The form of an 
 edifice may draw another charadler of 
 elegancy, from the diff^erent elevations 
 that are given to the various parts, 
 and from the manner with which one 
 varies the finifhing. The palace of 
 Luxemburg and the Tuilleries have 
 this laft kind of elegancy jn the form, 
 and have not the firft. The great 
 firont of the palace of Verfailles to- 
 wards the gardens, has neither the 
 
 one 
 
An EJJay on ArchiteSlurt. 125 
 
 one nor the other ; on the fiJe of the 
 court, the plan of tafte is a little more 
 embellilhed, but it is without tafte 
 and without elegancy. Here are ma- 
 ny long fquares which follow one a- 
 nother always in contraiSing them- 
 felves, the laft of which is in (hort fo 
 ftraight that it is altogether (hocking. 
 The plan of the Equirie is truly ele- 
 gant, becaufe one fees therein a juft 
 mixture of right and curve line. If 
 theJe equeries were reunited in the firft: 
 court by two great porticos in a half 
 cclipfe upon its length, this piece would 
 deface all the reft. 
 
 In fhort I have treated of the 
 choice and difpolition of ornaments. 
 In plain decorations, it fufficcs to fhew 
 the angles through the partition Hones 
 from top to bottom, to fliew the fto- 
 ries by an even plinth and which has 
 very little projedlion, to give the doors 
 and windows plain cafes in the fore 
 
 parts 
 
126 An Efay on ArchiteSture, 
 
 parts, to crown all the building by a 
 cornifh, the profile of which may be 
 a little compofed, and gracefully de- 
 figned. In a like decoration, as the 
 bare wall ought eflentially to appear, 
 it is not too inconvenient to take a 
 fweep, to arch even the top of the 
 doors and windows. If richer orna- 
 ments are required, one may mark 
 all the pillars by pannels, the forms 
 of which are variable ; and adorn the 
 infide of the pannel with carved 
 work in bas relief. One may above 
 the doors and windows carve a flour 
 work that would do much better than 
 to fhew the kea of their arches, by 
 fhoulder pieces and cartouches which 
 is ftill worfe. Cartouches are an orna- 
 ment which can never be but of a bad 
 tafte, becaufe it refernbles nothing in 
 nature. The befl would be never to 
 ufe any of them. 
 
 I only 
 
An Ejfay on Archttedture\ "127 
 
 I only give herein views to our 
 Architects. It belongs to them that fol- 
 low to extend them, to perfeft what I 
 only hint to them. They can pre- 
 fently fee that we may form buildings 
 of all kinds, of all degrees of beauty, 
 without employing therein any of the 
 great orders of Architecture. They 
 fhould conclude from thence, that 
 even in great edifices a good method 
 of (hading the magnificence is to re- 
 unite therein what is the moft mag- 
 nificent in the order of Architecflure, 
 what the building without order of 
 Architecture have that is moft elegant. 
 See then many refources that I put 
 into their hands. If they know how 
 to profit from them, it will be eafy 
 for them to embelli(h and to vary every 
 thing. 
 
 Chap- 
 
•128 (^ O fsf^ 
 
 Chapt er III. 
 
 Conjiderations upon the art 
 of building. 
 
 "V\7"E {hould build with folldity, 
 for conveniency and decency. 
 This will be the fubjedt of three fepe- 
 rate articles. 
 
 
 Article 
 
Jin BJfay on ArchiteSiurt. 129 
 Article I. 
 
 Vpon the foUdity of buildings. 
 
 SOLIDITY is the firft quality 
 that an edifice ought to have. It 
 is too expenfiveand too incommodious 
 to repeat often the conftrudion of it, 
 to negleft any precautions capable of 
 (ecuring it, for as long a time as pof- 
 fible. The ancients jealous of leaving 
 to the lateft pofterity traces of their 
 abilities, fpared nothing in giving to 
 their buildings that ftrength v^hich 
 triumphs over common accidents. 
 We have buildings of fix or feverl 
 hundred years, which fliews us no 
 other marks of their antiquity thari 
 their brown and fmoky colour. There 
 are even fome more ancient than the 
 eflablifhment of our monarchy, with* 
 out any body's concerning themfelve^ 
 in their fiipport or repair, do yet fubfift 
 I to 
 
i^o jtin EJfay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 to our great aftoniihment, and pre- 
 pare admiration to thofe who fhall 
 be born many ages after us. - Our ar- 
 tlfts have now-a-days none of that 
 great tafte of folidity. They doubt 
 if their works can fuftain the aflault 
 of three centuries. They are accufed 
 even of avoiding with defign to ren- 
 der them laiting, becaufe they are fup- 
 pofed interefted to renew the labour 
 of them. It is moft certain that one 
 often fees amongft our buildings quite 
 new ones that threaten ruin. Is this 
 the want of underftanding, or the ex- 
 cefs of induftry in the Architedl? 
 Neceffarily it is one of the two, and 
 fometimes both together. It would 
 be very lignificant that there fhould 
 be legiilations i^ this kind, which 
 might , enter into the greateft detail 
 to hinder if poffible, that the public 
 fliould be without ceafing the dupe 
 
 af-anfkilfdl or knavirti workmen. 
 T^-.'"-:o^^n'. The 
 
An ^ff^y ^^ Architect are, 131 
 
 ^Tlie foiidity of ai^ 'ediiice depends 
 on two things: the choice of mate- 
 rials, afid the good ufe made of them. 
 
 Stone, Chalk, Sand, Wood, Iron, 
 Lead, Plaifter, Brick, Tile, Slate, are 
 the neccffciry B^atterkls for the con- 
 ftriKftion of ail edifice. Nothing is indif- 
 ferent in the choice of thefe materials. 
 It is the duty of an architedtoknow in 
 all thefe kindte, the bad, the midling, 
 the good and excellent. Comrtionly 
 this ftudy is not very difficult. In 
 every country they know very nearly 
 from whence comes the beft ftone, 
 the beft wood, iron, &c. It is in the 
 probity of the Undertaker not to abufe 
 the confidence of thofe who employ 
 him, fo as to make that pafs for good 
 that is bad, and for excellent that 
 which is but ordinary. In vain to 
 excufe fuch a trick they will fey that 
 pariiculars will not put the prices upon 
 the things. I could quote many ex- 
 i z amples 
 
132 yin EJfay on ArchiteSiure. 
 
 amples where we flaould fee people, 
 who have put the price and more than 
 the price, to deceive a little more than 
 the others. Bcfides this excufe does 
 not agree but with a mercenary work- 
 man, who has profit more at heart 
 than honour. I wifh an archited 
 more noble fentiments. I would have 
 a man inflamed with a true love for 
 his art, who prefers to all other re- 
 compenfe the glory of diftinguilhing 
 himfelf and the happinefs of fuc- 
 ceeding. A man poOefled with this 
 laudable ambition will have no craf- 
 tinefs nor falfity. Not willing to do 
 any thing by half he will exadlly in- 
 ftruca thofe who employ him, in the 
 beft and lefs good, in the neceffary and 
 the fufficient, whether in refped: to 
 quantity or quality. He will with 
 firmnefs oppofe thofe blind oeconomifts, 
 who' to avoid in the beginning a flight 
 augmentation ofexpence, do but oc- 
 cafxon afterwards a much greater one. 
 
 He 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteSfure. 133 
 
 He will not undertake a building unlefs 
 he has the liberty to employ therein 
 fuch materials as are fuitable both in 
 quality and quantity. If he is to lefTen 
 the number of his undertakings, he 
 will rather do lefs than not do them 
 well. No fooner does the defire of 
 enriching himfelf take place, than all 
 fentiments of honour are perverted. 
 Arts fufFer almoft as much as manners 
 from this bafenefs. Every thing is 
 confined to getting of money, and to 
 make dupes in the conftrudion of 
 buildings ; there is therein a croud of 
 particulars, which become the matter 
 of much villany. They invent furni- 
 ture and pay the higheft prices for bad 
 materials, which are got on purpofe, 
 all which is fhewn in their bills, worfe 
 a hundred times than thofe of apothe- 
 caries. There are fenfible people who 
 pretend that the fine arts are the ruin 
 of the ftate. This reproach only be- 
 longs to avaricious artifts, who make a 
 I 3 trade 
 
134 -^^ ^f^y <5^ ArchittBure. 
 
 trade and merchandife of deceiving 
 human kind. The defire of gaia 
 makes them invent all kind of falfe 
 projects 3 they find fuch as fuit them; 
 and for the little that is left to their 
 covetuofnefs, they are capable of ex- 
 haufting a kingdom. I thought this 
 digreflion w^ould be pardoned ; it 
 comprehends a ccnfure that axtifts will 
 think a very bitter one I have given 
 my f^lf thereinto without prejudice, 
 and only thro' zealous views. Other- 
 wife this criticifm will not fall but upon 
 thofe people, who far from being maf- 
 ters of art are only mercenary pradli- 
 fers in it. I take care not to confound 
 v/ith them our true architeds. 
 
 The materials are not all of the 
 fame quality. The fludy of an ar« 
 chited: ought to have in view the 
 knowing all properties and differencejr, 
 and to make fuch a ufe of them, as 
 that at one touch or ftroke of the eve 
 
 he 
 
An Efay on ArchiteSiun.^ 135. 
 
 he may make a fure judgement of 
 them; and to be fecure from all the 
 cheats of trade. The fame materials 
 are not equally good for all kinds of 
 work. This is an obje£t of difcern- 
 ment, that fhould be familiar to the 
 architect. By that he will avoid dan- 
 gerous overlights in giving to every 
 thing its proper deftination, and tl^e 
 uimeceffary expences, and in finding the 
 fecret of putting all to advantage. In 
 a building there are parts in which no- 
 thing but what is good miift be ufed, , 
 in others indifferent ones will do : and 
 in others in (hort wherein is to be no- 
 thing but the excellent. The bad only 
 is always to be rejeded. When wc 
 happen to make ufe of it, we prefently 
 eoftfefs the injury, and we reproach 
 our felves always too late for it. 
 
 Befides the chpice of materials there 
 is a way of ufing them which yet con- 
 tributes ftill infinitely more to the foli- 
 . I 4 dity 
 
136' j^n EJfay on ArchtteBure. 
 
 dity of the work. In all buildings wc 
 muft deftinguifli between that part 
 which loads and that which fupports. 
 A building will have all the neceflary 
 folidity, if the ftrength of the weight 
 doth not exceed that of the fupport, 
 and if there is between the two a juil 
 proportion. Let us confider a deta- 
 ched wall. It is at once it felf, its 
 burden and its fupport : becaufe the fup- 
 perior parts weigh upon the inferior, 
 and the inferior bear up the fuperior. 
 Let us examine an entire edifice. It is 
 a compofition of many walls which 
 bear arches, floors and a roof. The 
 vaults, the floors, and roof, are all the 
 load of the building, and the walls are 
 the fupport of it. The archited who 
 hath made his plan, fhould afcertain 
 exadly the fl:rength of the load, fo that 
 fecurely regulates the ftrength of the 
 fupports^ 
 
 There 
 
An Effay on ArchiteSin7^e. 137 
 
 There are loads that aft in a per- 
 pendicular line, that is in prefling from 
 top to bottom. Such are the maffy 
 walls which bear diredly upon their 
 foundations. To eftimate the load of 
 it, it fuffices to meafure the length and 
 breadth of it. There are loads the 
 weight of which adl in an oblique line, 
 that is to fay in pufhing from right to 
 left, fuch are arches. To eftimate the 
 weight of them, we muft meafure the 
 convexity thereof; the more it is fur- 
 bafed the more ftrong is the fwelling. 
 In (hort there are the floors and the 
 roof which have a great weight in a 
 perpendicular line, a little fwelling in 
 an oblique line. All this ought to be 
 carefully eftimated. 
 
 The folidity of the edifice then de- 
 pends principally upon the ftrength of 
 the fupports. Whoever then, fliall 
 know how to give to a plain wall all 
 the ftrength which it has occafion for 
 
 fo 
 
138 An EJfay on ArchiteSiure. 
 
 £0 as it may not give way, is in a condi- 
 tion to provide fufficient fupports for 
 the mort heavy loads. 
 
 There are three things which render 
 a wall ftrong and immoveable. The 
 foundation upon which it bears its 
 thicknefs, the connexion and right line 
 of its parts. The beft of all founda- 
 tions is the rock and hard ftone. Never- 
 thelefs we may be miftaken herein : it 
 happens fometimes that in digging the 
 ground furfaces of rock are found, 
 which have but a moderate thicknefs. 
 Thefe are natural vaults, which will 
 not fail of being broken by the weight 
 of a great wall. When therefore we 
 are working upon a coniiderable edi- 
 iice, it is of the laft confequence, to 
 found the thicknefs of the rock which 
 prefents its felf, to affure one's felf 
 jthat it is not hollow, or that there is a 
 cavity in it, if the thicknefs if its cap 
 which covers it, is of a ftrength to 
 
 bear 
 
An E{[ay on ArchileBure. 139 
 
 bear the greateft loads. In defefl of 
 the rock we fliouU dig to the folid or 
 to the firft ground. If we meet with 
 water or deep fand, we fliould employ 
 piles, a kind of foundation, which 
 when it's well made, is almcft the beft 
 and the moft durable. It is Icfs eflen- 
 tial to build on good foundations ; the 
 principle is (o trifling, that it would be 
 ufelefs to make mention of it. Never- 
 thelefs the grofs faults which are com-' 
 mitted in this kind iliew the neceflity 
 to call again to mind and to incul- 
 cate this principle. Could one believe 
 that in fuch an edifice as that of St. 
 Pctear's at Rom^ they fhould neglcift 
 to fecure of a foundation. A confide- 
 rable part of this great balilifk hath been 
 placed upon ruins of theancientcircusof 
 Nero, and they did not give thcmfelves 
 the trouble to rake into the inlide. 
 Behold then a building that ought to 
 be made for eternity fubjed: to an ine- 
 vitable diftrudion. They had a proof 
 
 of 
 
74^ -^^ mi^y ^^ Architediure. 
 
 of it, when the chevalier Bernin pro- 
 jeded the building two ftecples upon 
 the two corners of the frontifpiece of 
 this church. They raifed one of them; 
 the work was not as yet much ad- 
 vanced, when they perceived a dan- 
 gerous fettlement that this extraordi- 
 nary weight had occafioned in the 
 lefTer walls. Thefe walls feemed to 
 be of an approoved ftrength, they 
 concluded therefore that this failure 
 muft come from the foundation. They 
 dug to make themfelves fure, and they 
 found the defedl I fpeak of They 
 endeavoured to remady this by mak- 
 ing fubterraneous flioulder pieces. This 
 remedy ftopt the progrefs of the mif- 
 fortune without deftroying the prin- 
 ciple. Let this example make our 
 arcbiteds very circumfpedl and extre- 
 mely nice about the quality of the 
 ground-plot that they take for a foun- 
 dation. The affjrances in this refped: 
 cannot be too great. 
 
 The 
 
An Ejfay en Archite6lnre. 141 
 
 The foundation once well chofen 
 and well prepared , the materials 
 ought to be placed in fuch a manner. 
 3 ft, Let the lays be in an exaft level 
 and a perfed: perpendicular. 2dly, 
 Let the ftones preferve the fame fitua- 
 tion they had in the quarry for the 
 lay beds and for the joint beds. 3dly, 
 Let the joinings of the inferior lay 
 be always covered again by the furfacc 
 of the fuperior lay. 4thiy, That there, 
 may be no void in the thicknefs of 
 the wall. 
 
 The idlenefs of workmen hath in- 
 troduced in fome places a ftrange way 
 of building all that is in the ground. 
 After having dug the trench of the re- 
 quifite length and breadth, they fill 
 the trench witb great pieces of uncut 
 ftone thrown carelelly with heaps of 
 mortar. This is the moft dcteftable 
 practice. Befides that it's impoflible 
 there fhould not remain great fpaces in 
 
 a filling 
 
14^ An E/Jay on ArchiteSlur^i 
 
 a filling up fo much by <ihanee; the 
 rubbifti thrown confiifedly and without 
 order will take all forts of irregular 
 fituations ; they will the one be feated 
 even, the others upon their corners, 
 and they will infallibly 'be broken by 
 the maffies that will be built upon 
 them^ from thence arifcs fettlemerift' 
 and inequalities. It is a miftake that 
 tht mafonry that is to remain hid in 
 the ground, fhould not require as 
 much cxaftnefs of labour, as that^ 
 which is expofcd to the eye. If one 
 would make a good foundation, we 
 fhould ufe therein good hewn ftone, 
 at leaft great uncut ftone of a re- 
 gular figure. All ftiould be done by 
 the level, by rule, and the plum- 
 et line. We (hould avoid profuiion 
 of mortar. For as foon as the mortar 
 is made ufe of for any thing but to 
 bind the ftones together, and to fifl" 
 the little fpaces which may remain' 
 between thenij it can only produce 
 
 vcrv 
 
An Effay mi Architedlure. 143 
 
 very ill efFed:s, A wall to be good, 
 ought to be every where equally ftrong^ 
 It is not fo, when there are great in- 
 tervals of ftone and mortar. We 
 Ihall find in the Vitruvius of Mr, Per- 
 rault , rules for buildwig in the bed 
 manner. If we have occafion for 
 models, the obfervatory and the louvre 
 will furni(h us with excellent ones. 
 
 Therefore when a building is to 
 be folid, the walls muft have a rea- 
 fonable thickiiefs. ' This thioknefs is 
 referved to rules that one commonly 
 finds in the treaties of Architecture, 
 fo I will difpenfe with fpeaking of 
 them. I fliall only examine if the 
 walls are to be very high, it is necef- 
 fary or indifferent to make rccefl'es to 
 every ftory. Thefe recefles are veiy 
 much in ufe; it feems to me not- 
 withftanding that there is no necefiity 
 for them. If the wail is made accord- 
 ing to rule 'and in a pcrfed plumlv 
 
 line 
 
144- -^^ mf^y on ArchiteSiuff. 
 
 line altho' it fliould be from top to 
 bottom of the fame thicknefs, it would 
 be but the more folid. I confefs it is 
 extremely dijERcult to keep this precifion 
 of the perpendicular in all the parts of 
 a great wall. In truth we have very 
 ei^couraging hopes of it in the ancient 
 edifices and to exorbitant heights. But 
 our workmen know only how to be 
 aftoniflied with it, and as they have 
 not the fine emulation of imitating what 
 they admire and to value as much as 
 their predecciTors did formerly, it is pro- 
 bable they will always confine them- 
 felves to their imperfedt methods. It 
 is then more fecure in the prefent 
 pofture of things, to build with recelfes, 
 in obfervingto make them always equal 
 on each fide of the wall, in fuch a 
 manner that the load bears exadtly in 
 the middle. 
 
 There ought to be limits in the 
 thicknefs of the walls. It is effential 
 
 to 
 
An EJfay on Architedlnre. Y45 
 
 to put nothing therein that is fuperfluous, 
 cither to avoid too great expcnce, or 
 principally not to give into the heavy 
 and mafly. The two extremes are 
 equally vicious. Neverthelefs if it was 
 to chufe, the excefs of the lightnefs 
 would be preferable to thofe enormous 
 niaffes that are often found in our mo- 
 dern editices, and which are without 
 doubt therein very unneceflary. The 
 great fecret, the true perfedion of the 
 art confifts in joining folidity to deli- 
 cacy. Altho' our artifts fay of this> 
 Thefe two qualities are nothing lefsthan 
 incompatible. In the arabefk build- 
 ings of Architecture, they have car- 
 ried fometimes the delicacy as far as it 
 could go, or beyond even the general 
 received limits of it : Thefe buildings 
 have not had lefs folidity than ours, 
 their long duration is a guarantee of 
 it. I fhould be glad that they would 
 take at leaft in this refpedl the fpirit of 
 this ridiculou^ Architedure : that they ] 
 K might 
 
146 An EJfay en ArchiuBure. 
 
 might ftudy the furprifing artifice of 
 
 this manner of building, where nothing 
 
 ' contradids it felf, altho' it is extremely 
 
 loofe. The old buildings of the abbey 
 
 of St, Dennis in this particular were 
 
 very fuperior to the new. The leaft of 
 
 a connoifeur regrets that they have made 
 
 fo exceflive an expenfe, to fubftitute 
 
 great walls of a citadel, to a work 
 
 which was delicacy it felf. This new 
 
 building on the fide of the old church, 
 
 makes a contraft which will prove a 
 
 long time that the workmen of the 
 
 eighteenth century have not come up 
 
 to the fliill of thofe of the eleventh and 
 
 twelfth. The church of St Sulpice 
 
 is ftill a monument, wherein the grof-* 
 
 i^efs of our labour is unfortunately con-* 
 
 fecrated. Were fuch heavy mafles ne- 
 
 ceffary to give folidity to this building? 
 
 our artilts will pretend fo, all the pu^ 
 
 blic will be againft them, and I will 
 
 Goly bring them to the holy chapel to 
 
 confute them. The ancients were very 
 
 fparing 
 
An Ejjay on ArchiteBure. 147 
 
 fparing of ftone, but Were profufe in 
 iron; by that and by thq aid of the 
 leVcl and plumb-line they arrived at 
 their end of joining the delicMe to the 
 folid. What inconvenience w^ould it 
 be to do as they have done ; we know 
 infinitely better than they the decora- 
 tive part, but they were more (killed 
 than we in the conftru6tion. If We 
 would make ourfelves perfedl, do not 
 let us confult them, when it fliaUcoriie 
 into queftion to ornament buildings, 
 and let us not leave confulting them in 
 the conftrud:ing them. Arches th^t 
 have a projeftion from right to left, 
 require new ftrength in the Walls that 
 bear them. Hitherto we could find 
 no better means to fupport them, than 
 the fpurs or butteflTes which prevent 
 the walls from giving way. We make ' 
 ufe of thefe in this manner for churches 
 which are properly the only edifices, 
 wherein there are great Vaults fubjecfl 
 both by their burden and by their 
 K 2 height 
 
148 An Effay on ArchiteBun. 
 
 height to a great fwelling. Thefc 
 fpurs unhappily neceffary, render the 
 putfideof our churches very difagreeable. 
 I will in another place explain my idea 
 aapon the part we fhould take to hide 
 them from the fight. What I have to 
 obferve at prefent on the fubjed: of great 
 vaults or arches is, that we jfhould 
 endeavour to diminifh the weight of 
 them as much as poffible. For this 
 purpofe two means are advantageous. 
 The firft is the exadtnefs of the fvveep. 
 The fecond is the mediocrity of the 
 thicknefs. The exaftnefs of the fweep 
 contributes infinitely to the folidity of 
 the arches, and to facilitate the fup- 
 port of them. Thofe that have the 
 knowledge of the fweep of arches do 
 wonders with a little expence. Not 
 only it is eafy for them to execute thefc 
 arches in fucha manner furbafed, that 
 they are like a true plat-form, but they 
 find the fecret of fuftaining in the air 
 ^reat mafles of ftone wijthout any ap- 
 pearance 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteSture. 149 
 
 pearance of an arch. The ftairs of 
 Premontre is on of thefe pieces, the 
 boldnefs of which has fometing fright- 
 ful. It is owing entirely to the know- 
 ledge of the fweep. An archited: can- 
 not apply himfelf too much to acquire 
 fo precious a knowledge. It is the 
 moft mifterious part of the art. To 
 have a perfect: underftanding of it, the 
 works of father Durand the Jefuit will 
 be a great help. 
 
 The fecond method of making the 
 arches light is to diminifh their thick- 
 nefs. Let us- examine the arches of 
 the arable edifices, we (hall find that 
 the moft part have fcarce fix inches 
 thicknefs. What occafion is there to 
 give them more ? It appears to me on 
 the contrary that one might give left 
 to them. We have of late learnt that 
 they make excellent arches, that have 
 only one brick in thicknefs. This 
 old invention in certain countries and 
 K 3 new 
 
f JO Jin 'EJfay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 new to us, (hews that it is not neceflary 
 that an arch (hould be thick to make 
 it folid. Let \m take advantage of this 
 difcovery, and this will always be to 
 diminifh the burden. 
 
 It is neceflary to obferve that in 
 whatever manner a building is made, 
 if we would have it lafting, we ought 
 to take great care never to weaken the 
 fupports. The thicknefs of the mafles 
 occafions fometimes ftartings. It is 
 fuppofed that there is fomething ex- 
 ceeding and fuperfluous. We con- 
 clude that to retrench a little of it, it 
 cannot do any hurt : and one has the 
 mortification of feeing prefently all the 
 edifice is fhaken. Thefe faults are 
 commonly committed by fchemes of 
 difengaging or decoration. The che- 
 valier Bernin was certainly a great 
 man : neverthelefs he has been guilty 
 of this fault in a moft (hameful degree. 
 A fond defire of decoration infpired 
 
 him 
 
An EJfay on Arcbit^giurt. iji 
 
 him with the confidence of digging, 
 of making hollow the four great maf- 
 fes, which bear the dome of St. Peter's 
 at Rome. Thefe mafleys appeared 
 capable of fome redudlion; experience 
 has fhewed that there was nothing 
 too much. Since they were weakned, 
 the calot of the dome has fplit in many 
 places, and they will have the greatefl 
 difficulty in the world to prevent the 
 ruin of it. When a building is finiflVd, 
 it is always dangerous to meddle with 
 it. We ought to fuppofe that he who 
 hath been an architect knew his bufi- 
 nefs, that he has put nothing into it but 
 what was abfolutely neceflaryj and that 
 all the thicknefles have been propor- 
 tioned to the quantity and quality of 
 the burden. It is much better to de- 
 ceive one's felf in thinking thus, than to 
 put one's felf in danger of deftroying all. 
 We fhould confide but very little in 
 the reports of the moft expert ; many 
 are but indifferendy knowing therein : 
 K 4 fome 
 
152 An EJfay on ArchiteBure> 
 
 fome are unfaithful enough to give falfc 
 aflurances againft dangers, that they 
 only affedl to defpife, becaufe that far 
 from fuffering thereby any damage,, 
 they wiil certainly have profit from it. 
 
 To the end that we may prevent 
 all thefe knaveries that are familiar to 
 undertakers, we muft have good faith 
 in all thofe from whom there is not 
 any fatisfaftion to be expected. A law 
 that would conftrain them to repair at 
 their expenfe all the damage happening 
 to the buildings, other wife than by 
 ftrange accidents in their art 3 a law 
 that would oblige them by the confif- 
 cation of their eftates, and the feizure 
 of their perfons would be the moft ne- 
 cefTary and the moft efFedlual of lawa. 
 
 Articl e 
 
Jn mp^y ^^ ArchiteSiure, 153? 
 
 Article II. 
 
 Upon the commodioufnefs of 
 Buildings. 
 
 BUILDINGS are made for ha- 
 bitation, and they are not ha- 
 bitable but in as much as they arc 
 convenient. Three things make the 
 conveniency of a dwelling, fituation, 
 diftribution, and the difengagements. 
 
 Either the fituation is free or it is 
 conftrained. If it is free, we muft 
 chufe a place in good air and agree- 
 able profpeft. Health always fufFers 
 from a bad air. A melancholy pro- 
 fpedt entertains or creates melancholy. 
 It is therefore of great confequence 
 when we are fo much mafter as to 
 chufe to fix ourfelves in a fituation 
 that unites to the falubrity of the air 
 the agreeable profpedts. That air is 
 truly healthful that is not too dry or 
 too moift. Too great drinefs hurts 
 
 the 
 
>54 ^ mfay on ArchUeSiuve. 
 
 the breaft, too great moifture is the 
 caufe of a thoufand accidents. Up- 
 on high mountains one needs not fear 
 moifture, but then we breathe an air 
 too fharp and cutting, one is there 
 beat by the winds 5 for the moft part 
 water is wanting; we are always 
 obliged to go up and down; fuch 
 fituations ^rc evidently Tull of incon- 
 venience. In the bottom of valleys 
 and in plains we breathe a fat air, but 
 it is moift and marfhy. In winter 
 there are continual fogs. In fummer 
 ene is infeded with bad fmells and 
 . |)eftered with infeds. Such fituations 
 are alfo inconvenient. A place ele- 
 vated enough to command the plain 
 about which there ar^e no marches or 
 ftanding waters, and which fhould be 
 fcreened from the moft violent winds 
 jby fome neighbouring foreft, or 
 mountain j which fliall be near a fine 
 river, without having any fears from 
 ' its overflowings ; fuch a fituation would 
 
 provide 
 
'^An 'Effay en ArcUteBure. 1^5 
 
 provide a habitation extremely health- 
 ful. If other wife one had for a 
 perfpeftive a fertile plain, in which 
 the obje6ts were varied, and without 
 being of too vaft an extent, finding it 
 felf agreeably terminated by little hills 
 of a middling elevation, we fhould en- 
 joy therein advantages of a view that 
 would be proper to enliven the ima- 
 gination. It is aftonifhing that our 
 kings, to whom nothing is impofli^ 
 ble, have chofen for the ufual abode 
 one of the faddefl places in nature* 
 Verfailes has coft immenfe fums em^ 
 ployed to embellifh it ; by its fituatioa 
 it infpires melancholy to all thofe who 
 dwell in it. I can not tell even if 
 the air of it is healthful, becaufe of 
 the waters that furround it. Our 
 aflonifhment increafes when one fees 
 St. Germans, to which nature has 
 refufed nothing, and which with 
 much lefs expence it had been eafy 
 
 tQ 
 
156 An EJfay on ArthiteSlure. 
 
 to have made one of the mofl en- 
 chanting abodes. 
 
 In cities one cannot always chufe 
 a fituation that has the advantages I 
 am fpeaking of. We are confined in 
 the placing it, which can never be 
 of a great extent and of a pcrfeft re- 
 gularity. All that we are free in, is 
 the choice of the quarter and the 
 ftreet. In this confinement we muft 
 at leaft fix one's felf in the moft airy 
 quarter and moft proper, in the largcft 
 and the beft laid-out ftreet ; becaufe 
 the approach is the moft eafy, and 
 that the air of it is more eafily changed. 
 In a word the local conveniencies de- 
 pend upon a crowd of circumftances, 
 to which it is neceflary to give a par- 
 ticular attention. We muft have wa- 
 ter, and be near thofe places where 
 w.e find the necefifaties of life. We 
 fhould be removed from noife. We 
 ihould have our coming in, and going 
 
 out 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSlure. 157 
 
 out free. Day-light (hould be of ad- 
 vantage to us, and that cannot be if 
 we have not before us a large opening. 
 I do not call to mind all thefe things 
 herein, but to inftrudt thofe who have 
 the power* of procuring them. The 
 multitude is not in th^ cafe. ^ 
 
 The ground being fixed upon, there 
 remains to determine the pofition of 
 the edifice. It concerns us to preferve 
 ourfelves both from too much cold 
 and too much heat. Generally fpeak- 
 ing the eaft and the weft are two in- 
 convenient pofitions. In fummer we 
 are burnt by the fun, which includes 
 almoft the half of the day. The north 
 is too cold and always a little moift. 
 The fouth appears the beft pofi- 
 tion. In winter the fun abforbs and 
 diminifhes the cold -, in fummer it 
 glances and does not give fo great a 
 heat. But in every country there is 
 commonly one fide of the horizon, 
 
 from 
 
158 An Efay m ArchiteBuye. 
 
 from whence come the greateft winds 
 and the moil: conftant rains. If we 
 would be lodged commodioully, we 
 muft take care of turning our lodge- 
 ment towards fo incommodious a part 
 of the heavens; we fhould take the 
 oppofite djiredion. The convenience 
 of the pofition depends then yet on 
 many relative circumftances to the 
 climate, of which no archited: ought 
 to be ignorant. 
 
 After the advantages of fituation 
 nothing contributes fo much to the 
 conveniency of a building, as the dif- 
 tribution as well exterior as interior. 
 The interior diftribution has for its 
 objed: the rangement of its entrance, 
 courts and gardens, A building is al- 
 ways inconvenient, where there is not 
 at leaft one court wherein the coaches 
 can enter and turn with eafe. It is de- 
 prived of a very great conveniency when 
 it has not a garden, A garden in a city is 
 
 a great 
 
An Effay on ArchiteBure. 1 59 
 
 a great refource, was it only to give 
 air and a little verdure; and what is 
 yet more grateful, for having at home 
 a walk that we need not go to feek, or 
 where one cannot always be undreffed 5 
 and where importunate people break 
 in upon us ; and where we can fee only 
 thofe we would fee. If the ground 
 has extent enough, fo that we may 
 have a court or garden, we flbould take 
 care to have both ^ in obferving as much 
 as poilible, ,to turn the garden on that 
 fide wherein our neighbours have no 
 view upon it. To render the exterior 
 diftribution commodious we muft take 
 care. Firft, That the principal body of 
 lodgings be at the bottom of the court, 
 and that it faces the gardens : fo that 
 we fhall be covered from the noife, and 
 we fhall have a good air and great light. 
 2dl)^, The principal entrance towards 
 the flreet fliould be in the middle cf 
 the court; the entrance to the principal 
 lodging and to the garden ought to 
 
 anfwer 
 
i6o An E/fay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 anfwer diredly to it, from thence de- 
 pends the great facility of entering and 
 going out. 3dly, We muft fo order 
 it on the fide of the principal court, one 
 more court at leaft to receive all the 
 naftinefs of the ftables, the kiichin and 
 of all the houfe, and it is necefTary that 
 this leiTer court fhould have its parti- 
 cular outlet on the outfide; on this 
 depends the neatnefs, which infinitely 
 inflnences the falubrity of the air. 
 4thly, That the floor of the principal 
 body of lodgings be raifed fome fteps 
 above the pavement of the court of the 
 garden. This rifing is neceflary to be 
 free from all moifture. There has 
 been a pradice introduced contrary to 
 what I have been faying upon the fub- 
 je6l of the entrance to the grand apart- 
 ments. Manv will not have it in the 
 middle, becaufe they pretend that it is 
 taking away the beft piece of the houfd 
 to make an entrance of it, which is 
 0nly a place of paflage. They are then 
 
 f#r 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteSture. i6i 
 
 for throwing the entrance into one of 
 the corners or upon one of the wings/ 
 This idea has al ways fliocked me. There 
 refults a great inconvenience from it, 
 that is, that a ftranger entring into the 
 court is obliged to afk which way he 
 muft go into the houfe. As foon as 
 they throw the door of entry into the 
 corner, they muft necefFarily for fym-r 
 metry*s fake feign one upon the oppofite 
 angle. From thence any one that is 
 not well acquainted naturally finds 
 himfelf in a doubt, and knows not on 
 which fide the true or the falfe entrance 
 is. It will be faid no doubt that this 
 inconvenience is trifling in comparifon 
 of the advantage one draws from an 
 apartment which occupies the whole 
 extent of that fide of the houfe, and 
 which is not cut by a veftibule. I con- ^ 
 fefs that this advantage has fomething 
 that intices, but then from thence the 
 entrance into the garden cannot be 
 placed but in an inconvenient flovenly 
 L manner. 
 
i62 An EJfay on Architecture. 
 
 manner. Of two things we muft chufe 
 one, either to crofs the apartment, 
 for to enter there into the middle, or 
 abfulutely to enter in there diredly but 
 thro' the corner. I fay further, thefe 
 entries made in the angle of the court 
 have a niggardly air which gives dif- 
 tafte : they declare that we are ftraitly 
 lodged, and that we have been obliged 
 to take the piece that ought to have ferved 
 for a veftibule, to enlarge the apart- 
 ment. Oiherwife the entring door 
 being naturally deligned to be the com- 
 mon out-let of all the apartments, it& 
 effential place is the center , from 
 whence it equally diftributes to all the 
 extremities. In the caftle of Verfailes 
 the entrance is difpofed with very little 
 4£are. When one enters into the court, 
 we fee at the bottom a very little body 
 of lodgings where they had made 
 three great overtures. One advances 
 with confidence that this is the entrance 
 intQ the palace ; when we come there, 
 
 one 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteSlure. 163 
 
 one finds a veftibule into which we muft 
 defcend, and which befides communi- 
 cates no-where. We fee the gardens 
 before us, we look for a door, a ftair- 
 cafe to go to the apartments, nothing 
 of which prefents its felf j fo that if one 
 do not take care to have a guide, one 
 fhall be a long time gueffing where 
 we muft get in. The interior diftri- 
 bution touches ftill nearer upon the 
 conveniency of the lodgings than the 
 exterior, and requires that one give at- 
 tention to the leaft particulars. In fup- 
 pofing the entering door In the center, 
 if the body of the lodgings has a ftory 
 above the ground-floor, the ftair cafe 
 fhould prefent it immediately as you 
 enter; and it fhould be placed in fuch 
 manner that nothing may obftrud its . 
 view, and that it fhould not obftrudl 
 any thing. The beft rule is to throw ^ 
 it on the fide of the entrance, and as 
 much as pofTible on the left fide, for 
 naturally it is the left foot that fteps 
 . *" La up 
 
164 An Effay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 Dp firft. It is very extraordinary if a 
 ftair-tafe placed direftly in the center 
 and upon the entrance do not draw 
 after it many inconveniencies j witnefs 
 that of Luxemberg which is placed 
 in this manner. Befidcs its other de- 
 fc<3s which are the grofnefs and want 
 of light, it takes up the place of the 
 entrance, it cuts the g rden door in its 
 height, and one cannot behold any 
 thing mere miferable than this little 
 alley, which ftrvcs as a communica- 
 tion with the garden court. Then 
 that a flair cafe may employ the center- 
 without contrading any where elfe, it 
 ihould be with two flights, one of each, 
 fide of the entrance, and which may 
 join themfelves on the firft ftory, by a 
 great landing place above the door of 
 the falon, uhich ought to be between 
 the cntring door and the garden. Such 
 ^ ftair-cafe would be equally magnifi- 
 cent and commcdicus; it would fuit 
 perfectly wth the h<iufc of a prince and 
 
 palace 
 
An Efay on Archiudlure. 165 
 
 palace of a king. In other houfes 
 where fuch an expcnce is not allowed, 
 a flair-cafe of a fingle flight only is 
 fjfficient, and the beft way of pla- 
 cing it is as I have mentioned, be* 
 caufe then nothing obftruds it, nor 
 does it obftruft any thing. To render 
 this ftair-cafe commodious it is nccef- 
 fary. Firft, That the flights are in a 
 right line, 2dly, That the fteps be 
 large and very little raifed, 3dly, That 
 there be landing places by intervals. 
 4thly, That it be pcrfedly well lighred. 
 Curved flights have always one incon- 
 venience, that is that the fteps arc 
 wide at one end and ftrait at the 
 other, fo that on one part the foot 
 fteps wiih difficulty or elfe on the 
 other one gets great trips up. Straight 
 fteps caufe fear and are really dangerous 
 in dcfcending: for example thofe of 
 the great altar of Sulpicius, which 
 have made many a prieft's head giddy. 
 High fteps tire and put out of breath. 
 L 3 A long 
 
i66 jin EJfdy x^n ArchiteBure. 
 
 A long flight without a landing place has 
 the fame inconvenience : this courfe of 
 fteps without interruption and without 
 reft frightens in going down, and tires 
 in afcending. The ftair-cafe is a part 
 of the houfe that requires the moft 
 light, becaufe it is that wherein falfa 
 fteps draw after them great dangers. 
 A ftair-cafe placed as I have mentioned, 
 fuppofes a double row of lodgings : fo 
 that it is only in the double row of 
 lodgings that one can lodge cornmo- 
 dioafly. 
 
 Great apartments ought to be com- 
 pofed of at leaft an antichamber, a 
 drawing-room, a bed-chamber and a 
 clofet. All thefe pieces ought to be 
 placed near the garden and in a fuite 
 or range. In this double body of lodgi- 
 ings muft be placed the dining-room, 
 the wardrobe, the drefling-rooms, the 
 baths and the houfes of office. I do 
 not put here but thofe with which wc 
 
 cannot 
 
An EJfay m ArchiteBure. 167 
 
 cannot difpcnfe, without wanting ef- 
 fentially conveniency. The dining- 
 room ought to be near the office and 
 kitchin. The two laft particulars 
 cannot be commodioufly placed but 
 in the wings of the range of apart- 
 ments. The places under ground are 
 too dark, too moift, too difficult to be 
 cleaned to delign them for any thing 
 elfe but wine-cellars, vaults or wood- 
 piles or coals. The wadrobe and 
 the privy clofets fhould be near the 
 bed chamber. And to avoid all bad 
 fmells the Englifli method of them 
 is beft. The other apartments ought 
 each to have an antichamber, a bed- 
 chamber, a clofet and wadrobe. I 
 do not fpeak of halls, galleries, li- 
 braries and all pieces that are for mag- 
 nificence only. They are only fuited 
 to great noblemens houfes. They 
 fhoujd be feparate from thc"^ apart- 
 ments that they lodge in, and it is 
 always eafy to make the difpofition of 
 L 4 them. 
 
i68 An EJfay on Architeclun. 
 
 them. To make the apartments comodi- 
 ous we muft obferve, Firft, That there 
 are not too many doors ; they bring 
 cold winds through the chinks and 
 very much contract the furniture. 
 That they fhould be near to the 
 windows 3 that they fliould open with 
 foldings, without refting upon the 
 thicknefs of the wall, that they may 
 fhut eafily and clofe. Secondly, That 
 the windows be without fupport and 
 open even to the bottom of the ftone 
 work, becaufe then they light infinite- 
 ly better, and being feated the view 
 of the gardens is free. That they 
 open as the doors without refting up- 
 on the wall, and (hut with the fame 
 exadftnefs and eafe. That the chim- 
 neys never face the windows or doors, 
 and that all imaginable precaution be 
 taken to prevent fmoking. Thirdly, 
 That the beds be in great alcoves, for 
 one \% better fliut in and warmer. On 
 the other hand the furniture of the 
 
 bed- 
 
An EJfay on Ar chit eSf are. 169 
 
 bed-chamber is more eafy and grace- 
 ful, when there is an alcove which 
 feparates the bed from the chamber. 
 The conveniency will be compleat if 
 on both fides of the alcove there be a 
 door and paflage of communication 
 with the wadrobe. To be very com- 
 rnodioufly lodged, there fhould be 
 nobody above us, nor {hould we be 
 obliged to afcend. Ground is too 
 precious in cities, to reduce all ;hc 
 houfes to a plain level. It is only 
 poflible for kings and princes to be 
 lodged fo much at large, without 
 having the trouble, to climb up by 
 a ftair-cafe or without putting fome- 
 body over their heads. They arc 
 very much in the wrong not to give 
 this conveniency to all the royal 
 houfes. Is it reafonable that the 
 king fhould give up the ground floor 
 to any body ? And that there fhould 
 be a firfl in his houfe ? Why then to 
 build him a lodging of federal /lo- 
 ries ? 
 
I/O An EJfay on Architedlurt. 
 
 ries ? For articulars it is. not the 
 fame. ^ Their limited appointments 
 put them under a neceflity of lodg- 
 ing one above the other. In this 
 conftraint neverthelefs there is atten- 
 tion to be had : that is to adl in 
 fuch a manner, that in the fuperior 
 apartment the bed - chamber be not 
 above that of the inferior apartment, 
 but upon Tome other piece where 
 there is no fear of difturbing any 
 body's repof . In the difpofition of 
 a building an archited: fhould be at- 
 tentis^e to put all the "ground to the 
 greateft advantage; and not to leave 
 any ufclcfs. How fmall foever the 
 fpirit of combination is, it will draw a 
 great part even from irregularities ; 
 and we (hall fee under its hand, the 
 leaft nooks metomorphofed into new 
 conveniencies. Let us do juftice to 
 our artifts; difpofition is a part that 
 they pofTefs in the moft fovereign de- 
 gree. .cXh^y ^^^ ^^^y "^^^^ ikilled in 
 
 mul- 
 
An Efjhy on ArchiteSlure. iji 
 
 multiplying lodgings in very little fpa- 
 ces, and in every lodgement to con- 
 trive conveniencies of all kinds. Their 
 /kill of this kind hath created die 
 tafte of fmall apartments. This 
 tafte is not abfolutely bad. It would 
 neverthelefs be dangerous if it became 
 loo general, and that hereafter wp 
 (hould fee the greateffc lords tp have 
 for their apartments a labyrinth of 
 little cellers. Small apartments are 
 fuited to little fortunes : but m great 
 houfes they are always mifplaced, at 
 leaft that they are not there altogether 
 as extraordinary works of fmcy. In 
 fliortj paffages or communications con- 
 tribute very much to the convenience 
 of lodgings. I fliall not enlarge much 
 upon this article, which is not one 
 of thofe wherein our architedts excel 
 the leaft. We underftand by paffages 
 all pieces that ferve to give fecret 
 communications within and without 
 an apartment. Thefc difengagements 
 
 arc 
 
172 An EJfay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 are neceflary to avoid going about, and 
 for that there are near one all the helps 
 that can come from the offices or any 
 common places : for to undrefo our- 
 fclves when one would, for to go and 
 to come without confinement or con- 
 fining any body elfe. it is unnecef- 
 fary to enter herein into a great de- 
 tail of particulars : it is f^fficient to 
 fay that thefe communications arc 
 things that Architects ought never to 
 negled: in the difpofition of an 
 apartment. 
 
 
 ARTlCiE 
 
^j4n Ejfay on ArchiteSfure. loi 
 Article III. 
 
 What decency ought to he pre- 
 Jerved in buildings. 
 
 DECENCY requires that an 
 edifice (hould not have more or 
 lefs magnificence than is agreeable to 
 its deftination, that is to fay the 
 decoration of the building ought not 
 to be arbritrary; that it fhould al- 
 ways be relative to the rank and qua- 
 lity of thofe that inhabit it, and con- 
 formable to the objed: that we have 
 in view. To fay fomethirg lefs un- 
 certain let us diftinguifh public cdi-- 
 fices from particular houfes* 
 
 I place in the rank of public edi- 
 fices, the palaces of princes : Town- 
 houfes : Courts of judicature, hof- 
 pitals, and common hales. Chur- 
 ches cannot be decorated too nobly: 
 they are the fanftuary of the divinity: 
 
 it 
 
3 74 ^^ mi^y on ArchiteSiure.' 
 
 it is right to give them a majeftic air, 
 which anfwcrs to fo great an object. 
 One is never in danger of going too 
 £ir. One may fay of our churches 
 that the more magnificent we render 
 them, the better we come up to de^ 
 cency. There is neverthelefs one 
 thing to obferve, that is that all forts 
 of ornaments do not agree with the 
 decorations of our churches. There 
 fhould be nothing in them profane, 
 nothing ridiculous, nor immodeft. 
 There have been architeds that have 
 had judgement little enough to orna- 
 ment the frife of a church with all the 
 ihHruments proper for a pagan facri- 
 fice or monftrous figures contrived by 
 imagination and ci^price. It is of- 
 fending openly againft all the rules of 
 decency. There (hould be nothing 
 in a church but what is fimple, maf- 
 culine, grave and ferious; nothing that 
 can divert one's piety : nothing but 
 what contributes to nouriih, and to 
 
 in- 
 
An Uffay on ArchiteSfure. 17^ 
 
 inflame its ardour. Nudides above 
 all in painting and fculpture ought to 
 be abfolutely baniflied hence. It is 
 aftonifliing to fee fome of them even 
 upon altars, which is indecent and 
 fcandalous. The choir of our Lady 
 is perchance the ^ work, where they 
 have the moft Icrupuloufly obferved 
 thefe fevere decencies which 1 fpeak 
 of. All is noble, plain, modtft and 
 religious, in this grand decoration. 
 I find but one thing therein to obje<9r 
 to that is in the round point they 
 have corrupted badly enough the ar- 
 chitefture of the church in fubftituting 
 the harfh and dry to fome thing that 
 had more fweetnefs and foftnefs. fince 
 grofs fquare pillars have taken place of 
 columns. If there muft be raagnifi* 
 cence in churches, there (hould be 
 nothing of fuperfluity. When-ever 
 I go to the dome of the invalids, the 
 admiration that this grand piece of 
 Architedlure caufes, w^hich is not 
 
 other- 
 
iy(y An EJfay on Architect urf. 
 
 othcrwife without fault, gives place in 
 me to the furprife that its perfed: in- 
 utility gives me. I immediately find 
 a convenient and compleat church. 
 Afterwards behind the great altar I 
 perceived a new church, prodigioufly 
 enriched with painting fculpture, and 
 gilding, which is of itfelf a compleat 
 building. I inquire for what ufe is 
 this great dome and all that accom- 
 panies it : they cannot give any reafon 
 for it. I do not fee any thing therein 
 but the fancy of a great prince who 
 was wiUing to do fomething fine 
 without having a nice idea of what 
 he would do. I know but one way 
 of preferving decency here, that is to 
 confecrate this ufelefs church to the 
 burying of our Kings. This defti- 
 nation would make of this temple a 
 real maufolsum, and indeed it has 
 the form of it. So the afhes of our 
 kings would find themfelves reunited 
 to thofe of brave warriors who have 
 
 made 
 
An Efay on Architedlure. 177 
 
 made themfelves invincible: and this 
 maufolaeum which would be common 
 toallof them, would offer a monument 
 of their grandeur infinitely more au- 
 guft than the little tombs fpread here 
 and there in the church of St. 
 Dennis* 
 
 The palaces of princes fliould be 
 grand, vaft, magnificent, magnificently 
 adorned without, richly furnifhed 
 within. There fhould be to the exte- 
 terior large avenues courts of a con- 
 fiderable extent. In the interior, 
 halls, galleries, long ranges of apart- 
 ments. It would be a trifling thing to 
 renew here the melancholy reflexions 
 that all nations make for io long a time 
 upon the chaos of ruins which intirely 
 hide the fine frontifpiece of the Louvre. 
 We may hope that one day they will 
 fini(h this palace, and that then they 
 will remove all the buildings which 
 fhut up the entrance, and which in* 
 M . deed 
 
178 An Efay on ArchifeSiure. 
 
 deed forbids the approaches to It. 
 The palace of the Tuilleries is very near 
 in the fame condition. The avenue 
 of this palace is the moft miferable, 
 or rather there is none to it. We 
 muft fqueezc crofs a croud of litde 
 flreets, and then arrive at laft at a 
 little door through which one enters 
 into a very litde court furrounded with 
 fimple walls as to a citizen's garden^ 
 They thought they had done mira- 
 cles in building this long gallery which 
 joins the Tuilleries to the Louvre. 
 From thence it happens that there is 
 nothing more than little wickets to go 
 all one fide of Paris from one palace 
 to the other. The Chateau of Vcr- 
 failes hath very fine avenues, and very 
 large courts. But the exterior deco- 
 ration of the building, which leads 
 into thefe courts, does not at all agree 
 with a houfe wherein a King of 
 France makes his ordinary refidence. 
 Not only this decoration has nothing 
 
 in 
 
jin Efdy dn :ArchtteBure. 179 
 
 in it that is majeftic or that ftrikes, 
 but it is extremely deficient. What 
 they call the marble court is fome- 
 thing mean in dl refpeds. What is 
 tliat architedlure cut into the brick, 
 thofe plated bufts againft the walls, 
 fhofe pieces of porticos grofly defign- 
 ed upon the wings, thofe unufefiil 
 heaps loaded with gilding ? We agree 
 that all this colledion is of a bad-tafte. 
 This iourt is much too Utile for a 
 palace of this confequence. Louis 
 xiv. who did every thing with gran- 
 deur, would never have fufFered it to 
 fobfift, if the refpeft for a refidence in 
 ^hich his father lived, had not carried 
 it in his heart over all confiderations. 
 To give to this exterior part of the 
 caftle a truly noble air, there fhould be 
 a great front of buildings varied by 
 pavilions of a different height, and 
 different ftrufture : upon the wings 
 of the great portico there fhould be 
 columns upon a plan either eliptick or 
 M 2 mixt- 
 
i8o An EJfay on Architedlure. 
 
 mixt-lines, which fhould make the 
 communication of one front of apart- 
 ments to the other ; crofs thcfe por- 
 ticos we {hould fee the gardens, which 
 would give to the court a fr eedom and 
 furprifing gaity. There (hould be 
 many more things which never will 
 be. Whatever defign they may have, 
 whatever ex pence they may be at, 
 it will be very difficult by a fimple 
 patch-work, to produce the beauti- 
 full and great in the exterior courts, 
 of the caftle of Verfailes. The in- 
 terior will not be much better. When 
 , after much inquiry we find the flair- 
 cafe to go up to the apartment, one 
 is greatly aftoniflied, not to find a 
 veflibule or hall, but two or three little 
 pieces which lead you to an anti- 
 chamber, wherein one enters at the 
 corner, and which is lighted by a 
 'Louv4^e, this Is neverthelefs the king's 
 antichamber. From thence you pafs 
 into the chamber and ciofet. Here 
 
 the 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteBure. i8,i 
 
 the range is interrupted, and the apart- 
 ment continued upon the return of 
 one of the wings. When we have 
 run over all, one returns and fays ; I 
 had a great Idea of the apartment of 
 the greateft king in the world. We 
 fay then where is that famous gallery 
 which they fpeak fo much of? If 
 you take the fhorteft courfe, they open 
 to you the half of a glafs, and you 
 fee yourfelf in the gallery without 
 knowing how you came there. If 
 they lead you through the fine en- 
 trance, they make you redefcend, to 
 crofs the court; they conduit you to 
 another ftair-cafe, as little thought of 
 as the former. You go up, and be- 
 hold yourfelf not in a veflibule, but in 
 the middle of the grand apartment. 
 From thence you crofs many various 
 grandeurs, and you come at laft to 
 the magnificent falon, which is the true 
 entrance into the gallery. Moft cer- 
 tainly the palace of Verfailes includes 
 M 3 ma uy 
 
i82 An EJfay on ArchitcBure. 
 
 many great beauties, but there are 
 lew edifices which are filled with fo 
 many defeats. It is not worthy of a 
 great prince, except by its vaft ex- 
 tent, and by the riches of all kinds 
 that abound therein. The mafter-- 
 pieces of all kinds with which this 
 palace is filled, will always juftly ex- 
 cite the curiofity of the lovers of 
 them. In no place in the world can 
 one find fo many prodigies to admire. 
 How fhamefull is it to conoiffeijrs that 
 the admiration is not entire, and that 
 the architecture of the buildings in 
 prefenting to them the greateft beauties 
 ihews them disfigured by the greateft 
 blemifhes ; nothing proves more ftrong- 
 ly that imperfeftion is the lot of human 
 things. 
 
 Magnificence agrees to a certain de- 
 gree with the town-houfes, to the 
 tribunals of juftice, to fquares and 
 to other public buildings of this fort. 
 
 I will 
 
An E/fay on Architecture. 183 
 
 I will fay nothing of the town-houfc 
 of Paris ; the refolution that is taken 
 to build a new [one, proves that they 
 are fenfible how much the old one 
 was deficient. What we call the pa- 
 lace has a great extent, but othcrwife 
 there is nothing in the exterior nor in 
 the interior, which anfwers to tlie 
 high idea, that we fhould have of a 
 place in all regards fo refpeftable. Our 
 fquares all want a certain air of graii^ 
 deur which would fuit them. Thd 
 royal fquare the moft fpacious of any 
 would be fine, if they would remove 
 that Iron grate which is in the 
 middle ; and which has refemblance " 
 to the inclofure of a garden ; if they 
 would wall up thofe broken porches 
 which governs all rounds and which 
 are of much lefs value than the worfl: 
 Monk's cloifter. If they demolifhed. 
 thofe great pavilions which hide the 
 two principal entries : and if they 
 threw in great ftreets at the four cor- 
 M 4 ners^ 
 
184 ^n Ejjay on ArchiteSiure. 
 
 ners ; then it would have the appear- 
 ance of a fquare. Such as it is now, 
 one cannot look upon it but as a 
 court, of which the middle is made ufe 
 of as a garden. The fquare of vic- 
 tories, although the leaft, is never- 
 thelefs the fmeft, becaufe of that mul- 
 titude of great ftreets that lead to it. 
 The fquare of Louis the great is com- 
 monly admired for the exad: fym- 
 metry and the rich Architecture that 
 governs in it. If regard was had to 
 the principles that I have laid down 
 in the firft chapter, one would find 
 many blemifliies to reproach the Ar- 
 chitedure of the buildings that fur- 
 rounds this fquare. Befide?, the de- 
 coration of thefe buildings has no fort 
 of variety, and the place itfelf is only 
 like a detached court : wherein no 
 flreet ends diredly, and which is 
 fo ihut in on every part, that if one is 
 in the midle one fhould be tempted 
 tQ believe that there is no way of get^ 
 
 ting 
 
An Ejfay on Architecture. 185 
 
 ting out. A fquare to be fine ought 
 to be a common centre, from whence 
 one may difperfe ourfelves into diffe- 
 rent quarters ; and wherein from dif- 
 ferent quarters one may meet again : 
 therefore many ftreets muft center 
 therein as the roads of a foreft into a 
 crofs high way. The true decoration 
 of fquares are the porticos, and if we 
 join thereto buildings of various 
 heights and different forms, the de- 
 coration will be perfedt. There muft 
 be fymmetry in them, but there muft 
 alfo be a certain difordcr which varies 
 and augments the view. Squares may 
 be ornamented with fountains and 
 ftaiues. We have properly no fine 
 fountain. It is determined amongft 
 the drawers of defcriptions, that we 
 fliall place the holy innocents in the 
 rank of the wonders of this capital. 
 We may boaft in efitcfl the chifel 
 which has cut the carved works, but 
 will we fay that the idea of a fquare 
 
 tour 
 
i86 An EJay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 tour with windows in the fpaces of the 
 pHafters is the idea of a fountain. Will 
 they look back upon Grenelle-Street to 
 make me fee any thing belter, I confefs 
 that here I find fine ftatues and fine 
 marble. I thmk I fee the decoration of an 
 altar, and I am very much aftoniflicd 
 to learn by the water that runs down 
 that it is a fountain. One cannot enough 
 commend the rare talents and the noble 
 emulation of the celebrated Bouchar- 
 don. If we now poflefs in facft, a fu- 
 periority of fculpture above other na- 
 tions, wc owe this principal obligation 
 to this ne'f/ Phidias. With a genius 
 Eke his he could have performed a 
 mafter-piece in this fountain, the idea 
 of which I condemn, and the execu- 
 tion of which I admire. He fliould 
 have had a more convenient and advan- 
 tageous place : and as he had not the 
 liberty to chufe, to imagine according 
 to his tafte, he was lead almoft una- 
 voidably into a filfe idea. The Italians 
 
 « in 
 
An Efjay on ArchiteSlure. 187 
 
 in this point carr it above us infini- 
 tely. We muft go to Rome to learn 
 the beft tafte of fountains. They are 
 there in great numbers, and tho' very 
 different one from the other, they have 
 all of them I know not what, that is 
 true and natural which charms. Is 
 there any thing fo happy, fo noble, fo 
 in charadler, as the fountain of Navona ? 
 Behold a model to which we have 
 never approached. Statues are the or- 
 nament, the moft common of our 
 fquares. Nothing is more reafonable 
 and better thought, than to prefer a 
 fqbare to any other place, when it is re- 
 quired to raife a monument defigned to 
 immortalize the memory of good kings, 
 but it v/ould be abfurd to eftablifh it 
 as a principal, that to every flatue we 
 muft have a fquare. We have feen in 
 our days hot heads that boldly pro- 
 pofed to throw down eight or nine hun- 
 dred houfes, to have a place wherein 
 to fix the ftatue of Louis XV. The 
 
 king 
 
1 88 An Effay 072 ArchiteSfure. 
 
 king by a noble way of thinking which 
 is common to him, oppofcd fo cruel a 
 devaftation of his capital ^ he loved 
 rather that his ftatue was lefs well pla- 
 ced, than to force ten thoufand citizens 
 to be diflodged. The fyftem has then 
 been changed ; but the idea of a fquare 
 is not vaniflied. They think always 
 that the king's ftatue cannot difpenfe 
 with this expenfive connection. It is 
 now a queftion, fay they, to build a 
 fquare in the elyfian fields. I do not 
 doubt but with great expence they 
 will come to compleat what is very fine, 
 but it will always be true to fay, that 
 it is a fquare in the middle of the fields, 
 and this refledlion is fufficient to throw 
 a ridicule upon the projedl. And what 
 then ! does a ftatue efifentially require 
 a fquare ? That of Henry IV. upon 
 Pojit-Neuf, is it not in a place a hundred 
 times more to advantage than all the 
 others. What inconvenience would 
 there be to dcftine this Pont-Neuf, to 
 
 collea: 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSlure. iSg 
 
 colleft the different ftatues of our kings, 
 to which the love of the people would 
 have them eredled ? It appears to me 
 that without great expence, they could 
 elevate upon this bridge at reafonable 
 diftances pillars upon which they could 
 place many ftatues. Such ornaments 
 would make of it the fineft bridge in 
 the univerfe, and nothing would be 
 more advantageous than this pofition 
 in the center and in the mcft apparent 
 place of all the city. If they are pofi- 
 tive always to have a fquare for every 
 ftatue that there (hall be a place to do 
 it, one of thefe two things muft be 
 chofe, either that Paris be difpcopled, 
 or to enlarge it every time. The Ro- 
 mans were wifer than we. They have 
 eredled more ftatues than we ftiall ever 
 do. They have negleded nothing to 
 render them perfecfl, and afterwards 
 placed them where they could with- 
 out incommoding or removing any 
 body. 
 
 It 
 
igo An EJay on Arthite5iure\ 
 
 It {hould be natural in multiplying 
 ilatues to vary the defign of them. 
 We have already three equeftrian fta- 
 tues, behold a great deal of uniformity. 
 There is only the fquare of vi6tories, 
 which prcfents us a ftatue of different 
 tafte. It were to be wifhed that hence- 
 forward our fculptors Ihould create new 
 ideas. In making ufe of groups it 
 would be eafy for them to avoid the 
 too frequent repetition of the fame de- 
 fign, they would put fire, expreflion 
 and invention to thefe monuments, 
 which all want at prefent. I do not 
 know if the common ufe of drefling our 
 fi:atues is the moft convenient and beft. 
 Why to give a change to pofterity ? 
 Why (liould we cover our heroes under 
 cfoathing, which amongft us was never 
 in ufe ? If the Romans had this folly, 
 we had been little obliged to them. 
 It is to ad: very unfaithfully by pofterity, 
 to retrench or alter what can charac- 
 terife to their eyes our nation and 
 our age. Hof- 
 
An Effay on Archtte6lure. 19? 
 
 Hofpitals fliould be built folidly 
 but plainly. There is no edifice where- 
 in fumptoufnefs is more contrary to de- 
 cency. Houfes defigned to lodge poor 
 people, ought to tafle fomethiug cf it. 
 The new Foundling-hofpital has more 
 the air of a palace then an hofpital ; 
 fo much magnificence declares either 
 much fuperftuity in the foundation^ 
 or very little ceconomy in the admi- 
 niftration : it is therefore a magnifi- 
 cence very ill placed. Nothing is 
 more elegant than the chapel of this 
 hofpital; the decoration is a mafter-- 
 piece : the idea truly happy is as na- 
 turally executed, as it is nobly con- 
 ceived : but ftill once again there are 
 too many united beauties in a houfc 
 which ceafcs to intereft charity, as 
 foon as curiofity finds too much to fa- 
 tisfy itfelf therein. The poor fhould 
 be lodged as poor, much propriety 
 and convenience, but not pomp. I 
 fay as much of feminaries either fe- 
 
 cular 
 
jgz An EJfay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 cular communities or regular. Thefe 
 fort of edifices ought always to have 
 on the outiide all the agreeable lim- 
 plicity to the condition of the perfons 
 that dwell in them. All that pro- 
 nounces fuperfluity and expence ought 
 to be bannilhed from thence. The 
 public, friend of decency, never fees 
 but with chagreen thofe proud fronts 
 which adorn houfes wherein nothing 
 ought to govern, but the contempt 
 of the w^orld, the fpirit of retreat and 
 penitence. 
 
 For the houfes of particulars, pru- 
 dence will have it that their decora- 
 tion be proportioned to the rank and 
 fortune of the perfon. I have nothing 
 to obferve in this regard, except that 
 it were to be wifh'd that every one 
 would do himfelf, that juftice that one 
 might never fee people who have 
 only wealth, to equal, even to furpafs 
 in magnificence the infide and outfide 
 
 of 
 
An Effay en Archite&ure. 193 
 
 of their houfes, the firft lords and the 
 greateft of the .kingdom. I confefs 
 that architefts a^e not always mafters 
 to follow to the rigor the decency 
 I have been fpeaking of. The pride 
 of particulars prefcribes them laws, to 
 which they are forced to fubmit. Ne- 
 verthelefs it depends commonly upon 
 the archited: who furniihes the de- 
 fign, to put therein more or lefs fim- 
 plicity according as the fubjedl re- 
 quires. When he is confulted, he 
 ought not to propofe any thing but 
 what is convenient. If he is jealous 
 of his reputation, he will not look 
 for dazling defigns to flatter the va- 
 nity of people to whom pomp does 
 not fuit, and who are but too often 
 carried by themfelves to go beyond 
 bounds. An archited: who knows 
 perfeftly what fuits every one, will 
 extend or contrad his ideas according 
 to that difcernment, never forgetting 
 the true principle, that a fine building 
 N is 
 
194 -^^ mf^y on Architediure. 
 
 is not that which has an arbitrary 
 beauty, but that which relatively to 
 circumftances hath all the beauty 
 which is proper, and nothing be- 
 yond. 
 
 
 ^Ci) 
 
 Chap- 
 
Chapter IV* 
 
 Of the manner of building 
 churches. 
 
 CHURCHES are of all edifices 
 thofe wherein an architedt has 
 many occafions of putting in force dl 
 the wonders of his art. Deftined t5 
 inclofe in their breaft a numerous mul- 
 titude that a religious idea brings 
 there from God that it comes to adore^ 
 they leave to the architect- the liberty 
 of working at large, and do not put 
 any bounds to the noblenefs of its 
 ideas. It is aftonilliing, whilil: we 
 have in all other forts of edifices 
 worthy admiration; it is aftoniihing, 
 I fay, that we have fo few churches 
 that deferve to engage an enlightened 
 curiofity. For myfelf I ajn convin- 
 ced that hitherto we have not had at 
 all the true tafte of thefe fort of build- 
 N 2 ings. 
 
196 An EJfay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 ings. Our Gothic churches are as 
 yet what we have the moft tolerable. 
 Notwithftanding that croud of gro- 
 tefk ornaments, which disfigures them 
 very much, we feel therein I know 
 not what air of majefty and grandeur 
 that immediately ftrikes one. We 
 find therein the eafy and delicate \ there 
 is nothing wanting but the plain and 
 natural. 
 
 We have with reafon renounced 
 the caprices of modern Architedure, 
 we are returned to the ancient : but 
 it feems that we have loft this return 
 of good tafte. In withdrawing our- 
 felves from the moderns we have 
 quitted delicacy ; in recurring to the 
 ancients we have met the heavy ^ but 
 it is becaufe we have made but half 
 our journey. We are ftopt in the 
 mid- way, and from thence refults a 
 new fort of Architedure which is an- 
 cient but by halves, and would make 
 
 one 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteBure. 197 
 
 one to regret the general abandoning 
 that we have made of the modern 
 Architedlure. A plain judgment of 
 comparifon will deal: this matter up. 
 
 I enter into the church of our lady 3 
 it is at Paris the moft confiderable of 
 our Gothic churches, and it is not by- 
 much near to the beauty of certain 
 others that we admire in the provin- 
 ces. Neverthelefs at the firft glance 
 of the eye my looks are ftopt, my 
 imagination is flruck with the extent, 
 height, and the freedom of its vaft 
 nave. I am forced to beftow fome mo- 
 ments on the furprife that this great 
 aflemblage of majefty excites in me» 
 Recovered from this firft admiration, 
 if I refled: on the detail, I find abfur- 
 dities without number, but I throw 
 the blame on the unhappinefs of 
 the times. In fuch a manner, after 
 having well examined and critlcifed, 
 returning to the middle of this nave, 
 
 j^ 3 I 
 
198 An EJfay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 I ftill admire, and there remains in 
 me an impreflion which makes me 
 fay 3 I behold many defeats, but yet 
 behold that which is great. From 
 thence I pafs to St. Sulpicius, a church 
 the moft confiderable of all thofe that 
 we have built in the ancient tafte of 
 Architedure. I am not ftruck nor 
 feized, I find the edifice very much 
 below its reputation. I fee nothing 
 but thicknefs and maffes. There 
 are great arches enchafed between 
 great pilafters, of a Corinthian order, 
 very heavy and grofs^, and above all- 
 this a great vault whofe weight gives 
 onefears for the infiifficiencyofitsgreat 
 fupports. What fhall I fay for that 
 lobby which hides the principal en- 
 trance of the church. It is a pretty 
 piece of Architedure, but it is no 
 more made to be there, than a little 
 houfe is made to be inclofed in a 
 greater. What fhall I fay of the grand 
 portal ? It is an excellent idea, but 
 
 want- 
 
An Ejfay on Anhitedlure. 199 
 
 wanting. The Sieur Servandoni came 
 up almoft to perfedlion ; he ftopt 
 himfelf on this fide. To make fome- 
 thing of this portal he ftiould have 
 coupled the columns, not in depth 
 but in front, to fupprefs in the firft 
 entablature this enormous Doric cor- 
 nifh, which will have fo much dif- 
 ficulty to refift the injuries of the air; 
 to put the fecond order in detached 
 columns as the firft, by means of 
 which they would have faved at leaft 
 a work of fo exceflive a groflTnefs. It 
 would have difengaged the two tours 
 which flank the portal, it would 
 have given them a lefs dry and mafly 
 form. I fhall not pufti further my 
 obfervations upon a building which 
 will always make connoifleurs groan ; 
 and which immortalifmg the zeal and 
 good intentions of the celebrated Mr. 
 Languet , will prove to pofterity 
 that our age was not an age of good 
 Architedure. 
 
 N 4 Almoft 
 
20O j4ft Ejfay on ArchiteBilre-. 
 
 Almoft all our modern churches 
 run in the fame tafte. It is always 
 with pilafters, arches, and vaults. There 
 is always more or lefs of heavinefs. 
 The true delicacy and majeftic is not 
 found in any. From whence F con- 
 clude that as yet we have not attained 
 in this kind the good method of 
 building. I am going herein to of^ 
 fer the ideas that my reading and re- 
 flexions have furnifhed me with. 
 What I imagine, appears to me much 
 better than what they have done. I 
 leave as judges of them the connoif- 
 feurs and mafters* 
 
 Hitherto in building churches we 
 have only copied the Gothic works 
 of our ancients. We make as they 
 did, naves, crolTes, choirs, round points^ 
 we put arcades where they placed 
 them ; we throw in the light a little 
 worfe than they did. All the diffe- 
 rence that is found in our modern 
 
 chur- 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSfure. 20 r 
 
 churches is the idea, at leaft imper- 
 fect of good Architecture, and in 
 the ancient ones nothing in this kind 
 but what is defective. We blame the 
 height of their arches. It is neverthe- 
 iels certain that this exccffive height 
 in appearance infinitely contributes to 
 render the building magnificent. It 
 is true that in following the rules we 
 propofed hitherto, we cannot give 
 our churches the fame elevation. So 
 that they all appear too low, which 
 will always hinder them froni having 
 a pleafing afpect at firfl fight. 
 
 I have enquired if in building our 
 churches in the good tafte of the ancient 
 Architecture, there would not be a 
 method to give them an elevation and - 
 lightnefs which equalled that of our 
 Gothic churches. And after having 
 well confidered, it appears to me that 
 the thing is not only pofQble, but that 
 it is much more eafy for us to fucceed 
 
 therein 
 
202 An EJfay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 therein with the Architefture of the 
 Greeks, than with all the paper-work 
 of the Arabic Architedure. In our 
 making ufe of the detached columns 
 we ftiall acquire the lightnefs, and in 
 putting two orders one upon the other, 
 wc fliall attain the requifite elevation. 
 
 See then how I would execute my 
 idea. Let us chufe the common form, 
 which is that of the Latin crofs. I put 
 in all the compafs of the nave of the 
 crofs and of the choir a firft order of 
 Architefture, the columns perfedlly de- 
 tached bear upon a bafe a little eleva- 
 ted, and are coupled as the portico of 
 the Louvre, to give more breadth to 
 the fpaces between the columns. Upon 
 thefe columns I put the architrave in 
 plat-band, and I terminate this archi- 
 trave by an ogee of middling projec- 
 tion ; upon which 1 raifc a fecond or- 
 der of Architecfturc in detached and 
 coupled columns as the former. This 
 
 fecond 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSiure. 203 
 
 fccond order hath its entablature entire 
 in plat- band, and above this entablature 
 without any fort of Attic, I raife a full 
 centered arch all even and without 
 double arches. Afterwards I make to 
 govern about the nave the crofs and 
 the choir of the lower fides in co- 
 lumns forming a periftyle exactly, co- 
 vered by the cielings of the architraves 
 of the firft order. I put beyond this 
 periftyle the chapels which have for 
 couverture the breadth of the fpace 
 between the columns. Thefe cha- 
 pels form a perfedt fquare wherein four 
 columns in the angles fupport an ar- 
 chitrave with its plat -fond. Each 
 chapel has two fides open and two 
 fhut. The two open are that of the 
 entrance, where there is only a fimple 
 cloiijcr grate, and that oppofite to the 
 entrance which is glazed. The other 
 two fides which make the feparation 
 from one chapel to the other, are fil- 
 led the one by the altar of the chapel, 
 
 the 
 
204 -^^^ mf^y o?t ArchiteBure. 
 
 the other by a great correfponding 
 piece of painting or fculpture. At laft 
 I fupport the great arch by fpurs as but- 
 terefles, which have for bafe the walls 
 of reparation from one chapel to the 
 other, and which meet above the ca- 
 pitals of the fecond orde/ . 
 
 See then my idea, and the advan- 
 tages of it. Firlt, A like Architedure 
 has nothing in it but what it natural 
 and true, all therein is reduced to the 
 iimplicity of rules and executed accord- 
 ing to the great principles, no arcades, 
 no pilafters, no pcdeftals j nothing 
 flraitned nothing forced. 2dly, This 
 Architedure is of an elegancy and de- 
 licacy extraordinary , the bare wall ap- 
 pears in no part : there is then nothing 
 fuperfluous, nothing mafly, nothing 
 fhocking. 3dly, The lights are there 
 placed in the manner moft agreeable 
 and moft advantageous. All the fpaces 
 between the columns are in windows, 
 
 above 
 
An-EJJay on ArcUteBure. 205 
 
 above and below. They are no more 
 fimple loovers pierced into the arch as 
 in common churches, but true and 
 grand windows. 4thly, The two 
 orders put one upon the other to the 
 nave, to the crofs and to the choir, 
 give that grand elevation from whence 
 refults the majeftic air: an elevation 
 that has nothing irregular, and which 
 does not require that one fhould give 
 to the columns an exorbitant modeL 
 5thly, In this great elevation the arch, 
 altho' to a full center, lofes all its heavi- 
 ncfs : efpecially being freed from the 
 double arches which makes it infinitely 
 heavy. 6thly, To the freedom, to 
 the fimplicity, to the elegancy and ta 
 the noblenefs of fuch Architecture, one 
 might eafily join richnefs and magnifi- 
 cence. There would be nothing re- 
 maining, but to carve in a good tafte 
 the difi^erent members. The arch even 
 being all fmooth might ferve as a field 
 for a great defign of painting and 
 
 fculpture. 
 
2o6 An EJJay on Architecture. 
 
 fculpture. It is then true that this 
 method of building would be preferable 
 in all refpe<5ls to the ordinary manner^ 
 Let us now fee the inconveniencies 
 and the difficulties that might be an 
 obftacle. 
 
 It is to no purpofe to cavil upon 
 the pretended impoffibility of making 
 architraves in plat^band: I have al- 
 ready anfwered that we had only con- 
 fider the line of joyft-bays of the chapel 
 of Verfailles or the entablature of the 
 porticoof the Louvre; thefe two exam- 
 ples would diffipate entirely thefe diffi- 
 culties. Perchance it will be faid that 
 limple columns cannot bear fo great 
 an arch as that of a church. I anfwer 
 that nothing is more vain than this dif- 
 ficulty. The weight will not be too 
 much for the columns, if the arch has 
 but a moderate thicknefs; and what 
 neceffity is there for giving it a .great 
 one. The pufh of the arch will be 
 
 fufficiently 
 
^An Ejjay on Archite&ure. 207 
 
 fufficiently retained by the fpurs as but- 
 terefles, as it is in the Gothic churches. 
 I do not fee then wherein it is impof- 
 fible. There are already more than 
 one church wherein the great arch is 
 fuftained only by columns. In our 
 lady's in particular all is fupported upon 
 fimple columns, which form the pe- 
 riftyle of the lower fide 5 will they fay 
 that the full arch would be forced to 
 lean immediately upon the entablature 
 in plat-band of the fecond order which 
 is impoflible ? I anfwer that this arch 
 would not lean at all upon the en- 
 tablature, and that it would be fuf- 
 tained in the fpace of the columns, by 
 an arch extremely furbafed, which 
 would leave a very litde fpace that one 
 might fill up afterward very eafily. 
 Will they fay that this way of building 
 will be too coftly ? I anfwer that it 
 will coft lefs materials and more labour. 
 There fhould be more fkill and preci- 
 fion in the workmen. It only belongs 
 
 to 
 
2o8 An EJJay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 to them to acquire both, and an ar- 
 chitccfl that has emulation and genius, 
 may eafily furmount this obftacle, in 
 directing the work with a nice atten- 
 tion, and in pointing out exaftly the 
 work to the workmen, who will al- 
 ways* execute the work faithfully, 
 which is appointed them. As for the 
 reft, tho' the expence fhould be a little 
 more, it is not what they confider 
 when they aim at making a fine thing* 
 If our forefathers had regarded expenfe, 
 the churches of Amiens, Bourges, and 
 Rheims had never exifted. The great 
 objed: is to execute well, and not be 
 fparing to fucceed. 
 
 The ordinary method Is to termi- 
 nate in our churches in a round point. 
 The queftion that immediately prefents 
 it felf to be examined is, if it is conve- 
 nient to perferve this cuftom, or if it is 
 of any neceffity or utility, and even if 
 it is within good rules. The round 
 
 point 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSlure. 209 
 
 point pleafes the eye of the muhitude. 
 But to what ufe is it ? or what does it 
 fignify ? In a right line plan, fuch as 
 that of our churches, it is very difficult 
 to fave all the inconveniences which 
 arife from the mixture of curved lines 
 wuth right lines. The inconveniences 
 are thefe. Firft the place wherein the 
 curve line of the round point meets 
 again with the right line of the cir- 
 cumference of the choir, always. If 
 this point of jundlion anfwers imme- 
 diately to the center of the column, as 
 that ought to be, there is always a half 
 of the column which 
 
 2dly, The lowerfides are obliged to 
 take about the round point a circular 
 plan. From thence it happens that 
 one cannot fee exactly from one end to 
 the other of the lowerfide, the fight 
 terminating itfclf in an equivocal man- 
 ner in the extremity where commences 
 the circular plan. 3dly, About the 
 O round 
 
210 An EJfay on AnhiteBure. 
 
 round point the plat-forms of the 
 lowerfides are not fquarc. They 
 change themfelves into the moft irre- 
 gular figure, two fides of which are 
 right lines and not parallels, and two 
 others are in parts of concentric circles. 
 Now I have already faid that we can- 
 not be too careful to avoid thefe fort 
 of irregular figures. 4thly, In the 
 lowerfides about the round point, the 
 fpaces between the columns cannot be 
 equally fpaced, which is one of the 
 greateft defe<5ts. Inftead of which if 
 we terminate all in the fquare, there 
 are no inconveniences to be feared. 
 
 I do not fee the round points have 
 any advantage that deferves in it felf 
 that one Ihould not have any regard to 
 the inconveniences that may refult 
 from them. It is pretended that their 
 form is agreeable^ and that this manner 
 of terminating has a fmart grace which 
 has recommended itfelf to the artifts 
 
 to 
 
An Epty on ArcUteSture. 21 1 
 
 to render it univerfal. I confefs that 
 generally fpeaking the circular plans 
 have fomething lefs and dry and more 
 elegant than the right line plans, I 
 know that round figures are in them- 
 jfelves preferable to angular figures, but 
 the eflential is to employ them pro- 
 perly. When the ufe we make of 
 them draws inconveniences which puts 
 diforder and confufion in the compofi- 
 tian, this ufe cannot but be reprehen- 
 fible. It is as in the figures of elo- 
 quence, which put out of their places, 
 render the difcource vicious. 
 
 I have examined a long time if we 
 could not prefervethefe agreeable round 
 points, without falling into any of the 
 inconveniences of which I have been 
 fpeaking. See then all that offers it- 
 fclf to my underflanding. A manner 
 altogether fimple would be not to turn 
 the lowerfides about the round point, 
 to terminate them fquarely in the be- 
 O 2 ginning 
 
2r2 An EJfay on Architecture. 
 
 ginning of the round point ; fo there 
 would be but one circular plan only, 
 and that all the concentric circles beyond 
 would be retrenched. We have prac- 
 ticed this in our mofl ancient churches. 
 This univerfal pradice formerly had an 
 advantage, it is that the round point 
 may ail "be in glafs-work from top to 
 bottom which would render it of a 
 lightnefs and incomparable luftre. A 
 fecond manner of which I have yet 
 feen no examples, would be to make 
 the periftyle govern on the lowerfides^ 
 always in a right line and fquarely 
 about the nave y of the crofs and of 
 the choir: whilft the enteriour of the 
 fanftuary fhould be terminated in a 
 kind of half dome which fhould have 
 its particulair columns different from 
 thofe of the periflyle. By this method 
 one would fave the greateft part of the 
 inconveniences of the roundpoint: but 
 there would from hence refult fonie 
 others, which are not of a moderate 
 
 confe- 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSture. 213 
 
 confequence. Firft, There would be 
 in this round point, a confufion of co- 
 lumns altogether difagreable. 2dly, 
 The circular architraves of the half 
 dome would never well agree again 
 with the right line architraves of the 
 lowerfides. 3dly, There would re- 
 main between the half dome and the 
 periftyle on the lowerfides a void fpace 
 on one part and the other. A fpace 
 very irregular, fince it would be a right 
 angle triangle, the hypotheneufe of 
 which would be curved. 
 
 Of all the confiderations I conclude 
 that the beft would be to forbear the 
 round points, and to terminate all by 
 right lines. But in cafe that they won't 
 abfolutely renounce them, I think.it 
 would be the beft tafte and the beft 
 intent of the defiga to terminate in 
 round point not only the choir, but 
 alfo the two arms of the crofs, as that 
 is pradtifed in St. Peters church at Rome. 
 O 3 ' I have 
 
214 4n Ejfay on ArchtteSlun. 
 
 I have already faid in an other 
 place that one cannot too much con- 
 demn the ufe of domes, the idea of 
 which fuch as they have executed it to 
 this time, is contrary to the rules of 
 good Architecture. If they w^ouJd 
 have it in the center of the crofs to 
 give more elevation to the arch than 
 in others parts, one may in the fa.fliion 
 of the dome raife there a fort of canopy, 
 the light defign of which may fympa- 
 thife with the idea of an arch. From 
 whence no columns and nothing of all 
 that has occafion to bear the founda- 
 tion. An archited will comprehend 
 wdthout difficulty the reafons which 
 determine me to pronounce thus with 
 genius and talent, he will invent upon 
 the idea that I prefcnt him a defign of 
 an arch, which will have all the lin- 
 gularity, all the advantages of the 
 dome without having the inconveni- 
 ences of them • 
 
 After 
 
An EJfay on Architedfure. 215 
 
 After having fo conftrudted the in- 
 fide of the church, there remains no 
 more for us than to regulate the difpo- 
 iition of decoration of the aUars. I am 
 not of the fentiment of thofe who 
 would that the mafter altar be placed 
 in the center of the crofs, immediately 
 under the dome, which ought to fervc 
 it as a canopy, as that is found pradifed 
 in St. Peter's church at Rome. I con- 
 fefs that this place is the moft advanta- 
 gious of all, it being the point wherein 
 all the parts of the edifice are about to 
 reunite, and which is in view to a 
 great number of fpedators. But be- 
 hold what engages me not to place the 
 grand altar in this place altho' the moft 
 apparent. Firft, It is very difficult to 
 imagine a deiign of an altar, capable of 
 making a fenfation ever fo little majef- 
 tic, in the midft of a void fo great as 
 that which is met with in the center 
 of the crofs. See the great altar of 
 Sulpitius, take notice how much it ap- 
 O 4 pears 
 
2l6 An EJfay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 pears a very little thing at the firft 
 glance, altho' it be monftroully great, 
 as there does not remain but a little 
 fpace enough to compafs it about. It 
 would be much worfe, if in the place 
 of putting it at the entrance of the 
 choir, they had advanced it even into 
 the center of the crofs. In St. Peter's 
 at Rome they have correded this de- 
 feat:, in elevating upon the principal 
 altar a great and fuperb a canopy. But 
 to imitate this pradice, is to put one 
 canopy under another canopy, and a 
 little houfe in a great one. adly, An 
 altar placeji in this manner cuts the 
 church in two, and hinders the light 
 from being conveyed freely from one 
 extremity to the other, which dimi- 
 nishes very much the fatisfadion of the 
 beholder, 3dly, This difpolition hides 
 from the people, the ceremonies which 
 are performed in the choir during the 
 celebration of the holy offices, and 
 thofe which are in the choir ^can fee 
 
 nothing 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteSiure. 2iy 
 
 nothing that pafles at the altar. Thefe 
 reafons appears to me fufficient to con- 
 clude that the center of the crofs is 
 not the moft agreeable place for the 
 principal altar. My opinion is al- 
 ways to place it in the bottom of the 
 choir, provided they fupprefs all thofe 
 delks or pulpits which in almoft all 
 our cathedral churches barrocade the 
 entrance of the choir and render it 
 impenetrable in all refpefts. I would 
 put then a fimple cloifter greate, which 
 fliould inclofe all the girdle of the 
 choir, without in any manner con- 
 fining the view. The ftall fhould be 
 forward on the right and left ; there 
 fhould be in the middle neither eagle 
 nor defk, which might hinder the 
 view of the* chancel. This chancel 
 fhould be raifed fome fteps above the 
 pavement of the choir. In the midft 
 of this chancel I would raife a great 
 alcove of many fteps and detached 
 fr<3m all parts : in fuch a manner that 
 
 one 
 
21 8 An EJfay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 one might eafily go round about. In 
 the center of this alcove fhould be 
 placed the altfir. It is evident that 
 fuch a difpoiition has all the advan- 
 tages that one can defire. The altar 
 is feen by every body. Inclofed near 
 by the periftyle of the chancel, there 
 refults from it all that is great and mag- 
 nificent. It is eafy to decorate it after 
 a manner equally fimple and majeftic. 
 See then very near what fhould be this 
 decoration. 
 
 A tomb the circumference of which 
 is well defigned and natural, behold 
 the form the moft agreeable, becaufe 
 it calls to mind the ancient ufage of 
 the church to celebrate the holy myf- 
 teries upon the tombs of the martyrs. 
 Above this tomb two plain fteps with 
 an urn in the middle, ferving as a ta- 
 bernacle at the two extremities two 
 angels worfhiping, fee then all that is 
 neceflary. What one fliould add 
 
 beyond 
 
An EJfay on Archite6lure. 219 
 
 beyond this, would be a fuperfluity 
 and trifling. The altar of our Lady 
 may ferve as a model in this point, 
 the furroundings of the altar may be 
 enriched and to contribute to the 
 decoration of the fame altar. In 
 the fpaces of the columns of the pe- 
 riftyle which governs about the chan- 
 . eel, may be placed groups in marble 
 ^ or brafs, relative to the particular ob- 
 je<5l of the dedication of this altar. In 
 the middle at the height of the archi- 
 trave which feparates the two orders 
 of Architefture, one may place a glory, 
 with various groups of angels flying in 
 the air round about the fhining center, 
 wherein fhould be the triangle with 
 the name of Gfod. One may put all 
 the fanduary in marble, and gild all 
 the fculpture of it. At laft all this de- 
 coration may be terminated by a great 
 piece of painting in the arch, corref- 
 pondent to the objeds which are re- 
 prefented below, fo that there may 
 
 refult 
 
220 An EJfay 'on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 refuh from thence a defign umform 
 and all true. 
 
 An altar thus defigned as I have 
 defcribed, would be a perfed: beauty, 
 and would prefent to the view, a very 
 great reprefentation. The divine fer- 
 vice would be performed therein with 
 great eafe : the ceremonies would be 
 in the view of all the people. On the 
 ether fide there would be no after or 
 borrowed ornaments : All therein would 
 be in the fimplicity and true tafte of 
 good Architedture. I have no doubt 
 of giving it the preference above all the 
 ridiculous ornaments which hitherto 
 have conftituted the decoration of our 
 altars : Loaded with ill-placed columns, 
 with niches, pediments, cattridges, fta- 
 lues and with pediftals thrown here and 
 there, without order and without de- 
 fign. That far from making a com- 
 pleat Architedture of a church, only 
 ferves to hide, to interrupt it, to dif- 
 figure it, and to put all therein in con^ 
 fufion and diforder. I would 
 
An Efay on Architecture. 221 
 
 I would by no means have the ex- 
 tremities of the crofs only to ferve as 
 veftibles to a great door. Thefe two 
 places are too advantagious not to make 
 a better ufe of them. I would then 
 place there two principal altars, the 
 decoration of which lefs enriched fhould 
 be in the fame tafte, as that of which 
 I juft come from propofing the idea of 
 for the mafter altar. If it is objedled 
 that the doors are neceffary in thefe 
 two places to facilitate on the days of 
 folemnity and croud the going out : 
 I anfwer that they will find again eafily 
 thefe doors under the lowerfides, which 
 will govern about the extremities of 
 the crofs. 
 
 The altars of the chapels fliould 
 have a certain uniformity of defign 
 which docs not exclude in the leaft the 
 variety of ideas. Here I have nothing 
 particular to prefcribe to our artifts, I 
 leave free career to their inventions, 
 
 provided. 
 
222 An EJJay on AnhiteSiure. 
 
 provided, that they do not think of 
 introducing therein columns and enta- 
 blature, and provided all therein be 
 difcreet, modcft and religious. 
 
 There remains no more for the in- 
 fide of the chuch, than the extremity 
 of the nave of the fide of the portal. 
 Commonly it is the place that is referved 
 for the clofet of the organ or organ loft, 
 and this is all one can do for the beft. 
 But I do not approve the cuftom al- 
 moft univerfal to build a great throne 
 for this purpofe. This throne not en- 
 tring effentially or rather being altoge- 
 ther foreign to the Architedure of the 
 church, cannot but corrupt, and vi-^ 
 ciate the order of it. It would be 
 much better above the principal infide 
 door, to throw out a fhell of wood, 
 ftrongly fupported with figures of an- 
 gels; and to eftablifti upon his bafe^ 
 the organ loft, which vyould have a 
 good grace appearing to be fuflained in 
 
 the 
 
^An Effay on ArcbiteBure. 223 
 
 the middle of the air. One might 
 eafily extend, reftify and embellifti 
 this idea, that I only hint at 
 
 Let us now come to the outjfide of 
 the church. One thing which disfi- 
 gures the moft the outfide of our 
 churches, are the contreforts or buter- 
 efles. One cannot abfolutely fupprefs 
 them : We muft then hide them, in 
 fuch a manner that they do not appear 
 from any part. They had attention to 
 this in building the church of St. Peter's 
 iat Rome. On whatever fide you con- 
 fider it, the artifice is fo hid, that there 
 is nothing to be perceived which fhews 
 the work of the arches. Let us imitate 
 this thought which has always appeared 
 to me infinitely judicious, and which 
 has not as yet been thought of amongft 
 us. Inllead of terminating the outfide 
 walls of the chapels to the fpring of the 
 contreforts or buterefies, let us raiie 
 them one floor more, and than all the 
 
 buterefies 
 
&2\. An EJfay on Arthite6iure. 
 
 buterefles would be hid from vieW^ 
 But at laft that the lights of the nave 
 may not be too much obftrudtcd, let 
 us pufh out as many windows in this 
 ftory above, as in that below. It is 
 certain that this would be an increafe 
 of labour and expence, but I have al- 
 ready ftiid that this confideration (hould 
 not hinder, when it is required to exe- 
 cute the work well. The decoration 
 of thefe outfide walls fhould be extre- 
 mely plain. I would not ufe therein 
 any order of Architedure, becaufe It 
 appears to me abfolutely abfurd to equal 
 the riches of the outfide to that within: 
 Becaufe other ways it is difficult that an 
 order of Architecture fhould be exe- 
 cuted there, without adding to the 
 ufes of the infide, greater ufcS ftill. 
 
 I would not that a bafe of the pe* 
 deftal below a plinth which feparated 
 the two floors, a cornifh above fur- 
 mounted with a balluftrade, and the 
 
 windows 
 
An Efay on ArchiteSture. ^25 
 
 windows above glafed as that below. 
 It feems to me there is nothing more re- 
 quired, and that this plain decoration 
 will otherwife have all the agreeable 
 decency. 
 
 We muft except the great portal of en- 
 trance and the two little portals if one 
 would make of them at the two extremi- 
 ties of the crofs. Decency requires that 
 the entrance into the houfe of God has a 
 decoration capable to imprint at once the 
 refpecS of the Divinity : It is neceffary 
 that the faithful who approach it, be 
 feizcd with a holy terror at the afpeft 
 only of fo venerable a place. Cuftom 
 has always been to load very much the 
 decoration of church-portals. It feems 
 even that anciently, they affedted to 
 multiply the ornaments therein to 
 great cxcefs. We muft obferve all this 
 profufion in all the Gothic church- 
 portals. I have no defire to recom^ 
 mend them. It is ridiculous to give to 
 ornaments without a (hining and luftre 
 which furpalles thofe within, in fuch a 
 manner, that going from one to the 
 other, the admiration far from being 
 
 P fuf. 
 
226 An EJfay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 fufpended or weakned, fhould always 
 go encreafing. This principal is in 
 truth and in nature, let us conform 
 ^ thereto then exacftly our ideas and our 
 defigns. 
 
 The beft manner of decorating the 
 great gates of a church, is to build 
 thereto a portico in the bottom, which 
 is of the fame heigth as the lowerfides 
 within, and which fills up all the 
 lowerfides of the nave and the other 
 iides* This portico (hould end above 
 the terras, and at bottom of the terras 
 rifes the fecond order of building like 
 to that within, terminated by an enta- 
 blature, crowned with a balluftrade. 
 If the roof of the church is above this 
 fecond order, we muft raife thereupon 
 a fecond which has only the breadth 
 of the nave, and one may terminate 
 that by a pediment in obferving all the 
 rules that I have prefcribed in other 
 places on the fubje<ft of the orders for 
 feveral ftories of Architedlure. The 
 great ;gate fhould be flanked with two 
 tours in the fore part. 
 
 Our 
 
An Efay on ArchiteBure. 227 
 
 Our ancients have excelled in the 
 conftrudiion of tours. T ^ey have mar- 
 velloufly feifed upon the tafte of them 
 and pufhed very far the contrivance of 
 them. They have found the fecret of 
 uniting therein to the elegancy of forms, 
 the lightnefs and delicacy of workman- 
 (hip and avoiding equally the flender 
 and the mafly, they have attained the 
 point of precifion, from whence refults 
 the true beauties of thefe forts of work. 
 Nothing is comparable in this kind to 
 the tour of the c.thedral of Stcafburg. 
 This fliperb pyramide is a ravifhing 
 mafter-piece by its prodigious eleva- 
 tion, its ex:i(3: diminution, its agree- 
 abje form, by the juftnefs of the pro- 
 portions, and by the fmgular finefs of 
 the labour. I do not believe that ever 
 any archiredt has produ ed any thing of 
 fo bold an invention, fo happily thought, 
 fo prop- rlv executed. Thcr(i is more 
 art and genius in this one piece, than 
 all that we fee any where elfe of the 
 moft wonderful. 
 
 I dare hot propofe to our artifls to 
 
 give us by imitation fomething of the 
 
 P 2 like. 
 
228 An EJfay on Ar chit e5l are. 
 
 like, they would immediately defpair 
 of fuccefs. They have neither the 
 imagination lively enough to dare^ nor 
 a hand fare enough to execute fuch 
 great things. I pray them to confider 
 the extreme difference that there is be- 
 tween the tours that they build us and 
 the ancient tours, Thofe have almoft 
 every thing that is bold of grace, fome- 
 thing grand, and flately. Thefe have 
 nothing but the heavinefs, the darable- 
 nefs in part, no elegancy, no fingularity, 
 no tafte. This falUng in fo confider- 
 able an art is altogether humbling^ 
 Let us endeavour to remedy it, if it is 
 poffible. 
 
 Three things are the beauties of an- 
 cient tours. Their great elevation, py* 
 ramidical-form, their fine and delicate 
 workman(hip. Our new tours have 
 none of thefe qualities, and behold 
 why the/ do notfuftain theparelle with 
 the former. The great gate of St. Sul- 
 pitius is flancked with two toirs. The 
 expenfe of them has been great, but 
 that has been made to a very ill pur- 
 pofe. ^Nothing more dry, more ridi- 
 culous, 
 
An Efay en ArchileSfure. 229 
 
 culcHjS, more dlfagreeahle than thefe 
 two tours. The defedt of height is 
 there very ieniible, very far from form- 
 ing the pyramid^ there are two fquare 
 buildings one upon another, furmounted 
 with a fort of (lender dome in its pro- 
 portions and grofs in its form. Of 
 fihefs of workmanihip there is not even 
 the {haddov^ of it. All therein is mafly, 
 hard, confined, flat. Muft we than 
 be furprifed that even the common 
 people difapprove it, and appear 
 fliocked with their bad effedl ? 
 
 It is not at all impoflible to do bet- 
 ter. One may build very fine tours, 
 in uiing the orders of Architedture. 
 To that end we mufl take care, Firft, 
 That the feveral ftories be by retreat, 
 which produces the pyramidical dimi- 
 nution. 2dly, That they fupprefs in 
 all the inferior ftories, all the parts of 
 entablature, which by their projedion, 
 fhorten the work : and inftead of an 
 entire one prefent the idea of detached 
 pieces, without union, without conti- 
 nuity. 3^!y, That from, the fecond 
 ftory'the tour ceafes to be fquare and 
 
 P 3 >e- 
 
230 An Efay on ArchtteBure. 
 
 becomes odigon, or at leaft takes fuch 
 other form as they have a mind, ap- 
 prochingmore towards the round figure 
 and avoiding the drynefs and harflinefs 
 of the fquare figure. 4thly, That they 
 ufe none but detached columns, fo that 
 the work be all lightfome, from whence 
 refults lightnefs and delicacy. The 
 chevalier Bernin being dircded to raife 
 two tours upon the great portal of the 
 church of St. Peter's at Rome, had in- 
 vented a defign in the fame tafte I have 
 mentioned. If it had been pofiiblc to 
 have built thefe two tours they would 
 have been of a perfedl beauty. One 
 may confult it and ftudy the defign 
 thereof as a model. 
 
 It is more eafy perchance yet to 
 make fine tours without employing 
 therein any order of Architecture, in 
 giving themfelvej up without confl:raint 
 to all the boldnefs, and even to all the 
 caprice of invention. If there are a 
 fort of buildings wherein it is permit- 
 ted to fwerve from the common ways, 
 and to follow in freedom the fire of 
 imagination thefe are the tours. What 
 
 prevents 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSiure. 231 
 
 prevents to put therein into execution, 
 all the fingularities that a happy genius 
 is capable of producing \ provided, that 
 nothing in it offends againft good (enfe 
 and reafon, pro voided the ftrength be 
 proportioned to the height,that the dimi- 
 nution is neither too great nor too fmall : 
 One may on the other fide cmbellifh the 
 work as one will. The more free and 
 difengaged the tour may be, the more 
 it will appear to be made at one caft, 
 and the more agreeable it will be. The 
 idea of the fine Gothic tours as that of 
 Strafburg, is an excellent one. There 
 is only the ornaments which are ill de- 
 figned. Let us follow the fame idea ; 
 and inftead of the rbugh ornaments, 
 let us put therein the true and natural, 
 the fingular and fantaftical even, without 
 going beyond bounds ; and we fhall be 
 able to execute the fine, furprifing, 
 and prodigious. 
 
 After having given the general idea 
 of a church-portal, I fhould obferve 
 that if they would have ftatuary therein, 
 this fliould be under the portico only 
 which is at bottom upon pedeftals, in 
 P 4^ the 
 
232 An EJfay on Architecture. 
 
 the fpaces of the colonnades. It would 
 alfo b€ well to decorate all the fpaces of 
 the colonnades wherein there is no 
 door, with groups capable of exprefling 
 .the refpedt, iilence and recoiledticn, faith 
 and other fentiments, which the heart of 
 the faithful (hould be poflefled of, who 
 come to worfhip the Lord in his holy 
 houfe. We may alfo in the room of 
 groups, to figure the fame things by bas- 
 reliefs which fill all the voids of the co- 
 lonnades and which exaftly hide all the 
 bare walls. In the flories above, they 
 fhould have nothing but windows true 
 or falfe in the fpaces of the colonnades. 
 More or lefs one may place fome groups 
 of ftatues upon the pinacles, which di- 
 vide the fuperior balluftrade from the 
 portico. In the upper ftory which ter- 
 minates by a pediment, we muft have 
 a great care, to place as has been done 
 many a time, ftatues negligently lying 
 upon the inclining plans of the pedi- 
 ment. Nothing is more abfurd and 
 contrary to nature than ftatues upon 
 roofs. That which is proper is at the 
 point of the pediment to put^ij^finifhing 
 
 two 
 
An Ej(^y on ArchiteElure. 233 
 
 two flying angels upon clouds, which 
 bear the crofs defigned to crowu the 
 whole work. 
 
 I ought to obferve yet, that we may 
 infinitely vary the deligns of the portals. 
 One may in the middle raife a true dome 
 circular or oval which ferves as a prin- 
 cipal entrance : we may on the fides 
 build two circular porticos, which 
 make the communication of this dome 
 which is in the center, to the two tours 
 which fill the extremes. A like dcfign 
 would be of an extreme magnificence. 
 Artifls will invent others of them, 
 every one according to his genius and ^ 
 taflie. I cannot exhort them too much, 
 to form to themfelves proper ideas, to 
 defpife every thing that is only cufiom, 
 to invent, and to give fomething new. 
 
 I have not fpoke hitherto but of 
 churches which have the commoja 
 form of a long crofs. In following 
 always the fame rule of Architecture, 
 one may give to churches all imagi- 
 nable forms; it is even good not to make 
 them all of one plan. All geometrical 
 figures from the triangle to the circle 
 
 may 
 
234 ^^ mf^y ^^ Architedlure. 
 
 may ferve to vary without ccafing the 
 compolition of thefe fort of buildings. 
 It would be without doubt a great fet-ofF, 
 if in a city as Paris, there was not one 
 church that refembled any other, if^ 
 they had all fomcthing particular in 
 the form, worthy to draw the curious 
 attention, and to entertain the minds 
 of connoiffeurs. 
 
 Chapter V. 
 Of the embellijhment of cities. 
 
 TH E tafte of embellifliments is 
 become general, it is to be wifh- 
 ed for the progrefs of art, that this tafte 
 perfeveres and is made perfed:. But 
 this tafte ftiould not be confined to 
 particular houfes, it ftaould extend it- 
 felf to entire cities. The moft part . 
 of our cities have remained in a ftate 
 of negligence, of confufion and difor- 
 der, wherein the ignorance and rufti- 
 city of our forefathers have put them. 
 They have built new houfes, but they 
 neither change the bad difpofition of 
 
 the 
 
An EJfay on Architecture. 235 
 
 the ftfcets'nor the unequal difFormity 
 of the decorations made by chance, 
 and according to the caprice of every . 
 one. Our cities arc always what they 
 were, a heap of houfes, heaped together, 
 confufedly, without oeconomy, with- ^ 
 out dejQgn. No part of this diforder 
 is more fenfible, more (hocking, than in 
 Paris. The center of this capital h^s 
 not changed almoft at all for three 
 hundred years: We fee there every day 
 the fame number of little ftreets, ftrait, 
 winding, which breaths nothing but 
 diforder and fmells, and wherein the 
 meeting of coaches caufes a conti- 
 nuale obftrudion. The extreme parts 
 of it which have not been inhabited 
 till long time after, are not quite fo 
 ill built : but one may fay with truth 
 that if one excepts fome pieces of it 
 here and there, Paris upon the whole 
 is nothing lefs than a line city. Supe- 
 rior to all others by its extent, by the 
 number of and riches of its inhabi- 
 tants, flie is inferior to many, by all 
 the advantages which render a city 
 commodious,agreeable and magnificent. 
 
 The 
 
236 An Effay en Architedlure.. 
 
 The avenues of it are miferable, the 
 ftreets il! contrived and too (trait, the 
 houfes fimply and trivially built ^ the 
 fquares few in number and incon- 
 iiderable in thernfelves ^ the pa- 
 laces almoft all ill difpofed : In a 
 worJ, it is a very great city, without 
 regularity , where one meets very 
 few objcds that ftrike, and where 
 one is altogether aftonifhed, not to 
 find any thing that anfwers to the 
 idea that thofe liave had that approach 
 even as foon as they have {^^xi into 
 a city much lefs cel'^brated. 
 
 Paris has then great want of em- 
 beliifhment, and it is infinitely fufcep- 
 tible of it. To contribute my beft 
 to the defign that one could have to 
 give it in time all the beauty that it 
 now has not,*! am going to parti- 
 cularifc all the principles upon which 
 we mu/t a6t, and the rules that we 
 ought effentially to follow. 
 
 The beauty a?id magnificence of 
 a city depends chiefly on three things^ 
 its entrance, its ftreets,. its buildings. 
 
 Arti- 
 
An EJay on Architediur^. 237 
 Article I. 
 Upon the ent7^ances into cities. 
 
 T T is neceflary that the entrance 
 < into a city is Firft, Free and difeiiw. 
 gaged. 2dly, Multiplied in proportion to 
 the greitnel's of the circuit. 3diy SutJi- 
 cienjly ornamented. 
 
 ji 5^hc ^ritry of a city is defigned to 
 facilitate the going out of the inhabi- 
 tants and the approach of ftrangers : 
 To the end that they may avoid theob- 
 ftrudlion of the concourfc, it is necef- 
 fary that all therein fliould be free and 
 difengaged. The avenue^j contribute 
 much to this difengagement. I un- 
 derfland by avenues the roads which 
 lead to the city, to which we muft 
 give as -much more widenefs as the 
 city is more peopled, and that there is 
 more affluence. It is not fuffident ' 
 that the avenues be fo w^ide near the 
 
 city, 
 
.238 An Ejfay on Archifediure. 
 
 city, this widcnefs fhould begin at a 
 confidcrable diftance, fo that there 
 may be no obflrudtion to be feared. 
 Some time iince all the avenues of Pa- 
 ris have been enlarged : But they have 
 neglected upon the river two princi- 
 pal paflages, which at certain times 
 are fubjedl to an extraordinary con- 
 courfe, and wherein the freedom of 
 approach is extreamly confined: Thefc 
 two paflages are the bridge Seve, and 
 the bridge of Neuilli. Befides that it 
 is very unbecoming that two bridges 
 defigned for the communication with 
 the court of Paris, are only miferablc 
 wooden bridges without decoration 
 and almofl: without folidity : it is 
 fuperlativeiy incommodious to lind at 
 the entrance of the one and the other, 
 a gate through which two coaches 
 cannot pafs in front, without breaking, 
 and to have a breadth upon thefe two 
 bridges that is hardly fufficient for 
 two coaches to run without near 
 
 rubbing 
 
An Ejffay on ArchiteSfure. 239^ 
 
 rubbing againft the parapet. This negledl 
 may occafion great misfortunes, and the ih- 
 conveniencesof itare fofenfiblc, that it isafto- 
 nilhing they don't think of remedying it* 
 
 It is not fufRcientthat the avenue is large, 
 and as much as poffiblc without elbows or 
 turnings, it is neceflary yet that the gate and 
 the infide ftreet which anfwers to it (hould 
 have the fame advantages. It could even be 
 wilhed that at the entrance of a great city, 
 there was found a great fquare pointed into 
 by many ftrcets as a goofe foot. The en- 
 trance into Rome by the gate of the people 
 is in this very tafte ; and we have nothing 
 in Paris like to it. It would be eafy to dif- 
 pofe in this manner the entrance of the fub- 
 urb of St. Anthony, but this would be doing 
 the thing on the wrong fide. It would be 
 very much better, in preparing a new gene- 
 ral plan, to range agreeable to this idea the 
 two principal entries of Paris, to the gate of 
 St. Martin and St. Jame's gat€, in put- 
 ting in the middle a ftreet, which runs from 
 one end to the other and on each fide 
 ftreets as the rays of a circle, which might 
 diftribute into the principal quarters, and end 
 
 at 
 
240 An EJfay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 at fome confiderable edifice. The greater 
 the circuit of a city is the more neceflfary 
 it is to multiply the entries of it : Which 
 in general thsy are not nmch wanting- in. 
 BiiC thsy don't attend enough to the diftri- 
 bating them at near equal diflances, from 
 whence wojid refult more order and more 
 convenicncy. It is ncceflity that has given 
 place to fo many barriers which make the en- 
 trance and going out of Paris, but it is 
 chance that has difpofe^ them as they arc 
 with a ridiculous inequality of remotenefs 
 and diftance, which produces a circuit of 
 more irregularities and deformities. They 
 fliould have followed a polygon very near 
 regular, beyond which it was not permitted 
 to extend itfelf: to keep a hand upon any 
 body that thought of piffing the prefcribed 
 limits ; and the circuit being formed in 
 this manner, todiftribute the gates and en- 
 tries of the City, either upon each face, or 
 to every angle of the" polygon. 
 
 The entrance of a great city ought to be- 
 decorated, and to have an air of magnifi- 
 cence and greatnefs. Nothing fo pityful 
 and more poor than thefe field-gates that at 
 this day make the gates of Paris. On what- 
 ever fide we arrive at this capital, the firfl: 
 
 ob^eft 
 
Jin Ejjay on ArchiteSfure. 241 
 
 objeft that prefents itfflf, are fomebadpal- 
 lifadoesraifed fome ill fonle well upon crofs- 
 pieces of wood, rowling upon two old 
 hinges and fl mkcd with two or three heaps 
 of dung. Thefe are what they qualifie 
 with the pompous title of the gates of Paris. 
 One fees nothing fo miferable in the lead 
 towns of the kingdom. Foreigners who 
 pafs through thefe barriers, are aftoniflied, 
 when they are told^ behold you are now in 
 the capital of France. They muft be rea- 
 foned with to convince them, they have a 
 difBcuIty to believe their eyes, they ima- 
 gine themfelves to be yet in fome neigh- 
 bouring village : All this proves how inde- 
 cent it is that the gates of a city as Paris 
 (hould he fo deprived as they afe of all 
 kind of ornarrients. 
 
 We (hould have in the room of thefd 
 pityful barriers triumphal a.ches raifedj in 
 which (hould be immortalifed the memory 
 of the great actions which have rendered the 
 reignes of our Sovereigns fo celebrated. 
 Triumphal arches are the moft agreeable to 
 the entries of fuch a city as Paris* They 
 proclaim nobly the refidence of thofe con- 
 quering monarchs that have filled all Eu- 
 CL rope 
 
242 An EJJay on Arthitedture. 
 
 rope vvfth their exploits. We are under dif- 
 ficulties toereft monuments to the glory of 
 auguft princes which govern us : What mo- 
 numents more worthy of them than fine trium- 
 phal arches, which afford a plain and natural 
 meansoftransmittingtopofterity the remem- 
 brance of their great a.dions, and which being 
 placed in the entrance of the city prefent them 
 immediately to the view of the ftranger ? It 
 was thus that the Romans thofe people 
 who had nothing but noble views, and who 
 always thought greatly, honoured thtir em- 
 perors. They never thought of making 
 great and vaft fquares, on purpofe to place 
 in the middle the folitary ftatues of one of 
 the Sovereigns of the world. They charac- 
 terifcd much better the grandeur of them 
 in raifing upon the feveral avenues of their 
 city , thofe magnificent arches which 
 brought to remembrance the military tri- 
 umph with which their great adions had 
 been crowned. Following then the ideas 
 of that wonderful people, lee us give to afl 
 the entries of our capital, that Roman air 
 and that noble tone of decoration, we (hall 
 find a double advantage in it. We (hall 
 form magnificent gates, capable of fixing 
 the regards and admiration of the ftran- 
 
 ger ; 
 
Jin E{f^ m ArchiteBitre. 243 
 
 ger i And ifvithoat much expence which 
 fkall raife monuments which will ferveako* 
 gether, to tlve glory of our kings, and to 
 the inftruftion of poftericy. 
 
 Under the reign of Louis XIV. wherein 
 the grandeur of this monarchy, feemed to 
 have aggrandiled the ideas of all artifts, 
 they felt in u double manner the utility of 
 triumphal arches. From thence arofe the 
 gates of St. Martin^ of St. Dennis, of Sc. 
 Bernard and St. /Vnthony, If the univerfal 
 good taffte in th^t time, had not been extin- 
 guifhed or depraved afterwards, we (hould 
 have had all the avenues of this capital 
 nobly adorned* 
 
 Triumphal arches have a t^fte that is 
 proper for theni* They require grandeur in 
 their proportions, fimplicity and ftrength 
 in their ornaments, fomething vaft and 
 noble in their bulk. The gate of St. Den- 
 nis is in my opinion a mafter-piece in that 
 kind. Nothing more majefticthan the afto- 
 nifhing largenefs and fine elevation of this 
 full centered arch, nothing more judicious 
 than the ornaments that accompany it. 
 Nothing more mafculine and more nervou3 
 than the fculpture of the figures and bas-re- 
 liefs^ nothing better defigned and more nobly 
 Q^ a €uc 
 
244 ^^ mfay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 cutt than the entablature which terminates 
 it. I don't know any triumphal arch of the 
 ancient Romans of a compoficion fo fpiri- 
 tuous, fo noble, fo raifed as this magnificent 
 gate. I can't fay fo much of the gate of St. 
 Martin : The arches of it are too little, the 
 bulk is too heavy and thick, and the im- 
 menfe quantity of ruftic work only fcrves 
 to give it a moft difagrecable Gothic air. 
 St. Bernard's gate is altogether (hocking. 
 In the pomp of a triumph, the triumpher 
 fhould occupy the middle. Here he goes 
 hiding his nofe againft a fquare-pillar, and 
 is obliged to turn himfclf about to pafs to 
 the right or left. This defeft is infup- 
 portable, and fpoils all the reft of the 
 edifice , altho* it be otherwife a fine 
 piece of work. In a triumphal arch, 
 cither only one gate is neceffary or we muft 
 have three : When this edifice cannot have 
 a very large breadth, we muft content our- 
 felves with one arcade, as is done in St. 
 Dennis gate, or elfe we are put under a 
 neceffity of making three little overtures 
 which will hardly fufficefor a private houfe, 
 as we fee in St. Anthony's gate the Archi- 
 tecture of which is the moft trivial and 
 ■ moft defective., 
 
 I would 
 
An EJfay on ArchiteSiure. 245 
 
 I would not follow the ftile of the ancient 
 Romans who almoft always made ufe of 
 pedeftals, columns and regular entablatures 
 in triumphal arches. According to the prin- 
 ciples I have eftablifhed columns and arca- 
 des cannot go together. Columns in a tri- 
 umphal arch always appear a fuperfluous 
 and borrowed ornament, which cannot but 
 ridiculoufly thicken the bulk, and corrupt 
 the fimple, natural, the projecting, ifl may 
 fay fo, of all the work. Nothing prevents 
 making the beautiful and grand without 
 having recourfe to any order of Architec- 
 ture in columns : St. Dennis gate is a ma- 
 nifeft proof of it. Columns even carry 
 always with them the idea of houfes de- 
 figned for habitation: Now a triumphal arch 
 can only be a place of paflage. It is there- 
 fore upon the principles of truth and na- 
 ture to give them another decoration. The 
 genius of a man of ability, is an inexauf- 
 tible refource, he will always have his end 
 in following the particular tafte of thefe fort 
 of buildings, to 'varie infinitely the turns 
 and exprcffions of the fame idea. 
 
 I fuppofe a great avenue very wide, 
 
 in a right line, and bordered with two or 
 
 four rows of trees. It terminates with a 
 
 0^3 trium- 
 
246 An Efay on ArchiteBure. 
 
 triumphal arch very near fuch as I heve 
 been defcribing j from thence one enters 
 into a great place of a half circle, or half 
 oval, or half polygon, entered into by ma- 
 ny great ftreets as a goofe-foot, which 
 condu6ts the one to the center the other to 
 the extremity of the city, and all of them 
 have a fine objeft which terminates them. 
 That all thefe are found united and will 
 be the fineft entrance of a city that can 
 be imagined. We fhall be a long time 
 in executing fuch a thing in a city as Pa- 
 ris. We fhould have too much to take 
 down, and too much to build up. We 
 may at leafl: form a plan of it, and order 
 the execution of it fucceflively, and by- 
 degrees as the houfes perifh by time. 
 What we have begun' our ofFfpring will 
 finifli : And pofterity will be obliged to 
 us for having invented the fyftem, will all 
 ow us a thoufand m.after-pieces the exe- 
 cution of which will call to mind in the 
 mod remote ages, the juftice and maje% 
 of our ideas. 
 
 Article 
 
Att EJfay on JlrcbiteSfure. 247 
 
 A R T I C L E II. 
 
 T& difpcfition of tJoeJlreets. 
 
 IN a great city the ftrcets cannot render 
 the communication eafy and cooimp- 
 dious, if they are not in number enough 
 to avoid the too great turnings , large 
 enough to prevent all obftruftions, and in 
 a perfect direftion to fliorten the way. 
 The greateft part of the ftreets of Paris 
 have the contrary defefts. There are very 
 confiderable quarters and very much fre- 
 quented that have with the other quarters, 
 but one or two ftreets of communication : 
 Which occafions that the prefs there is 
 commonly very great, or at leaft that one 
 canfiot avoid it, but by making a great 
 many turnings. From Pont Neuf to the 
 extremity of the gardens of the Tuilleries, 
 there is no communication to all the quar- 
 ters of St. Honors, but by one ftreet and 
 two little wickets. In all the extent of 
 St. Anthony-ftreet, there is only to go to 
 the river, but two paflages for carriages. 
 The bri Iges upon the river are not fuffi- 
 tiently in number, and the two extremi- 
 ties are abfolutely wanting of them. The 
 ftreets are for' the moft part (o ftrait that 
 0^4 one 
 
248 An Ejay on ArchiteSlure'. 
 
 one can't pafs therein without dangers, 
 they are fo twitted, fo full of elbows and 
 infenfible angles, that they double the way 
 that is between one place and another. 
 
 We fhould look upon a city as a foreft. 
 The ftreets of this are the roads of that, 
 and ought to be entered into in the fame 
 manner. That which makes the effential 
 beauty of a park, is the multitude of the 
 avenues, their breadth, dieir direftion : 
 But that is not^ enough. We ought to 
 have a Le Notre to form our plan, that 
 he may put therein tafte and thought, 
 that there may be at once order and ca- 
 price, fymmetry and variety : That here 
 one may fee a ftar, there a goofe-foot, on 
 this fide thorny paths, on that enamelled 
 paths : Further, parallels through all crofs- 
 ways with defign and different figure. 
 The more there fliall be of choice, abun- 
 dance, contrafte even of diforder in this 
 compofuion, the more the park will have 
 of ftriking and delicious beauties. Don't 
 let one think that wit had no place, but 
 in the mpft exalted things. All that is 
 fufceptible of beauty, all that requires in- 
 vention and defign, is proper to exercife 
 the imagination, the fire and fally of the 
 
 genius. 
 
An Ejfay on ArchtteSlure. 249 
 
 genius. The invention may be met with 
 in the bordering of a parterre, as in the 
 compofuion of a picture. 
 
 Let us make the application of this 
 idea, and that the defign of our parks 
 ferve as a plan for our cities. There is no 
 queftion but. to meafure the ground, and 
 to figure therein in the fame tafte ways 
 that will be our ftreets, and crofs-ways 
 which fhall be our fquares. We have ci- 
 ties the ftreets of which are in a perfeft 
 direction : But as the defign thereof has 
 been made by people of very little under- 
 ftanding : There governs therein a fade 
 exaftnefs, and a cold uniformity which 
 makes the diforder of our cities regretted, 
 which have no fort of diredtion \ all there- 
 in is contained in one figure only. This 
 is a great parallelograme traverfed in 
 length and breadth by lines at right angles. 
 One fees every where but a difagreeable 
 repetition of the fame objedls, and all the 
 quarters are fo much a-like, that one mis- 
 takes, and loofes one felf in them. A park 
 that fhould only be a colleftion of de- 
 tached uniform fquares and all the ways 
 differred only numericaly, would be fome- 
 ihing very tedious and fiat. Above all 
 
 things 
 
250 An Efay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 things let us avoid the excefs of regulari- 
 ties and fymmetry. When we dwell too 
 long upon the fame thought, we blunt it. 
 Whoever is ignorant of vareing ourplea- 
 fures , will never arrive at the end of 
 pleafing us. 
 
 It is not then a little affair even to de- 
 fign the plan of a city, in a manner that 
 the magnificence of the whole may divide 
 itfelfintoan infinity of beauties of diffe- 
 rent particulars, that one may not meet 
 therein almoft ever the - fame objeds. 
 That in running from one to the other, 
 one may find in every quarter fomething 
 new, fingular and ftriking : That there 
 may be order therein, and nevcrthelefs a 
 fort of confulion. That all be in a direc- 
 tion, but without monotomy i and that 
 from a multitude of regular parts, there 
 refults from it in the whole a certain idea 
 of irregularity and a chaos, which fuits fo 
 well to great cities. We fhould for this 
 end poffefs in an eminent degree the art 
 of combining, and have a foul full of fire 
 and fenfibility, which ceafes lively the moft 
 juft and the mofl happy. 
 
 There is not a city which furnifhes to 
 the 'imaginations of an ingenious artifl fo 
 
 fine 
 
An Ejfay on ArehiteBitre. 251 
 
 fine a field as Paris. It is an immenfe 
 forefty varied by inequalities plain and 
 ^illy^ cut in the nr^iddle by a great river, 
 which, dividing itfelf into many branches^ 
 forms illes of different greatnefs. Sup- 
 pofe we then that it was permitted him 
 1:0 cut and curve as he pleafed : what 
 part will he not draw from fo many 
 advantageous varieties ! What happy 
 thoughts, what ingenious turns, what va- 
 riety of expreffions, what abundance of 
 ideas, what low refemblances, what fpi- 
 ritual contrafts, what fire, what boldnefs, 
 what broken compofition ! 'They will lay 
 undoubtedly that invention and plan 
 would be a pure lofs, through the diffi- 
 culty, the impoffibility even of the execu- 
 tion. And why then fhould the thing be 
 impoflible ? How many provincial cities, 
 with very fmall refources, have had the 
 courage to projed the rebuilding upon a 
 new plan, hoping to accomplifh it by the 
 force of time and patience ? Why fliould 
 we defpair to give to Paris fo agreeable an 
 embellifhment ? In the capital of fo great 
 a kingdom as France, the refourfes are in- 
 finite. There is only to begin, time will 
 finifh all. The greateft projeds require 
 
 onljr 
 
2^2 j^n Ejfay on Architediure. 
 
 only refolution and courage, when other- 
 wife they have not againft them any phy- 
 fical obftacle. Paris is already one of the 
 greateft cities of the world. Nothing can 
 be more worthy fo brave a nation, fo in- 
 genious, fo powerful as the French na- 
 tion, as to undertake upon a new defign, 
 to make of it one of the fineft cities of 
 the univerfe. 
 
 Article IIL 
 Of the decoration of buildings. 
 
 WHEN the defign of a city is well 
 lay'd out, the principal and the 
 moft difficult thing is done. It remains 
 nevertheleis to regulate the outward deco- 
 ration of the buildings. If they wold have a 
 city well built, we muft not abandon to 
 the caprice of particulars the fore-fronts 
 of their houfes. All that is done in the 
 ftreet fliould be determined and fubjedl to 
 the public authority, to the defign that 
 fhall be fixed upon for the entire fl:reet. 
 We muft not only fix the place where it 
 ihall be permitted to build, but alfo the 
 manner in which it is to be built. 
 
 The 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSlure. 253 
 
 The hight of the houfes ought to be 
 proportioned to the widenefs of the ftreets. 
 Nothing has a worfe grace than the defedl 
 of the elevation of buildings, in cities 
 wherein the ftreets are very large. How- 
 ever fine otherwife the edifices may be, 
 appearing low and crufhed, they have no- 
 thing noble nor even agreeable. 
 
 As to the fore-fronts of the houfes,therc 
 Ihould be regularity and great variety. 
 Long ftreets the buildings whereof appear 
 one entire building, by the fcrupulous 
 fymmetry that they obferve therein, offer 
 an infipid view. Too great uniformity 
 is the greateft of all defefts. It is there- 
 fore necefTary that in the fame ftreet the 
 outward fronts be exempted from this vi- 
 cious uniformity. To build a ftreet well, 
 there fhould not be an uniformity but 
 only in the correfpondent fronts and pa- 
 ralleles. The fame defign ought to go- 
 vern in all the fpace, which is not croffed 
 by another ftreet, and there ftiould not be 
 the fame in any of the like fpaces. The 
 art of vareing the defigns depends upon 
 the variety of form that is given to build- 
 ings, from the lefs or more ornaments 
 that we put therein, and the different 
 
 manner 
 
254 ^^ mf^y 0^ ArchkeSlure. 
 
 manner one combines them with. With 
 thefe three refourfes, every one of whith 
 is as inexhauftible, one may in the great- 
 eft city never repeat twice the fame fore- 
 fronr. 
 
 It would be a great defeft, if even with 
 variety of defign all was equally ornamen- 
 ted and enriched. It is necellary for the 
 beauty of a pidture to have a gradation of 
 light which leads imperceptably, from the 
 moft dark to the moft light ; and a fweet 
 harmony in the colours, which is not in- 
 compatible with certain noble oppofitions, 
 or rather that it is not more fharp there- 
 with, when amongft fympathetic colours, 
 there are found, fome of them that trouble 
 the repofe of it, and which has the eiFeft 
 of difcord. Would we decorate our ftreets 
 with an exquifite tafte : Ddn*t let us be 
 profufe in ornaments, let. us put much 
 plain, fomething negligent, with the ele- 
 gant and magnificeat. Let us pafs in 
 common from the negligent to the plain, 
 from the fimple to the elegant, from the 
 elegant to the magnificent : Sometimes let 
 us go brifkly from one extreme to the other 
 through oppofition, the boldnefs of whicb 
 llrikes the fight and may produce very 
 
 grand 
 
An-EJfay on ArcUteBure. 255 
 
 grand efFefts. From time to time let us 
 abandon fymmetry, to throw ourfrlves in- 
 to the low and fingular : Let us mi-x agreea- 
 bly the foft with the hard, the delicate 
 with the rugged, the noble with the ruf- 
 tick, without deviating from the true and 
 natural. It feems to me that by this nie- 
 thod one may bellow upon the various 
 buildings of a city, that aimable and that 
 touching variety, and that efFefting har- 
 mony which conftitutes the charm of de- 
 coration. 
 
 The city of Paris is fufficiently great, 
 that we fliould employ upon it in its buil- 
 dings all forts of imaginable decoration. 
 Her bridges, kays, palaces, her churches, 
 her great houfes, her hofpitals, monafteries, 
 public buildings give room frequently to 
 interrupt the form of ordinary houfes, by 
 forms altogether fingular. In overthrow- 
 ing thefe horrible ruins which furcharge, 
 ftreighten, and disfigure the mod part of 
 our bridges, and fubftituting in their places 
 fine and great portico's in columns from 
 one part to the other : In covering again 
 all the fides of the river, and changing 
 them into great and large kays ; in fur- 
 nifhing all thefe quays with fronts, more 
 
 or 
 
256 An E/Jay on ArchiteSlufe: 
 
 or lefs ornamented by degrees and in 
 fhadowings, according to the good intent 
 of a general defign, we (hould have from 
 one end of the Seign to the other, a pi6ture 
 which nothing would come near to in the 
 iiniverfe. If afterwards on both fides of 
 the river, in running through the ftreets 
 ingenioufly laid out and perfeftly direcled, 
 the would meet with common houfes, 
 houfes of diftinftion, palaces, portals of 
 churches, and fquares ; if in preferving 
 the regularity of the particular fronts, we 
 faw the negligent, the fimple, elegant, and 
 the magnificent artfully mixt and judici- 
 oufly allotted, making themfelves valuable 
 one and the other by their oppofition : If 
 at laft by intervals, there prefented them- 
 felves edifices of defign and of a fantafti- 
 cal form, the tafte of which was in the tafte 
 of the grand, 
 
 I doubt the eyes could never be fatisfi- 
 ed with a fpeftaclc fo engaging : Paris 
 in its phyfical compofition, would not only 
 be an immenfe city, it would be a mafl:er- 
 piece alone, a prodigy, an enchantment. 
 I wifli that this fyllem of embellifhment, 
 of which I only give a hint of the princi- 
 ples, and to fix very near the rules, may 
 
An E[jay 071 ArchiteSlure. 257 
 
 find connoifleurs that tafte it, lovers that 
 may favour it, zealous citizens which may 
 themfelves aflift therein, intrepid magif- 
 trates that may attentively medicate upon 
 the projed, and may efficacioudy prepare 
 the execution of it. I know that every 
 thing that leads to utility ought to have 
 the preference of that which is only of 
 private agreement : But one may have 
 rccourfc to the ufeful without neglecting 
 the agreeable, and we ought to remember 
 that a defign which tends to give to ftran- 
 gers a great idea of our country, and to 
 draw them amongft us in great numbers, 
 is not a projeft without utility. 
 
 Chapter VI. 
 Of the emhellijijments ofgarde?2s. 
 
 TH E art of gardening has but very 
 lately been known to us. Before 
 the reign of Lewis the Great, they had 
 not even the idea that a garden could have 
 other beauties than that of rude nature. 
 They coUefted together in a great circuit 
 of trees, floors, green banks, and waters, 
 but with fo little tafte and lb little defign, 
 R 'tha; 
 
258 4n 'Effay on ArchiteSture. 
 
 that nothrng was more wild and more fa- 
 vage. Lewis XIV. born and hardly had 
 this elevated and fenfible foul manifefted 
 its noble inclinations, than the all arts were 
 fenfible of the vivacity of his love for the 
 fine. The art of gardening was created 
 in France under his reign. We faw there 
 fpring from the pencil of the celebrated 
 le Notre, admirable compofitions, where- - 
 in all the beauties of nature difpofed in a 
 new order,, and with an engaging harmo- 
 ny, offers to the fight the mofl agreeable 
 and delicious views. All the world was 
 equally taken with a novelty fo full of 
 genius and opinion : The emulation be- 
 came general, to fubftitutc in the place of 
 infipid orchards true gardens difpofed with 
 tafte, prepared with grace, filled with all 
 forts of fmiling objedts, which had not ex* 
 ifted till that time, but in the imagina- 
 tion of the poets. The flavery of fafliion, 
 a flavery fo common and often fo dange- 
 rous in France, did not at all determine 
 thefe changes. The only empire of the 
 fine, an empire always fo invincible, does 
 credit to an invention, a thoufand chirms 
 of which declare its merit. From thence 
 come that multitude of charming places, 
 
 flowetr 
 
An Ejffay on ArchiteSiure. 259 
 
 flower-gardens, groves laid out by thofe 
 hands that render the neighbourhood of 
 Paris fuperiour to Paris itfelf. 
 
 The art of gardening is perchance the 
 pnly one that has not degenerated in 
 France, we have enriched upon the ideas 
 of Mr. le Notre. We have in this refpeft 
 put in execution with fuccefs the moft pro- 
 per talent of our nation, which confifts 
 lefs in invention, than reftifying, polifliing 
 and perfefting the inventions of foreigners. 
 Our gardens gain every day a more fmil- 
 ing appearance, more true, more natural. 
 And as it requires we fhould furnifh new 
 allurements to inclination, which makes 
 us look for all the refrelhments. the country 
 affords j it is to be hoped we fhall every 
 day perfect the more an art, which is 
 defigned to make the abode therein more 
 and more agreeable. 
 
 Don't let us lofe fight of that principle, 
 fo neceflary and fo favourable to the pro- 
 grefs of arts ; that there is not one of them 
 arrived to the laft degree of perfedion : 
 That there is much to corredt, much to add 
 to all which we call mafter-pieces. It is 
 a queftion to know well the defefts that 
 they are full of, and to imagine the beau- 
 R 2 ties 
 
26o An EJfay on ArchifeBure. 
 
 ties that there are wanting; it is the only 
 means of working to their trueperfeftion. 
 
 In gardens we ought to keep above all 
 to the fmiling and native beauties. We 
 fhould make ufe of what is admirable in 
 nature, and embellifh the produftion of 
 it ; combining them after a graceful and 
 llriking manner, without robbing them of 
 that fimple and country air, which makes 
 the charm of it fo fweet. What pleafes 
 in nature is, Firft, The fhade of woods, 
 the verdure of the green turfs, the mur- 
 murof therivelets. zdly, The points of pro- 
 fpecls, and the agreeable landfkips. 3dly, 
 The happy oddnefs that nature puts into her 
 appointments, and the beautiful negligence 
 that banillies from her appearance ajl that 
 fought for and atfefted air. It is required 
 to colleft all thefe advantages together in- 
 to a difpofition, that may make the con- 
 traft and agreement thereof more fenfibly 
 felt, without defacing the graceful and 
 natural. 
 
 The gardens of Verfailles have a long 
 time paffed amongft us, and do ftill 
 amongft Arrangers for one of the wonders 
 of the world. I will fay of thefe gardens, 
 what I have faid of the palace, one finds 
 
 there- 
 
An Ejfay on ArchiteSfiire. 26/ 
 
 therein mafter-pieces in every ftep. A 
 Puget, a Girardon, and many others have 
 fpread fo much luftre by their inimitable 
 produdlions, and that as long as there be 
 amongft mankind lovers of the fine, they 
 will come from all parts of the world, to 
 glut their fight with the view of thefe pro- 
 digies which exalt the French genius to 
 that of the Greek and Roman. But thefe 
 gardens have they otherwife wherewith to 
 furniflipleafures to the foul and the amufe- 
 ment of the eye, an agreeable and fmiling 
 fpeftacle. We fhall judge of this by the 
 inquiry I am going to make If the rich- 
 ncfs of brafs and marble, if nature fuffoca- 
 ted, buried under the outragious apparel 
 offymmetry and magnificence-, if the fingu- 
 lar, the extraordinary, the ftrained, the 
 bombaftic, make the beauty of a garden, 
 Verfailles deferves to be preferred to all. 
 But let us judge thereof by this refleftion : 
 What do we find in walking in thefe fine 
 gardens ? Immediately aftonifhment and 
 admiration, and foon after fadnefs, weari- 
 nefs. From whence comes this fad im- 
 prefTion, in a place where embellifhment 
 has coft fuch immenfe fums. This is what 
 is neceflary to examine, and. we are about 
 R 3 tp 
 
262 An EJay on ArchiteSiure. 
 
 to perceive a multitude of defefts, which 
 in taking from a garden the fmiling and 
 graceful, takes from it its moft ejGTential 
 beauty. 
 
 The firft defed that jumps to the view, 
 is the fituation of the gardens. This nar- 
 row valley, all invironed with barren 
 mountains, and with gloomy forefts, only 
 affords a moft forbidden defert, and can't 
 * butfurnifh the moft wild profpefts. From 
 thence, whatever expence they have been 
 at, it has been abfolutely impoffible to re- 
 pair this local deformity. They were 
 obliged to do every thing in fpite of nature, 
 and riches that they have been moft profufe 
 of therein, fets as ill upon it, as curling and 
 adorning upon an ugly vifage. We lliall 
 never have agreeable gardens, if we don't 
 chufe places already embelliftied by nature : 
 Places of a fmiling afpeft, the view of 
 which carries with it a landfkip adorned 
 with a thoufand country graces, the con- 
 templation of which produce moments of 
 fweet meditation, which retains the foul in 
 a delicious repofe. The neighbourhood 
 of Paris is filled with thefe fine fituations, 
 and we are forced to feek in woods, the 
 moft folitary and gloomy place to find that 
 pf Verfailles. A fe- 
 
An Effay on ArchiteSture. 263 
 
 A fccond defeft fe the too methodic re- 
 gularity of thefe gardens. This great air o*^ 
 fymmetry does not fuit fine nature. We 
 fhould indeed have choice, order and har- 
 mony, but there fhould be nothing ftrait and 
 too much regulated* Iron a horfe-back, 
 flower-gardens, alleys, little thickets, all is 
 done with that exadnefs, and with a con- 
 ftraint infinitely removed from the happy 
 negligence and eflfefted humour of nature 
 in her productions. Art far from being con- 
 cealed proclaims itfelf, in every part and 
 in every manner, it is like one of thofe dif- 
 courfes full of afFeftation^ all the turns of 
 which are ftudied, all the periods elaborated, 
 where every thing is meafured by rule. This 
 defeft is yet univerfal enough in our gardens, 
 and diminilhes in fuch a, manner the plea- 
 fures of them, that to make an agreeable 
 walk, one is obliged to go .out of tjiefe 
 thickets, wherein art is too much fhewn, to 
 go to look for fine nature in the midft of the 
 country natively adorned and without art. 
 The Chinefe tafte in this appears to me pre- 
 ferable to ours. The defcription of th^ 
 pleafure-houfc of their emperor, that we read 
 in their edifying letters, proclaim on their 
 part a great nativenefs in the decoration of 
 R 4 their 
 
264 An EJfay on Archite^lure.- 
 
 their gardens. That anti-fymmetry which 
 they afFtd, that air of humour that they give 
 to the defign and compofition of their little 
 groves, to their canals, and all that accom- 
 panies them, fliould have graces much more 
 aimiable as they are truly ruftick. Befides no 
 one can refift to the charm of this defcription, 
 one believes in reading ir, to wander in the 
 midft of fi6licious gardens where the faries dif- 
 play their enchantments: neverthelefs^when we 
 nflcft thereupon, we fee nothing therein but 
 what is fimple and natural fo much the fimple 
 is happily confulted, fo much of the true and 
 natural have of empire over our taftes. I wifli 
 that he who has given us this pretty defcription, 
 had given us the true plan of that delicious 
 houfe. Without doubt this plan would furnifh us 
 with a good model, and that in making fo in* 
 genious mixture of Chinefe ideas with ours, 
 we fliould have come to the end of making 
 gardens, wherein nature would find itfelf 
 again with all its graces. 
 
 A third dcfeft of the garden of VerCailles 
 -, is that we are too much fhut up in them. One 
 goes into a garden to take the air there, and to 
 breath at one's eafe: Now in thefe we always 
 find ourfelves as between four walls : Through 
 all are maffies of green, which leaves no li- 
 berty 
 
An EJJay on ArchiteSlure. 26^ 
 
 berty, neither in regard to its extent, nor for 
 the air to change itfelf: The pallifadoes of 
 Charmille are truly walls, the direftion and 
 height ofwich form an alley, a very tirefome 
 llreet. We have felt the difagreement of thefe 
 green walls, they give us a diftafte and there 
 is great reafon for it. vWe have endeavored 
 to get a Ihade without blinding one's felf, to 
 fcreen ourfelves from the heat of the fun, with- 
 out (hutting one's felf up between two walls. We 
 are at laft arrived at that end, in making plan- 
 tations of trees, the tops of which were enti- 
 rely free and difengaged. The heads of which 
 uniting, might form a thoufand different ways 
 the cover one wiflies for. From hence arofc 
 thofe charming fconces where one is refrelhed 
 and under a fhade, wi^hout confining the view. 
 From this thofe portico's, thofe bowers which 
 prefent a green arch fupported upon as many 
 columns as there are trunks of trees. I do not 
 pretend that they are entirely free from thick- 
 cefs and maffies : Nature prefents us with many 
 of them in forefts. What 1 pretend is, that 
 thefe maflies fhould be made ufe of with ma- 
 nagement, as having in themfelves fomething 
 melancholy and wild : We fliould make ufe 
 of them as in a pidlure, we make ufe of fliades 
 to make the lights of more value : As in mufic 
 
 we 
 
 I 
 
266 An Effay on Architediure. 
 
 we ufe difcord, to raife the agreeing founds : 
 For there is harmony through the whole. The 
 gardens of Verfailles are as the pidurcs of Car- 
 ravagio wherein darknefs governs to excefs : Or 
 as the modern mufic wherein the profufion of 
 difcords work a terrible efFe£t upon the fenfes. 
 
 A fourth defeft of thefe gardens is, that the 
 verdure thereof wants a livelinefs and frefli- 
 nefs, and all there is an extreme drynefs. No- 
 thing gives lb voluptuous a fenfation to the eyes 
 as a fine green. Would we pufh this fenfa- 
 tion up to the moft voluptuous degree, it is 
 only in difpofing the green by fhadowing from 
 the moft lively to the moft tender. In the 
 flower-gardens of Verfailles we fee only border- 
 ing?, the lines of which arefhewn by a ftring of 
 box, the bottom O'f which gravelled with diffe- 
 rent colours, bear but indifferent flowers. No- 
 thing morfe melancholy, lefs natural than thefe 
 borders. I chufe rather a fimple medow : I 
 find there is at leaft verdure, and a frefh ver- 
 dure, inftead of which in thefe parterres in bor- 
 derings lonlyfee fand that fatigues my eyes, 
 and a little boK the verdure of which is too fade 
 to be any thing agreeable. There are no flower- 
 gardens like thofe in green turf: One may 
 place it either in fimple divifions or in true 
 'border ings, provided that the turf be very fine, 
 
 and 
 
An Effay on Architeoiure. 267 
 
 and that it is chofe of a lively green, the view 
 of it will be always fatiating. When I fpeak 
 pf the turf as a border, fee how I underftand 
 the thing: I would have two Ihadowings of 
 greeji, and with thefe different greens they 
 might execute a deGgn of bordering, in the fame 
 tafte as the tapiftry-works, wherein one colour 
 only is made ufe of, in fhading from the deepeft 
 to the moft clear : I would have in this defign 
 of bordering that the flowers might be difpofed 
 by bunches or nofegays, and that it might be 
 left to the gardener, not only the particular 
 places where the flowers fhould be placed, but 
 alfo the particular fpeices of flowers that was 
 proper to make ufe oF in enamelling after a 
 good tafle this green border. It appears to 
 me that fuch a parterre \Vould be a perfed: 
 beauty, bccaufe it would unity every thing thad 
 is moft agreeable in nature, and all the refourfes 
 that is in arc to embellifh even nature itfelf. 
 In the little groves of Verfailles the green is 
 lometimes ill chofe, and always ill difpofed* 
 The yew green is too melancholy and too 
 gloomy. Formerly we were very fond of thefe 
 yew pyramids, cut in a thoufand ridiculous 
 ways, and which reprcfented in a garden diffe- 
 rent pieces as in a game of cheft. Good tafte 
 has driven away thefe ridiculous trifles : never- 
 
 thelefs 
 
268 An mfay on ArchiteSiure. 
 
 thelcfs one fees great remains of them at Ver- 
 failles. The green groves are too uniforme, we 
 (hould put therein more variety and more order. 
 The different trees afford us different tinftures 
 of green. What more fmiling, and more gra- 
 teful, than to combine with judgement thefe 
 fcveral colours, in fuch a manner, that the 
 Ihaded light fhould be therein as exa6t and en- 
 gaging as in a fine pifture. A gardener ought 
 to be an excellent painter, or at lead he fhould 
 poffefs in an eminent degree that part of paint- 
 ing, wherein xonfifts the knowing well the 
 fympathy of different colours and the different 
 tones of the fame colour •, then he wduld dif- 
 tribute the verdure in fuch a manner as to fur- 
 prife, and to give us a tafte of the moft extra- 
 ordinary pleafures. In the garden of Verfaillles 
 there is no water, and what is a garden without 
 water? That alone would give the coolnefs, 
 animate ail the beauties of it, and give to it life 
 and foul. The murmer of waters makes com- 
 pany in the moft folitary garden: We believe 
 ourfelves beholding the plays of the nymphs 
 and fea-gods, when we are upon the fide of a 
 fountain or a river, which by its various bub- 
 lings and falls amufe us, fpeak to us, captivates 
 us, and make us meditate. What have they 
 not expt^nded to bring water to Verfailles. They 
 
 have 
 
An EJfay on Archite5lure, 269 
 
 have put the neighbouring country under con- 
 tribution : The canals, aquaduds, the Seine 
 raifed by machines upon a very high hill, 
 all has been put in execution at a great ex- 
 pencc to fupply water which was entirely 
 wanted. After having employed to this 
 labour immenfe fums, all is reduced to be in a 
 condition two or three times a year, to throw 
 out by an infinite number of helps of all kinds, 
 dirty waters which fpoutout miraculoufly into 
 the air for the fpace of fome minutes: And 
 from thence go and lofe themfelvcs in diffe- 
 rent drains which form what they call canals 
 and the low waters: The reft of the time one 
 don*t fee a drop of water running: We meet 
 with nothing but dry fountains and bafons half 
 filled with ftanding ttinking waters. We had 
 infinitely better have water in a much lefs va- 
 riety of fhcw, and have it to enjoy conftantly. 
 A fine running water that runs here by little 
 fheetSj there falls into cafcades, further of it 
 fpouts into the air, of this fide which runs crofs 
 the rock of a grotto, on the other fide which plays 
 by little bubbles through little fpouts, and that 
 takes all fort of Ihapes and plays every game : 
 Behold that which is preferable to all the inftan- 
 taneous miracles of Verfailles, 
 
 The 
 
270 An EJJay on Architedlure. 
 
 The critical examination that I have now 
 made on this garden, too magnificent, and not 
 at all fmiling, is fufEcient to give an idea at leaft 
 confufcd of the taftc which fliould govern in 
 the decoration of any garden. Lee one above 
 all things attache one's felf to put verdure therein, 
 to varie it and to fort it. Do not let us confine 
 Ourfelves to follow a defign too correct, too much 
 fymmetrifed : Let us manage carefully the prof- 
 pedls to difpofe intelligibly the maffies and voids, 
 to diftribute the water in all its parts, to make 
 it run or fpout out with more or lefs force and 
 abundance, according as the fource gives it in , 
 more or lefs quantities ; in fhort that we may 
 difpofe all things fo well, that there may be 
 profpeft, fhade, and coolnefs, and then we 
 Ihall make a garden truly delightful. 
 
 There is in Europe a great prince that by a 
 fingular chain of profperities and misfortunes 
 has rendered himfelf celebrated : After a life a 
 long time laborious and adive, providence has 
 brought him a rcpofe, of which he makes ad- 
 vantage as a man of genius and tafte, for to 
 give himfelf to all kind of inventions, agreeable 
 and ingenious. Arts are no lefs indebted to 
 him for the protedlion he gives them, than 
 for a thoufand difcoveries with which he has 
 enriched them, who enlarges the fphere of 
 
 them, 
 
4n:^Jf^y M ArchiteSiure. 271 
 
 them, which varies the produftions, which- 
 multiply the enchantments and the refources 
 of them,. He himfelf furnifhes ideas for the 
 artifts, he paves the way for them» he gives 
 them the eafy way; vyith an intelligence and a 
 light which puts then) in a condition even with 
 ordinary talents, to do prodigious things. He 
 is the firft man of the univerfe to invent a pro- 
 jedl with vivacity, and to execute it with as 
 much occonomy as quicknefs. His houfes of 
 pleafure of which with a moderate revenue, he 
 has multiplied the number to an aftonifliing 
 degree, are full of agreeable objedls, and with 
 cmbellifhmentsof a moftexquifite tafte. There 
 one admires the fruitfulnefs of a genius, which 
 draws advantage from every thing, that from 
 nothing creates a thoufand things to give in- 
 ceflantly, what is new, fingular, and always 
 pleafing and graceful. There we fee build- 
 ings of all fort of forms, which afford lefs 
 pleafure by the richnefs of the materials, than 
 by the novelty of the defign, the elegance of 
 the form, the good tafte of the ornaments. 
 There we find a juflr mixture of mafculin and 
 noble beauties, and beauties accomplifhed and 
 innocent. There we walk in gardens wherein 
 nature is in its perfeftion, and infinitely varied. 
 Fine waters, running waters, flowing quick^ 
 
 rifing 
 
272 An EJfay on ArchiteSlure. 
 
 rifing in columns, precipitating into cafcades, 
 forming the moft charming and moft Angular 
 entertainments. There we fee porticoes in 
 columns of water, halls, the windows of which 
 are as umbrello's of water, banqueting rooms, 
 illuminated by great luftres of water. There 
 in a word is to be found a croud of ingenious 
 novelties, and through all, it is the fmiling 
 and graceful that governs. Let our artifts go 
 to the fchool of this great prince, and they will 
 learn, a thoufand new ways of furprifing, 
 pleafmg and enchanting us. 
 
 F I N I S. 
 
 
 TABLE 
 
T A B L E 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 A. 
 
 ABBY of Premontre, 
 an immenfe edifice but 
 reprehenfible Pag. 71 
 
 -^hby of St. Dennis, its 
 old, buildings were pre- 
 ferable to the new 1 46 
 
 ^ccademiei of Archite6lure. 
 how they ought to labour 
 for the perfedlion of this 
 art 10 1, 121 
 
 'Mctnjes^ are of great ufe in 
 apartments 168 
 
 -^//^j of Gardens 265 
 
 Ancients are not in all things 
 good models 102 
 
 More able than we in conf- 
 truftion 1 47 
 
 Apartments^ of what piecci 
 they ought to be com- 
 pofed 1 66 
 
 Small apartments, their defti- 
 nation 1 7 1 
 
 Arcade J, always defeflive, 
 in an order of Architec- 
 ture their utility 3 1 
 
 ArchiteSiure^ an art which 
 requires much genius, 
 and gteat talents 1,2,3 
 
 •— what it owe^ to the 
 Greeks and to the Ro- 
 mans 4 
 
 — Its principles founded 
 upon fimple nature 9 
 
 ArchiteSIure modem its be- 
 auties and dcfefts 4,66,67 
 
 Architranje, ought to be in 
 pint band 32. 33 
 
 — Compolite 107 
 
 — Corinthian 98 
 
 — Doric 83 
 — - Ionic gi 
 Arches and bullerefles 56 
 
 — manner of hiding them 
 
 203 
 
 Arches ^f triumph defigncd 
 to decorate the entrance 
 of cities 241 
 
 Arches, double, load the 
 vaults 
 
 Attic, order altogether vi- 
 cious ^r 
 
 A'venues oi Z. Qity 237 
 
 Altar of our lady a good 
 model 224 
 
 Altar of St. Sulpitius in 
 Pari defective 215 
 
 Altar of the Jefuits in St. 
 Antony - Street a monf- 
 trou work 28 
 
 Altar, principal, how it 
 ought to be 215 
 
 Altar, of i:roires and cha- 
 pels 221 
 
 B. 
 
 Ballujlrade 
 
 Banieri o£?iiiis 240,241 
 S Ba/e, 
 
Table of the Contents] 
 
 Bafe, ought not to be re- 
 trenched 70 
 
 P^/^,atticurgic,admirable 70 
 
 Borrowed in the Dorick or- 
 de,r , . ^ 83 
 
 — . May beattributed to all 
 orders 70. go. 88 
 
 Bafe Corinthian, defedive 
 88.89 
 
 BaCe, Ionic, defedive 88 
 
 Bas reliefs 232 
 
 Buildings of the ancients their 
 folidity 129. 130 
 
 Buildings quite new, which 
 threaten ruin 130 
 
 Bridges of Paris how, the 
 way to decorate them 256 
 
 Bordering^ in parterres 266 
 
 Bordery in turf, a new inven- 
 tion Ih^d. 
 
 Brackets t of the order Comr 
 pofit 107 
 
 — Of the Corinthian order 
 
 -.-■■ .. 99 
 
 ^^— Of the fquare-houfc at 
 
 Nifmes 1 3 
 
 — Thofe and mutales when 
 to be retrenched 42 
 
 C. 
 /^anopy of St. Peters church 
 at Rome 26.215 
 
 — Of the invalids at Paris 
 
 26 
 
 — Of Valde Grace. Ihid. 
 Cities, have 'great want of 
 
 embellilhments 2^5 
 
 Cartridges, vicious 126 
 
 Chaifel of the foundlings 1 9 1 
 Capital, Qom^o^xt io6 
 
 — Corinthian 95 
 
 — Doric 84 
 
 — Tonic 89 
 Choir of our lady, decorated 
 
 with great decency, but 
 with defeds 1 75 
 
 Cha^pel holy of Paris, a buil- 
 ding of admirable con- 
 flrudion 146 
 
 Column t its rules 1 5 
 
 — Ru Hicks 24 
 — . Coupled 32. 33 
 
 — Engaged 16 
 
 — Fluted 23 
 
 — Twilled 2j 
 Colledge of four nations, at 
 
 Paris form of this buil- 
 ding very agreeable 1 24 
 
 CompofitSy may be very much 
 varied 108 
 
 Concourfe, of two corniches 
 defedive 72 
 
 Confoles 50 
 
 Cornijh, when it ought tp. 
 be retrenched " 42 
 
 — Inconveniency of its pro- 
 jedion 43 
 
 Cornijh Compofit 108 
 
 — Corinthian 108 
 
 — Doric 84 
 
 — Ionic 92* 93 
 Corps of Lodgings ought to 
 
 be double, to be commo- 
 dious 166 
 
 Courts, ne<?effary for con ve- 
 niency . *59 
 
 Church of Notre Dame 197 
 207 
 
 — Of the Jefuites in Iron- 
 pot Itreet 78.89 
 
 — Of St, Peters at Rome 
 
 J39. 
 
 Church 
 
Table of the Contents. 
 
 Church of St. Roche 
 
 — . Of St. Sulpitius 146 
 
 Churches oi AmiQViS 208 
 
 — Bourges 7^/V. 
 
 — Rheims Ibid. 
 Churches^ Gothick compared 
 
 with the modern 156 
 Churches^ wc have not at- 
 tained the good manner 
 of building them Ibid, 
 
 — Idea, new on this fubjeft 
 
 202 
 
 D. 
 
 7^ Er<7r/2//o» of buildings is 
 not arbitrary, 173 
 
 — May fucceed very well 
 without any order of Ar- 
 chitecture, 118 
 
 Decoration, of citys, 252 
 DifengagcTiicntSy neceflary for 
 
 convenience, 1 7 1 
 
 Delicacy^ is not contrary to 
 
 Solidity, 145 
 
 Demy-fnetopeohhc. projeding 
 
 angle ought to be fmook 
 
 and without fculpture, 84 
 Denttly when it ought to be 
 
 retrenched, 42 
 
 — Is affeded in the Jonic 
 order, 92 
 
 Domination,- of the column, 
 
 15, 25,69 
 
 Diftrihtttion, of buildings, 
 
 exterior and interior, i 58 
 Dome, of tjje Jefuits church, 
 
 in St. Anthonys-llreet, 50 
 
 — Of the invalids an unufe- 
 fuli building, 175 
 
 — The ufe one may make 
 of it, 175 
 
 Dome, the manner of avoid- 
 ing its defcds, 214 
 
 Dome circular or oval at the 
 entrance of a church, 23 j 
 
 Dome 5 y all equally defcdive, 
 
 Doors y their regulations, 5 2 
 
 — Full arched, ^3 
 
 — Of apartments, 168 
 Drops, bunging under the 
 
 TryglifFs, 33 
 
 JJmhelh/hments of cities 
 
 — Of gardens 234 
 
 Entahleturey its rules 30 
 
 — Coropofit 107 
 
 — Corinthian 98 
 
 — Doric %z 
 
 — Jonic 91 
 Entrance, of the corps of 
 
 Lodgins, how it ought to 
 
 be 1 59 
 
 Entrances of a city their dif- 
 
 pofition 237 
 
 En^iy, the defire of enriching 
 
 themfelves 136 
 
 — How the arts fuffv^r for 
 this lownefs. Ibid, 
 
 E^ves, Compofit, Corinthian 
 and Doric 82. 99. 107 
 
 F, 
 
 "pA^adeSy of buildings upon 
 the inward court of the 
 
 Louvre 
 S 2 
 
 '9 
 — Of 
 
^able of the Contents. 
 
 — Of the caftle of Vcr- 
 failles 4- 
 
 — In the gardens i 24 
 '— Of particular houfes which 
 
 are towards the ftreet 252 
 Flights of ftair cafes, how 
 
 they ought to be, 165 
 Floweri fig, of t h e Com pofi t 
 
 capital 106 
 
 Foundations, what makes the 
 
 folidity of them 141 
 
 — Manner of con trading 
 them very deficient ibid. 
 
 Fountain of the holy Inno- 
 cents 1 85 
 
 — Of the (Ireet of Crenelle 
 
 Ibid, 
 Forms, their elegance may be 
 
 varied ad infinitum 1 22 
 Fragments, of the arxient 
 
 Cornifh found at Nifme 
 104 
 French, Ms proper to invent 
 
 than to perfect 6y 
 
 Frife, whea it ought to be^ 
 
 retrenched 42 
 
 — Compofit J 08 
 
 — Corinthian 99 
 
 — Doric 83 
 •— Jonic 91 
 
 G. 
 
 r^Alkry of Verfailles 
 
 - Of tne Louvre 181 
 Gates, of St. Anthony, 244 
 
 — Of St. Barnard, ibid, 
 
 — Of St. Denis. 245 
 
 — Of St. Martin, 244 
 Ground- floor, (3Ught to be 
 
 railed above the pave- 
 ment, 1 60 
 
 Groups, of ilatues, one can* t 
 employ them too often 
 190 
 
 — They agree very well in 
 the decoration of churches 
 
 219. 223 
 Glory, with a group of fly- 
 ing angels Ibid, 
 Groi;^j or thickets 267.268 
 Gardens, neceffary for con- 
 venience of plea lure 1 5 ? 
 Gardens, the arc of was not 
 known amonglt the French 
 till Louis XIV. 257 
 
 — Of Verfailles, melan- 
 choly and troublefom 261 
 
 H. 
 
 TjArmony, there is a proper 
 - one for Archite6lare, 74 
 
 — Of Colours, we {hould 
 ftudy the agreements of 
 them in the fortmcnts of 
 Marble, 114 
 
 — And for the decoration 
 of Gardens, 268 
 
 Hofpital.., their decency, 191 
 
 Hofpital of the foundlings 
 at Paris, too magnificent 
 for the ufe, 191 
 
 Houfes little, of eafe in the 
 Englilh fafhion, 167 
 
 Houfe, Town, at Paris 182 
 
 Hou/e, country of the Em- 
 peror of China, 263 
 
 Houfe, Iquare of Nifmes, 
 beauty of that ancient 
 building 1 3 
 
 Houfes, of particulars their 
 
 decency, 192 
 
 Houfes 
 
Table of the Contents. 
 
 Houfes, Royal, fhould have 
 but one ground floor. 1 69 
 
 I. 
 
 /Taltensy have the fuperio- 
 rity in conftrufting their 
 fountains, f 86 
 
 . i>//^r, columnation, 32,62 
 
 K. 
 
 IZEySy all the borders of 
 
 the Seine fhould be new 
 
 covered with them, 255 
 
 L. 
 
 T 0%,ofSt.Sulpitius, 48 
 •^ 198 
 
 Lobhy^ fmgular,' 50 
 
 Laying out of the ftreets the 
 method deficient, 247. 
 
 La^, that it would be con- 
 venient to cftablilh one 
 with regard to undertakes, 
 152 
 
 Lerme Philibert de, what 
 
 Architedurc owes to him 
 
 24, 66 
 
 League Sy of the Corinthien 
 capital, Q7 
 
 — Of the Acantha prefe- 
 rable to that of the Laurel 
 and Olive, 97 
 
 Marbles, their beauty i» 
 very independent of their 
 fcarcety, 1 1 1 
 
 — Their Colours ought to 
 be fuitable to the cha- 
 racter of the fubjed, 1 1 2 
 
 Materials y the choice, and 
 the employ that we fhould 
 make of them, 113 
 
 Metopes f rules for them, 77. 
 
 7^ 
 Mortar, ought not to be fu - 
 
 perfluous in buildings, 1 42 
 
 MouUings, different forts of, 
 
 72 
 
 — One may multiply them 
 
 110 
 
 — Manner of for ting them, 
 
 71 
 
 — Are in Archite^ure what 
 accords are in Harmony, 
 
 ' 75 
 Muffle, 
 
 Mutules, or corbels, of the 
 doric order, 82, 85 
 
 Mi 
 
 M. 
 
 _ %ijicence,XiO place fuites 
 
 it better than churches, 
 
 i74» 195 
 
 N. 
 
 'M'Iches, abfurd invention?, 
 
 ^ 55 
 
 Nuditp, ought to be ban- 
 nilhed from churches, 175 
 
 o. 
 
 r\B}er<vaiory^ at Paris, the 
 
 ^ conflrudion of its build. 
 
 ing excellent, 1 45 
 
 Order 
 
Table of the Contents. 
 
 Order of ArchlteBur^^ (hat 
 which coiiftrtutes the beau- 
 ties of it, the liccnciei and 
 
 " thedefeas, 13 
 
 — Number of orders is not 
 iabfoluteiy fixt 64 
 
 — Common parts to all the 
 orders thereof, 69 
 
 — Manner of enriching 
 them, 1 1 1 
 
 — They have all their de- 
 feds, 100 
 
 — Corinthian ]ts charafter 
 
 — Itsnoblenefs 
 
 — Doric, its charader, (i'j 
 
 — Its difficulties, ']^ 
 
 — Jonic its charadlcr, 87 
 •—It elegance, 87 
 Ornaments, their choice and 
 
 their diipofition, 125 
 
 Ornaments of Altars^ de- 
 
 fedive, 218, 219 
 
 Organ Mu 222 
 
 P. 
 
 pAlIifadesy of charmille 
 
 render the gardens fad 
 
 and gloomy, 263 
 
 Pallace of Luxemburg its 
 defetls, 24, 1 24 
 
 — Of the Tuillerys the de- 
 feds, 24, 47, 55, 124, 
 179 
 
 Pallace of Princes, what is 
 thedecerxy of theie buil- 
 dings, 177 
 
 Palace, -where the ParHa- 
 metit meets, 183 
 
 Park, what makes the beau- 
 ty of it, 248 
 
 Paris, a city in general very 
 ill built, 23c 
 
 —It is by its fituation capable 
 of making the fined city of 
 the world, 251 
 
 — Its Gates how they fliould 
 be decorated, 241 
 
 Pediment, its rule5, centered, 
 broken, with volutes or 
 enrolements, equally re- 
 prehenfible, 39 
 
 Pedejialsy ought be bannifhed 
 from the orders of Archi- 
 tedure, 26 
 
 ~ Their true ufe, 29 
 
 Plan of a city, difficult to 
 lay out, 250 
 
 Pont neuf This bridge might 
 be defigned to place there 
 upon all the ftatutes of our 
 kings, 1 89 
 
 Ponts de Paris, manner of 
 decorating them 256 
 
 Ponts de Neuilli k de Seve, 
 thefe bridges their paflages 
 incommodious, 238 
 
 Porche of St Peter at Rome 
 defedive, 47, 48 
 
 Portal oi-^ church, in what 
 manner it fhould be deco- 
 rated, 225 
 
 Portal, of the exercife St. 
 Catherine, 109 
 
 — OfSt.Gervais,i7,i8,^9 
 
 — Of the JefuitsinSt. An- 
 thonys ftreet, 198 
 
 — Of 
 
^Sle of the Content's. 
 
 — Of St. Sulpiciu3, 44,118 
 Portico, of the Palace of the 
 
 Louvre, an excellent piece 
 of Aichitcdlure, but is not 
 without defedls, ao 
 
 P«/J//V?« , thofe bu ild ings w hich 
 are in thebeft, 157 
 
 Proportions^ wherein is to be 
 found the beft detail, 86 
 
 — Are not always free, 1 20 
 
 — Their defeft cannot be 
 correded by the richnefs 
 of ornaments, 122 
 
 Places^ of eafe or ncceffary 
 houfes in the Engjifh 
 falhion, 167 
 
 R. 
 
 TyEtreatSy in, the thicknefs 
 
 of walls are not ab(o- 
 
 lutely neceffary 143 
 
 OTair-cafes, flight of, how 
 they ought to be 165 
 
 — Where the right place for 
 them 1 64 
 
 — That of Premontree 
 frightful 1 49 
 
 — That of Luxemburg de- 
 fedlive 164 
 
 Streets, their diftribution 247 
 
 SanSiuary^ or Chancels in the 
 
 churches how it ought to 
 
 be 217 
 
 Sculpture, manner of em- 
 ploying it in buildings 75 
 
 Sculpture of the chap pel of 
 Verfailles, may ferve as a 
 model n 6 * 
 
 Simplicity or Plainefs, decen- 
 cy agreeable to buildings 
 of a community 192 
 
 Situation of buildings com- 
 modious or incommodious 
 
 Sofit, of the Doric order 82 
 
 — Of the jonic order 93 
 Solidity of buildings i 3 1 . 1 3 5 
 Squares, how they ought to 
 
 be, 185 
 
 — Royals, of vidtorys, of 
 Lewis the Great, 1 84 
 
 Square defigned for the flatue 
 of Louis XV. 1 87 
 
 Stals, in the choir, their po- 
 rtion 217 
 
 Statues, ill plaid^ in a Nich 
 
 55 
 
 — Worfe ftill, upon the in- 
 clining plan of a pediment 
 
 — They are the moft con- 
 fiderable ornaments of 
 our palaces 1 87 
 
 — We (hould varie the de- 
 fign of them 1 90 
 
 — The way of cloathing 
 them vicioufly 190 
 
 T. 
 
 n^Jbernacle 2 1 8 
 
 "^ Theatre of Marcellus 
 70 
 Timpan 
 
Table of the Contents 
 
 Timpan or CaulicoU of the 
 
 Corinthian 96 
 
 -— Of the' Pediment 72 
 
 ThickneJJTes, too great ought 
 
 to be avoided in buildings, 
 
 Hornby an altar as a tomb 
 
 218 
 
 Tomb of St. Denys i jj 
 
 Tours for the clocks, the way 
 
 of building them 227 
 
 — That of Strasburg an ex- 
 cellent model Ibid, 
 
 — That of St. Sulpitius 
 
 228 
 
 — Thofe that the Chevalier 
 Bernin had projedecj for 
 St. Peters at Rome 230 
 
 Tryglifs, when they ought to 
 be retrenched 42 
 
 — Their regulations ^77 
 
 V. 
 
 T^Erdure, a thing the moft 
 
 neceflary in a garden 266 
 
 -— The way of varying them 
 
 167 
 
 Verfailksy its appartments 
 
 have nothirg nob'e and 
 agreeable i go - 
 
 — Entrance of the Chatteau 
 very ill difpofed 162 
 
 — Front towardi the gardens 
 blamable 4^ 
 
 — Plan and decoration of 
 the court, defcdive 178 
 
 — Changes that ought to be 
 made in it 179 
 
 — Stables of the palace the 
 plan is very agreeable 
 
 125 
 
 — Situation of the caftle 
 very bad 155 
 
 — Views from the palace 
 wild 262 
 
 Volute iy of the compofit ca- 
 pital 106 
 
 — Of the Jonic capital 89 
 
 — The manner of the anci- 
 cients cutting them defec- 
 tive 90 
 
 — ; Perfected by Scamozzi 91 
 Vault 5 y their projedions 1 3 7 
 
 — The way ot remedying 
 them 1 47 
 
 Vaults or arches excellence, 
 of one brick thickntfs only 
 
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