44

S T O N E- HÆ N G,

jlut. tobaccosol. 17 .

in regard of the graceful Proportion thereof, made use of the At-tune Base, for the Symmetry of Those, to his lonick Columns. And5. from Sir H. Wotton you are assured, that the Romans made theirIntermissions in Buddings not only by Rillars, but Ry tasters also:And his Testimony, however,, is so much the more worth, as that heis this Doctor's sole Author, citing nothing from Vitruvius , or anyother, than what he reaps ,dis-ingenioufly, and applieth unfaithfully,from Him. So that all these Writers unanimousty concurring, thatRy tasters were generally used by the Romans in their magnificentand stately Structures, there is not only a manifest Conformity inStone-Heng “ to the Figure required indifferently in all the five Or-" ders,” but likewise such an Analogy with the Customs of the Ro-mans to be found in it, as will. in this Particular conclude our Anti-quity was built by them, and that they were the, Founders thereof.

" Secondly, faith he, their Contraption, or lessening upward, is" not uniform, but rudely various, in some greater, in others less," in none insensible, in all irregular: So as therein likewise they" want the due Proportion of Diminution common to all genuinely" figured Columns.” He told you, as you may remember, that theoutward Course of Stones in our Antiquity is Circular , thoughsome of it leans inwards, others outwards, others on this fide, otherson that, and others again stand upright; yet forsooth, now, becauseall of them appear not .so smooth, and neat, as when first they wentoff the Tool, they must be: rudely various, and irregularly diminish-ed. And what,, had they^naCbeen contracted at all, would he haveconcluded thereupon, that Stone-Heng was no Roman Wotk ? I•shouldihave given him a brisk Answer, believe me. Again, the Di-minishing in some he would have to be greater, in some less, with-out in ! the least considering, what Time in so many Centuries ofrYears may effect 3 or Necessity at the Building of it constrain. But-come, let US fee, admit that at first it was in some greater than others,do not those some diminish Id And do not we find, that the Ro-wans, upon 1 occasion, in iohe same .Temple sometimes diminishedthe ‘Pillars, sometimes th zPBylafiers not; in regard of the Thrust atthe Angels? And might not. These then in our Antiquity be dimi-nished, , more or less, in regard of some pressing Necessity, someVent er Flaw inv-an Architrave^ or the like ? Stones, I will tell you,for such Use, which in all Columnations is the principal Bearing,and of such mighty Scantlings, are not easily; to be come by; a Crackin an-upright Stone may be of no imminent Danger, when a Vent inan Architrave may ruin the whole Pile, arid bririg down all on a sud-den 1 Had he known what Search was made in the Royal Quarriesof Rortland, for to find out an Architrave’ for the middle Interco-iumn of thclPortico at the Cathedral of St. Raul, which is in Lengthnot fully twelve .Foot, whereas, ckofe of the outward Circle of Stone -Ueng, if you ^ill. take his own Computation, (for it is not Mr.J ones his, as 1 is r alledged), are precisely sixteen, he.would never havemade this Objection/-Amiiiq:w.ish it may-riot be found, that bythe thrusting up of those sacrilegious. Buildings, to obscure purpose-ly that Kingly , Architrave is prejudic'dV.which if it be,

fuchAvfound and: solid Stoste for that Use will scarcely, withoutmussi ,SUeat i and I Treasure Vtocur'd again, in all the Quarries5 of