Part 11 five Kinds of Columns.

Fog. supposing that the Eye were not capable* by its Judgement,to inform us, very exactly of the Bigness of things at a distance,and that a Coachman is not so well assnr’d of the Room he thinkshis Coach cannot pass in, as if he measur’d it, it must also be con-sider’d that it is not this Exactness alone that is required to makethe Eye capable of not being deceiv’d by the Distance, when theBusiness lies in the Knowledge of Proportions: nor is it necessary,'in this Cafe, to know absolutely the bigness of a Thing 5 but toknow how to compare it, with those that are adjoining to it. For asa Coachman judges the Space through which he would pass, to belittle, chiefly, because he compares it with the Size of the two Coach-*es between which he must pass: so the Eye judges of the Bigness ofan Entablature, and knows very well when it is too large, thoughit cannot precisely tell os what Dimension it is 3 it being sufficientthat it compares the Bigness of it with that of the other Parts of theBuilding. Now Distance does not hinder the making this Compa-rison 5 because, though it does lessen the Appearance of the Bignessof this Entablature, it does the same, also, by the other Parts ofthe Building that are near, and accompany it, and can, by noMeans, prevent the Eye from discerning the Addition, which theArchitect, or Sculptor, has given to the Bigness of any Parr.

But although it were not certain, that the Judgement of theSight is capable of hindering the Distance of Objects, and their Si-tuation, from deceiving us, yet’t is certainly true, that the Changeof Proportions is no good Remedy for this suppos’d Defect; be-cause it cannot have a good Effect, but from one certain statedDistance, and only supposing the Eye not to change its Place: andthat as in those optical Figures, whose Proportions are so adjusted,that being view’d at one certain Point, they produce a good Effect,and are utterly deform’d when the Eye is moved to another Place*so those Proportions that are chang’d in a Building, to produce agood Effect to the Eye, viewing them from one certain Place, wouldalso appear very desorm’d and disagreeable, when we change ourSituation : because the Aspect, which is oblique, when we are near,ceases to be so in proportion to the Distance we remove: And thusthe Face of a Corona, or Drip, which is made larger, or leaningforwards, that the Obliquity of the Aspect might not make it ap-pear too small, would certainly seem too big, when, by changingthe Aspect, this Obliquity ceases.

I n fine, to conclude in one Word, I believe that upon due Con*sideration, we stiall find no Reason at all to alter and spoil the Pro-portions, and make a Thing defective, out of design to mend it 5all those Appearances that Distance, and the Situation produce,which are taken for ill Effects and Defaults, being the true Condi-

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