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ARTICLE I.

Lib. 2.
PrÆs. ONE of the Principal Things the Architect ought to consider, is the Convenience of the place where he would Build the Fabrick. This is the reason that Dinocrates was blamed by Alexander, for having propos'd him an Excellent Design for Building a City in a Barren place, and incapable of Nourishing those who were to Inhabit it.

We must then choose a place that is fertile, and hath abundance of every thing; and which hath likewise Rivers and Ports capable of furnishing it with all the Product and Commodities of the adjacent Countries.

The Third thing to be considered is, whether the Air be wholesome; and for this End, we must choose a high situated place, that it may be less Subject to Fogs and Mists; it must be likewise far from all Morasses, because the Corruption that may be caused by the infectious Breath of Venomous Beasts which commonly are ingendred there, makes the place very unwholsom, unless these Morasses be near the Sea, and situated high, that the Water may fall easily from them into the Sea, and that the Sea may likewise sometimes overflow them, and by its Saltness kill all the Venomous Beasts.

It is likewise to be remark'd, That a City situated upon the Sea, must needs have an unwholsom Air, if it be towards the South or the West; for generally the Heat weakens Bodies, and the Cold strengthens them; and so we see by Experience, that those who go out of a Cold Country into an Hot, have great difficulty to keep themselves in Health; whereas on the contrary, the Inhabitants of Hot Countries who go into Colder, have generally good Health.

The Ancients were accustomed to judge of the Quality of the Air, Water and Fruits, which might render a place wholsome by the Constitution of the Bodies of those Beasts which were nourished there, and to this End they consulted their Entrails; for if the Liver was Corrupted, they conjectured that the same thing must happen to Men that should Inhabit in that place.

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ART. II.

AFter having chosen a wholsome place, the Streets must be laid out according to the most Advantageous Aspect of the Heavens, and the Lib. 1.
Chap.6. best way will be to lay the Streets out so, that the Wind may not come directly into them, especially where the Winds are great and cold.

The Prospect of Private Mens Houses is made more or less Commodious, by the Openings which are differently made, to receive the Air and the Light according to the Quality of the Parts that are in the Fabrick.

For the Cellars, Granaries, and generally all places that we wou'd Lib. 6.
Chap.9. Lock up, or keep any thing in, should be exposed to the North, and receive very few Rays of the Sun.

The different Use of the Parts which Compose the Buildings, do likewise require different Situations; for the Dining-Rooms in Winter, and the Baths among the Ancients, were always turned to the West, for that Situation made them warmer, because the Sun then shone upon them, about Lib. 6.
Chap.7. the time they were wont to make use of those Apartments.

The Libraries ought to be turned to the rising Sun, because they are generally made use of in the Morning; besides, the Books are not so much damnified in Libraries so situated, as in those which are turned to the South and West, which are subject to Worms and a certain Humidity which engenders Moldiness, and consequently destroys the Books.

The Dining-Rooms for the Spring and Autumn, should be turned towards the East, to the end, that being covered from the great force the Sun hath when it is near Setting, they may be cooler about the time they are to be made use of.

The Summer Apartments must be turned to the North, that they may be fresher and cooler.

This Situation is likewise very proper for Closets, which are adorn'd with Pictures for the Light which is always equal, represents the Colours always alike.

There must likewise great respect be had to the difference of Climates, for the Excess of Heat and Cold, require different Situations and Structures; for the Houses in the Northern parts of the World, ought to be Vaulted, and have few Openings, and turn'd to the South; On the contrary in Hot Countries there must be great Openings and turn to the North; to the End that Art and Industry may remedy the Defects of the place.

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ART. III.

THE Disposition or Distribution of Fabricks contributes much to their Convenience, when each thing is so plac'd, that it is in a Proper place for the Use for which the Fabrick is Design'd; and for this reason the Town-House and the Market-Place Lib. 6.
Chap.6. ought to be in the Middle of the City, unless it happen that there be a Port or a River; for the Market ought not to be far distant from those places where the Merchandize is.

The Houses of Private Men, ought to be differently disposed, according to the divers Conditions of those that Dwell in them: For in the Houses of Great Men, the Apartments of the Lord, must not be at the Entry, where ought to be nothing but Portico’s, Courts, Peristyles, Halls, and Gardens to receive the great Number of those who have Business with them, and make their Court to them.

The Houses of Merchants ought to have at the Entry their Shops and Magazines, and all other places where Strangers are to come about their Business.

Lib. 6.
Chap.9. The Country Houses ought to have a different Order and Disposition from those of the City.

For the Kitchen ought to be near the Ox-house, so that from their Cratches they may see the Chimney and the rising Sun; for this makes the Oxen more Beautiful, and makes their Hair lie better.

The Baths ought likewise to be near the Kitchen, that the Water may be more conveniently heated.

The Press ought not to be far from the Kitchen, for that will much facilitate the Service that is necessary for the Preparation of Olives. If the Press be made of Wooden Beams, it ought to have at least for 16 Foot Breadth, 40 Foot of Length, if there be but one; or 24, if there be 2.

Not far from the Press, must the Cellar be plac'd, whose Windows must be turned to the North, because the heat spoils the Wine.

On the contrary, the Place where the Oil is kept, ought to be turned to the South; to the End, the gentle heat of the Sun may keep the Oil from freezing.

The Houses for Sheep and Goats ought to be so large, that each of them may at least have 4 Foot for his place.

The Stables must likewise be Built near the House in a warm place, but not turned towards the Chimney; for Horses that often see the Fire, are generally ill Coated.

The Barns and Granaries, as likewise the Mills, ought to be at a pretty distance from the House, because of the Danger of Fire.In all sorts of Fabricks, a particular Care must be taken that they be well lighted; but the Light is principally necessary in the Stair-Cases, Passages, and Dining-Rooms.

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ART. IV.

WHEN we are assur'd of the Convenience of the place where the City is to be Built, by the Knowledge we have of the goodness of the Air, of its Fertility, Rivers and Ports, care must be taken to make Fortifications, which do not only consist in the Solidity of the Walls and Ramparts, but principally in their Form.

The Figure or Form of a place ought neither to be Square, nor Composed of Angles too far advanc'd, but it must have a great number of Corners, to the end the Enemy may be seen from all Parts; for the Angles that are so far advanc'd, are ill to be defended, and more favourable to the Besiegers than the Besieged. The Approach to the Walls must be made as difficult as possible.

The most Convenient Form of Publick Places, is to have in their Breadth 2 Thirds of their Length; The Greeks made about their Publick places Double Portico’s, with Pillars near together, which Supported the Galleries above.

But the Romans finding this great number of Pillars to be inconvenient, placed them at a greater distance one from another, that they might have Shops well lighted.

The Stair-Cases of all Publick Buildings, ought to be large and streight, and to have many Entrances, to the End the People may come in and out conveniently; but we shall Lib. 5.
Chap.3. speak of this more largely in another place.

The Halls where great Assemblies are to meet, ought to have their Ceiling very high, and to give them Lib. 5.
Chap.2.
Lib. 6.
Chap.6. their true Proportion, we must unite the Length and Breadth, and give the half of the whole for the height of the Ceiling. The Halls where the Ceiling is not so high, must have only their breadth, and half of their length for their height.

In vast and high places, to remedy the Inconvenience of the noisy Echo, about the middle of the height of the Wall, must be made a Cornish round about to break the course of the Voice; which without that, beating Lib. 5.
Chap.2. against the Walls, would beat a Second time against the Ceiling, and cause a troublesom double Echo.