fmall and weake, they are easily fhaken; I muft likewife remember one Thing (though it be but a Grammatical Note) touching Doores. Some were Fores and fome were Valve. Thofe (as the very Word may feeme to import) did open outwards, these inwards; and were commonly of two Leaves or Panes, (as we call them) thereby requiring indeed a leffer Circuit in their unfoulding; and therefore much in Ufe among Italians at this Day: But I must charge them with an Imperfection, for though they let in as well as the former, yet they keepe out worse.

T

O make a compleate Staire-cafe, is a curious Peece of Architecture:
The vulgar Cautions are these.

That it have a very liberall Light, against all Cafualtie of Slippes, and Falles.

That the Space above the Head, bee large and Airy, which the Italians ufe to call Un bel-sfogolo, as it were good Ventilation, because a Man doth spend much Breath in mounting.

That the Halfe-paces bee well diftributed, at competent Distances, for repofing on the Way.

That to avoyd Encounters, and befides to gratifie the Beholder, the whole Staire-cafe have no nigard Latitude, that is, for the principall Afcent, at leaft ten Foot in Royall Buildings.

That the Breadth of every fingle Step or Staire bee never leffe than one Foote, nor more than eighteen Inches.

That they exceede by no Meanes halfe a Foot in their Height or Thickneffe; for our Legges doe labour more in Elevation, than in Diftention: Thefe I fay are familiar Remembrances, to which let me adde.

That the Steps bee layd where they joyne Con un tantino di fcarpa; we may translate it somewhat floaping, that fo the Foot may in a Sort both afcend and defcend together, which though obferved by few, is a fecret and delicate Deception of the Paines in Mounting.

Laftly, to reduce this Doctrine to fome Naturall, or at leaft Mathematicall Ground, (our Mafter, as we fee, lib. 9. cap. 2.) borroweth thofe Proportions, that make the Sides of a Rectangular Triangle, which the ancient Schoole did expreffe in lowest Tearmes, by the Numbers of 3. 4. and 5. That is, three for the Perpendicular, from the Staire-head to the Ground; foure for the Ground line it felfe, or Receffion from the Wall, and five for the whole Inclination or Slopeneffe in the Afcent; which Proportion, faith he, will make Temperatas graduum librationes. Hitherto of Staire cafes which are direct: There are likewife Spirall, or Cockle Staires, either Circular, or Ọvall, and fometimes running about a Pillar, fometimes vacant, wherein Palladio (a Man in this Point of fingular Felicity) was wont to divide the Diameter of the first Sort into three Parts, yeelding one to the Pillar, and two to the Steps; of the fecond into foure, whereof he gave two to the Staires, and two to the Vacuitie, which had all their Light from above; and this in exact Ovals is a Mafter-piece.

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IN

Of CHIMNIE S.

'N the prefent Bufineffe, Italians (who make very frugall Fires, are perchance not the best Counsellers.) Therefore from them we may better learne, both how to raise faire Mantels within the Roomes, and how to difguife gracefully the Shafts of Chimnies abroad (as they use) in fundry Formes (which I fhall handle in the latter Part of my Labour) and the reft I will extract from Philippe de l'Orme: In this Part of his Worke more diligent than in any other, or, to doe him right, than any Man elfe.

First, Hee obferveth very foberly, that who in the Difpofition of any Building will confider the Nature of the Region, and the Windes that ordinarily blow, from this, or that Quarter; might fo caft the Roomes, which fhall moft need Fire; that hee fhould little feare the Incommodity of Smoake, and therefore hee thinkes, that Inconvenience, for the most Part to proceede from fome inconfiderate Beginning. Or if the Error lay not in the Difpofition but in the Strudlure it felfe; then hee makes a Logicall Enquiry, that either the Winde is too much let in above, at the Mouth of the Shafte, or the Smoke ftifeled below; if none of these, then there is a Repulfion of the Fume, by fome higher Hill or Fabrique, that fhall Overtoppe the Chimney and worke the former Effect: If likewife not this, then he concludes, that the Room which is infested, must bee neceffarily both little and close, so as the Smoke cannot iffue by a naturall Principle, wanting a Succeffion and Supply of new Ayre.

Now, In these Cafes he fuggefteth divers Artificiall Remedies; of which I will allow one, a little Defcription, because it favoureth of Philofophie, and was touched by Vitruvius himselfe, lib. 1. cap. 6. but by this Man ingeniously applied to the prefent Ufe: Hee will have us provide two hollow braffe Balles of reafonable Capacitie, with little Holes open in both, for Reception of Water, when the Aire fhalbe first fucked out; one of these wee must place with the Hole upwards, upon an Yron Wire, that shall traverse the Chimney, a little above the Mantell, at the ordinary Height of the fharpeft Heate or Flames, whereof the Water within being rarified, and by Rarifaction refolved into Winde, will breake out, and fo force up the Smoke, which otherwise might linger in the Tunnell, by the Way, and oftentimes revert; with the other, (faith he) wee may supply the Place of the former, when it is exhausted, or for a Neede blow the Fire in the meane while; which Invention I have interpofed for fome little Intertainment of the Reader; I will conclude with a Note from Palladio, who obferveth that the Ancients did warme their Roomes, with certaine fecret Pipes that came through the Walles, transporting Heate (as I conceive it) to fundry Parts of the House, from one common Furnace; I am ready to baptize them Calidus, as well as they are tearmed Venti ducts, and Aque-ducts that convey Winde and Water; which whether it were a Custome or Delicacie, was furely both for Thrift, and for Use, far beyond the German Stoves; and I fhould preferre it likewife before our owne Fashion, if the very Sight of a Fire, did not adde to the Roome a Kinde

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of Reputation, as old Homer doth teach us in a Verfe, fufficient to proove thar himselfe was not blinde, as fome would laie to his Charge.

Touching Conducts for the Suillage and other Neceffities of the House, (which how base foever in Ufe, yet for Health of the Inhabitants, are as confiderable, and perhaps more than the reft) I finde in our Authors, this Counsell; that Art fhould imitate Nature, in thofe ignoble Conveyances; and feparate them from Sight, (where there wants a running Water) into the moft remote, and loweft, and thickeft Part of the Foundation: with fecret Vents paffing up through the Walles like a Tunnell to the wilde Aire aloft: which all Italian Artizans commend for the Discharge of noyfome Vapours, though elfe-where to my Knowledge little practifed.

Thus having confidered the precedent Appertions, or Overtures, in feveraltie according to their particular Requifites, I am now come to the cafting and Contexture of the whole Worke, comprehended under the Tearme of Compartition: Into which (being the maineft Piece) I cannot enter without a few generall Precautions, as I have done in other Parts.

First therefore, Let no Man that intendeth to build, fetle his Fancie upon a Draught of the Worke in Paper, how exactly foever measured, or neately fet off in Perspective; and much leffe upon a bare Plant thereof, as they call the Schiographia or Ground Lines; without a Modell or Type of the whole Structure, and of every Parcell and Partition in Paftboord or Wood.

Next that the faid Modell bee as plaine as may be, without Colours or other beautifying, left the Pleasure of the Eye preoccupate the Judgement; which Advise omitted by the Italian Architects, I finde in Philippe de l'Orme, and therefore (though France be not the Theater of beft Buildings) it did merit fome mention of his Name.

Laftly, The bigger that this Type be, it is ftill the better, not that I will perfwade a Man to fuch an Enormity, as that Modell made by Antonio Labaco, of Saint Peters Church in Rome, containing 22 Foot in Length, 16 in Breadth, and 13 in Heighth, and cofting 4184 Crownes: The Price in Truth of a reasonable Chappell: Yet in the Fabrique of fome 40 or 50 thousand Pounds charge, I wish 30 Pounds at least layd out before Hand in an exact Modell; for a little Mifery in the Premifes, may easily breed fome Abfurdity of greater Charge, in the Conclufion.

Now, after thefe Premonishments, I will come to the Compartition it felfe; by which, the Authors of this Art (as hath beene touched before) doe understand, a gracefull and usefull Distribution, of the whole Ground plot both for Roomes of Office, and of Reception or Entertainement, as farre as the Capacity thereof, and the Nature of the Countrey, will comport. Which Circumstances in the prefent Subject, are all of maine Confideration, and might yeeld more Difcourfe than an Elementall Rapfodie will permit. Therefore (to anatomize briefly this Definition) the Gracefulnese (whereof wee speake) will confift in double Analogie, or Correfpondencie. First, between the Parts and the Whole, whereby a great Fabriqué fhould have great Partitions, great * ardouére di wugòs repapwτopo dixo idag. Hom. Epig. VOL. I.

Oo

Lights,

Lights, great Entrances, great Pillars or Pylafters; in fumme, all the Members great. The next betweene the Parts themselves, not only, confidering their Breadths, and Lengths, as before, when wee fpake of Doores and Windowes; but here likewife enters a third Refpect of Height, a Point, (I must confeffe) kardly reduceable to any generall Precept.

True it is, that the Ancients did determine the Longitude of all Roomes, which were longer than broade, by the double of their Latitude, Vitruvius lib. 6. cap. 5. And the Heighth by the halfe of the Breadth and Length fummed together. But when the Roome was precifely fquare, they made the Height half as much more as the Latitude; which Dimenfions the moderne Archites have taken Leave to varie upon Discretion: Sometimes fquaring the Latitude, and then making the Diagoniall or overthwart Line, from Angle to Angle, of the faid Square, the Measure of the Heighth fometimes more, but feldome lower than the full Breadth it felfe; which Boldneffe of quitting the old Proportions, fome attribute firft to Michael Angelo da Buonaroti, perchance upon the Credite he had before gotten, in two other Arts.

The fecond Point is Ufefulneffe, which will confift in a fufficient Number of Roomes, of all Sorts, and in their apt Coherence, without Diffraction, without Confufion; fo as the Beholder may not onely call it, una Fabrica ben raccolta: as Italians use to speake of well united Workes, but likewise that it may appeare airie and fpiritous, and fit for the Welcome of cheerefull Guefts; about which the principall Difficultie will bee in contriving the Lightes, and Staire-cafes, whereof I will touch a Note or two: For the first, I observe that the ancient Archietes were at much Eafe. For both the Greekes and Romanes (of whose private Dwellings Vitruvius hath left us fome Defcription) had commonly two Cloystered open Courts, one ferving for the Womens Side, and the other for the Men: who yet perchance now a-Dayes would take fo much Separation unkindly. Howfoever, by this Meanes, the Reception of Light, into the Bodie of the Building, was very prompt, both from without and from within: which we muft now fupplie either by fome open Forme of the Fabrique, or among gracefull Refuges, by Tarrafing any Storie, which is in Danger of Darkneffe; or laftly, by perpendicular Lights, from the Roofe of all other the most naturall, as fhalbe fhewed anon. the fecond Difficultie: which is cafting of the Stayre-cafes; that being in it felfe no hard Point, but onely as they are Incombrances of Roome for other Ufe (which Lights were not) I am therefore aptly moved heere to speake of them. And firft of Offices.

For

I have marked a Willingneffe, in the Italian Artifans, to deftribute the Kychin, Pantrie, Bakeboufe, Washing Roomes: and even the Buttrie likewife, under Ground; next above the Foundation; and fometimes Level with the Plaine, or Floore of the Cellar: rayfing the first Afcent into the House fifteene Foote or more for that Ende, which befides the Benefit of removing fuch Annoyes out of Sight, and the gayning of fo much more Roome above, doth alfo by Elevation of the Front, adde Majestie to the whole Afpect. And with fuch a Difpofition of the principall Stayre-cafe, which commonly doth deliver

us,

us, into the Plaine of the fecond Storie, there may bee Wonders done, with a little Roome, whereof I could alleadge brave Examples abroad; and none more Artificiall, and Delicious, than a House built by Daniele Barbaro Fatriarche of Aquileia before mentioned, among the memorable Commenters upon Vitruvius. But the Definition (above determined) doth call us to fome Confideration of our owne Countrey, where though all the other pettie Offices (before rehearsed) may well enough bee fo remote, yet by the naturall Hofpitalitie of England, the Buttrie must be more vifible; and wee neede perchance for our Raunges, a more spacious and luminous Kitchin, than the forefaid Compartition will beare; with a more competent Neereneffe likewife to the Dyning Roome. Or elfe befides other Inconveniences, perhapes fome of the Dishes may ftraggle by the Way; Heere let me note a common Defect, that wee have of a very usefull Roome, called by the Italians Il Tinello; and familiar, nay almost effentiall, in all their great Families. It is a Place properly appointed, to conferve the Meate that is taken from the Table, till the Waiters eate; which with us, by an olde Fashion, is more unfeemely set by, in the meane while.

Now touching the Distribution of Lodging Chambers; I muft here take Leave to reproove a Fashion, which I know not how hath prevailed through Italie, though without ancient Examples, as farre as I can perceive by Vitruvius. The Thing I meane is, that they fo caft their Partitions as when all Doors are open, a Man may fee through the whole Houfe; which doth neceffariely put an intollerable Servitude upon all the Chambers fave the Inmoft, where none can arrive, but through the reft; or else the Walles must be extreame thicke for fecret Paffages: and yet this alfo will not ferve the Turne, without at least three Doores to every Roome: a Thing moft infufferable, in cold and windie Regions, and every where noe fmall weakening to the whole Worke: Therefore with us that want no Cooling, I cannot commend the direct Oppofition of fuch Overtures, being indeede meerely grounded upon the fond Ambition of displaying to a Stranger all our Furniture at one Sight, which therefore is moft maintained by them that meane to harbour but a few; whereby they make onely Advantage of the Vanitie, and feldome prove the Inconvenience. There is likewife another Defect (as Abfurdities are feldome folitarie) which will neceffarily follow, upon fuch a fervile difpofing of inward Chambers. That they must bee forced to make as many common great Roomes, as there fhalbe feverall Stories; which (befides that they are ufually darke, a Point hardly avoided, running as they doe, through the middle of the whole House) doe likewife devoure fo much Place, that thereby they want other Galleries, and Roomes of Retreate, which I have often confidered among them (I must confeffe) with no fmall Wonder; for I obferve no Nation in the World, by Nature, more private and referved than the Italian, and on the other Side, in no Habitations leffe Privacie; fo as there is a Kinde of Conflict betweene their Dwelling and their Being: It might heere perchance bee expected, that I fhould at leaft defcribe (which others have done in Draughts and Defignes) divers Formes of Plants and Partitions, and Varieties of Inventions: But fpeculative Writers (as I am) are