Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/137

 1868.] The Character of an Architect. 109 Many other matters of history have a connection with architecture, and prove the necessity of its professors being well versed in it. Moral philosophy will teach the archi- tect to be above meanness in his deal- ings, and to avoid arrogance. It will make him just, compliant and faithful to his employer ; and, what is of the highest importance, it will prevent avarice gaining an ascendancy over him. For he should not be occupied with the thought of filling his coffers, nor with the desire of grasping every thing in the shape of gain ; but, by the gravity of his manners, and a good character, should be careful to preserve his dignity. In these respects, we see the importance of moral philosophy, for such are her precepts. That branch of philosophy, which the Greeks called <pvaiooyt a [plrysiologia] or the doctrine of physics, is necessary to him in the solution of various problems; as, for instance, in the conduct [conduc- tion, or conveyance] of water, whose natural force, in its meandering and ex- pansion over flat countries, is often such as to require restraints, which none know how to apply but those who are acquainted with the laws of nature ; nor, indeed, unless grounded in the first principles of physics, can he study, with profit, the works of Ctesibius, Archimedes, and many other authors, who have written on the subject. Music assists him in the use of har- monic and mathematical proportions. It is, moreover, absolutely necessary in adjusting the force of the balistae, catapultse and scorpions, in whose fi*ames are holes for the passage of the homotona, which are strained by gut- ropes, attached to windlasses worked by hand- spikes. Unless these ropes are equally extended, which only a nice ear can discover, by their sound, when struck, the bent arms of the engine do not give an equal impetus, when disen- gaged ; and the strings, therefore, not being in equal states of tension, prevent the direct flight of the weapon [missile]. So the vessels called facia [hecheia] by the Greeks, which placed in certain re- cesses, under the seats of the theatres, are fixed and arranged with a due re- gard to the laws of harmony and physics, their tones being fourths, fifths and octaves ; so that, when the voice of the actor is in unison with the pitch of these instruments, its power is in- creased and mellowed by impinging thereon. He would, moreover, be at a loss in constructing hydraulic and other engines, if ignorant of music. Skill in physic enables him to ascer- tain the salubrity of different tracts of country, and to determine the variation of climates, which the Greeks call <rXf/mra (klimata) ; for the air and the water of different situations, being matters of the highest importance, no building will be healthy without attention to these points. Law should be an object of his study, especially those parts of it which relate to party-walls, to the free course and discharge of the eaves' waters, the reg- ulations of cess-pools and sewerage, and those relating to window lights. The laws of sewerage require his par- ticular attention, that he may prevent his employers being involved in law- suits, when the building is finished. Contracts, also, for the execution of the works, should be drawn with care and precision, because, when without legal flaws, neither party will be able to take advantage of the other. Astronomy instructs him in the points of the heavens, the laws of the celestial bodies, the equinoxes, solstices, and courses of the stars ; all of which should be well understood, in the construction and proportions of clocks. Since, therefore, this art is founded upon and adorned with so many different sciences, I am of opinion, that those who have not, from their early youth, grad- ually climbed up to the summit, cannot, without presumption, call themselves masters of it.