Page:History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 1.djvu/334

 302 KOMAN ARCHITECTUEE. Pakt r. uuuuuu u c s X [ J 182. Composite Order. distinguishing name of the Composite order, though virtually more like the typical examples of the Corinthian order than many of those classed under the latter denomination. The greatest defect of the Corinthian capital is the weakness of the small volutes supporting the angles of the abacus. A true artist would have remedied this by adding to their strength and carrying up the fulness of the capital to the top. The Romans removed the whole of the upper part, and substituted an Ionic capital instead. Their only original idea, if it may be so called, in art was that of putting two dissimilar things together to make one Avliich should combine the beauties of both, though as a rule the one generally serves to destroy the other. In the Composite capital they never could hide the junction ; and consequently, though rich, and in some respects an improvement on the order out of which it grew, this capital never came into general use, and has seldom found favor except amongst the blindest admirers of all that the Romans did. In the latter davs of the Empire, the Romans attempted another inno- vation which promised far better success, and with very little more elab- oration would have been a great gain to the prin- ciples of architectural design. This was the introduction of the Per- sian or Assyrian base, modified to suit the de- tails of the Corinthian or Composite orders. If they 183. Corinthian Base, fouiul in Church ol St. Praxeile in had always USed this 111- ^^'*"'*^' Stead of the square pedes- tals on which they mounted their columns, and had attenuated the jiillars slightly when used with arcades, they would have avoided many of the errors they fell into. This application, however, came too late to be generally used ; and the forms already introduced con-