Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, first edition - Volume I, A-B.pdf/401

 347 A R C H I T E C T U R E. otherwife ihould it happen, that of the endlefs vadows ought always to be proportioned to that of the Plow room they are deftined to illuminate; for if the aper riety of private dwelling-houi'es, there ihould not be one' that is generally agreed upon as a good pattern ? tures be not large enough to convey light to every cor- found ner, the room mull be unequally lighted, which is a The unwearied propenfity to make a houfe regular as ^reat deformity. Steps of Hairs Ihould likewile be ac- well as convenient, obliges the architect, in feme articommodated to the human figure, without regarding any cles, to facrifice convenience to regularity, and, in oother proportion; they are accordingly the fame in large thers, regularity to convenience; and accordingly the and in fmall buildings, becaufe both are inhabited by houfe, which turns out neither regular nor convenient, never fails to difpleafe. men of the fame lize. We fhall next confider inlrinjtc beauty, blended with Nothing can be more evident, than that the form of that which is relative. A cube in itfelf is more agree- a dwelling-houfe ought to be fuited to the climate; yet able than a parallelopipedon ; this conllantly holds in no error is more common than to copy in Britain the fmall figures : But a large building in the form of a cube form of Italian houfes, not forgetting even thofe parts is lumpilh and heavy; while a parallelopipedon, fet on that are purpofely contrived for collecting air, and for its fmaller bafe, is more agreeable on account of its ele- excluding the fun: Witnefs our colonnades and logics, vation : Hence the beauty of Gothic towers. But if defigned by the Italians to gather cool air, and exclude this figure were to be ufed in a dwelling-houfe, to make the beams of the fun, conveniencies which the climate way for relative beauty, we would immediately perceive of this country does not require. that utility ought chiefly to be regarded; and this figure, We ftiali next view architecture as one of the fine arts ; inconvenient by its height, ought to be fet on its larger which will lead us to the examination of fuch buildings, bafe: The loftinefs in this caie would be loft; but that and parts of buildings, as are calculated folely to pleafe lofs will be more than fufficiently compenfated by the the eye. Variety prevails in the works of nature ; but. additional convenience. Hence the form of buildings art requires to be guided by rule and compafs. Hence it fpread more upon the ground than ra>fed in height, is is, that in fuch works of art as imitate nature, the great always preferred for a dwelling-houfe. art is, to hide every appearance of art; which is done With regard to the internal divifions, utility requires by avoiding regularity, and indulging variety. But in. that the rooms be re&angular, to avoid ufelefs fpaces. works of art that are original and not imitative, fuch as An hexagonal figure leaves no void fpaces ; but it deter- architecture, ftriCt regularity and uniformity ought to be mines the rooms to be all of one fize, which is both in- ftudied, fo far as confident with utility. convenient and difigreeable for want of variety. Tho’ Proportion is not lefs agreeable than regularity and unia cube be the moll agreeable figure, and may anfwer for formity; and therefore, in buildings intended to pleafe. a room of a moderate fize; yet, in a very large room, the eye, they are all equally effential. It is taken for utility requires a different figure. Unconfined motion is granted by many writers, that in all the parts of a buildthe chief convenience of a great room; to obtain this, ing there are certain ftriCt proportions which pleafe the the greateft length that.can be had is neceflary. But a eye, in the fame manner as in found there are certain fquare room of a large fize is inconvenient. It removes ftriCl proportions which pleafe the ear; and that, in both, chairs, tables, <bc. at too great a diftance from the hand,, the flighted deviation is equally difagreeable. Others; which, when unemployed, muft be ranged along the fides feem to relilh more a comparifon between proportion in of the room, Utility therefore requires a large room to numbers, and proportion in quantity; and maintain, that be a parallellogram. This figure is likewife beft calcu- the fame proportions in both. The prolated for the admifiion of light; becaufe, to avoid crofs- portions, forexample,areofagreeable numbers 16, 24, and 36, Jights, all the windows ought to be in one wall; and if are agreeable ; and fo, faythethey,. proportions of the oppofite wall be at fuch a diftance as not to be fully a room, whofe height is 16 feet,.arethethebreadth and lighted, the room muft be obfcure. The height of a the length 36. .But it ought to be confidered, that24,there room exceeding nine or ten feet,, has little relation to is no refemblahce or relation between the objeCls of dif- • utility ; therefore proportion is the only rule for deterfenfes. What pleafes the ear in harmony, is not mining the height, when above that number of feet. ferent proportion of the firings of the inftrument, but of Arnfts who deal in the Beautiful, love to entertain the the the found which thefe firings produce. In architecture, eye ; palaces and fumptuous buildings, in which intrinfic contrary,; it is the proportion of different quantr beauty may be fully difplayed, give them an opportunity ontiesthe that pleafes the leaf! relation to. of exerting their tafte. But fuch a propenfity is pecu- found. The famethethingeye,maywithout of numbers; Quanliarly unhappy with regard to private dwelling-houfes; tity is a real quality of everybe faid body; number is not a •becaufe in thefe, relative beauty cannot be difplayed to real quality, but merely an idea that arifes upon viewperfeftion, without hurting, intrinfic beauty. There is ing a plurality of things in fucceflion. An arithmetical no opportunity for great variety of form in a,fmall houfe ; proportion is agreeable in numbers; but have we from and in edifices of this kind, internal convenience has not this any reafon to conclude, that it muft alfo be agreehitherto been happily adjufted to external regularity. able in quantity ? At this rate, a geometrical ■propor-. Perhaps an accurate coincidence in -this refped is beyond tion, and many others,, ought alfo to. be agreeable in the reach of art. Architects, however, conftantly fplit both. A certain proportion may coincide in quantity, upon this rock; for they never can be perluadcd to give and number; and amongft an endlefs--variety of ,proporover attempting to reconcile thefe two incompatibles: tions, it would be wonderful if there never fhould be tu coincidence.-.