Archimedes Texts

206
the same Manner I would have the Architect
diligently consider all the Buildings that have
any tolerable Reputation; and not only so, but
take them down in Lines and Numbers, nay,
make Designs and Models of them, and by
means of those, consider and examine the Or
der, Situation, Sort and Number of every Part
which others have employed, especially such as
have done any thing very great and excellent,
whom we may reasonably suppose to have
been Men of very great Note, when they were
intrusted with the Direction of so great an Ex
pence. Not that I would have him admire a
Structure merely for being huge, and imagine
that to be a sufficient Beauty; but let him
principally enquire in every Building what
there is particularly artful and excellent for
Contrivance or Invention, and gain a Habit of
being pleased with nothing but what is really
elegant and praise-worthy for the Design: And
where-ever he finds any thing noble, let him
make use of it, or imitate it in his own Per
formances; and when he sees any thing well
done, that is capable of being still further im
proved and made delicate, let him study to
bring it to Perfection in his own Works; and
when he meets with any Design that is only
not absolutely bad, let him try in his own
Things to work it if possible into something
excellent. Thus by a continued and nice Ex
amination of the best Productions, still con
sidering what Improvements might be made in
every thing that he sees, he may so exercise
and sharpen his own Invention, as to collect
into his own Works not only all the Beauties
which are dispersed up and down in those of
other Men, but even those which lie in a Man
ner concealed in the most hidden Recesses of
Nature, to his own immortal Reputation. Not
satisfied with this, he should also have an Am
bition to produce something admirable, which
may be entirely of his own Invention; like him,
for Instance, who built a Temple without using
one iron Tool in it; or him that brought the
Colossus to Rome, suspended all the Way up
right, in which Work we may just mention
that he employed no less than four-and-twenty
Elephants; or like an Artist that in only seem
ingly working a common Quarry of Stone,
should cut it out into a Labyrinth, a Temple,
or some other useful Structure, to the Surprise
of all Mankind. We are told that Nero used
to employ miraculous Architects, who never
thought of any Invention, but what it was al
most impossible for the Skill of Man to reduce
to practice. Such Geniusses I can by no mean
approve of; for, indeed, I would have the
Architect always appear to have consulted Ne
cessity and Convenience in the first Place, even
tho' at the very same Time his principal Care
has been Ornament. If he can make a hand
some Mixture of the noble Orders of the An
cients, with any of the new Inventions of the
Moderns, he may deserve Commendation. In
this Manner he should be continually improv
ing his Genius by Use and Exercise in such
Things as may conduce to make him Excel
lent in this Science; and indeed, he should
think it becomes him to have not only that
Knowledge, without which he would not real
ly be what he professed himself; but he should
also adorn his Mind with such a Tincture of
all the liberal Arts, as may be of Service to
make him more ready and ingenious at his own,
and that he may never be at a Loss for any
Helps in it which Learning can furnish him
with. In short, he ought still to be persever
ing in his Study and Application, till he finds
himself equal to those great Men, whose Praises
are capable of no further Addition: Nor let
him ever be satisfied with himself, if there
is that Thing any where that can possibly be
of Use to him, and that can be obtained either
by Diligence or Thought, which he is not
thoroughly Master of, till he is arrived at the
Summit of Perfection in the Art which he
professes. The Arts which are useful, and in
deed absolutely necessary to the Architect, are
Painting and Mathematicks. I do not require
him to be deeply learned in the rest; for I
think it ridiculous, like a certain Author, to
expect that an Architect should be a profound
Lawyer, in order to know the Right of con
veying Water or placing Limits between Neigh
bours, and to avoid falling into Controversies
and Lawsuits as in Building is often the Case:
Nor need he be a perfect Astronomer, to know
that Libraries ought to be situated to the
North, and Stoves to the South; nor a very
great Musician, to place the Vases of Copper
or Brass in a Theatre for assisting the Voice:
Neither do I require that he should be an Ora
tor, in order to be able to display to any Per
son that would employ him, the Services which
he is capable of doing him; for Knowledge,
Experience and perfect Mastery in what he is
to speak of, will never fail to help him to
Words to explain his Sense sufficiently, which
indeed is the first and main End of Eloquence.
Not that I would have him Tongue-tied, or so