22

ARCHITECTURE.

your productions in foreign parts : these are circumstanceswhich certainly should not be too lightly valued, and thesecircumstances result from architecture. At this day theruins of ancient Rome support the splendour of the moderncity, by inviting travellers, who flock from all nations towitness those majestic remains of former grandeur. Thesame may be said of many other countries famous for archi-tectural remains. Thus architecture, by supplying men withcommodious habitations, procures that health of body andenergy of mind, which facilitates the invention of arts :when, by the exertion of their skill and industry, produc-tions multiply beyond domestic demand, she furnishes themeans of transporting them to foreign markets: whenever,by commerce, they acquire wealth, she points the way toemploy their riches rationally, nobly, and benevolently, inmethods honourable and useful to themselves, and beneficialto posterity, which add splendour to the state, and yieldbenefit to their descendants. She further teaches them todefend their possessions, to secure their liberties and livesfrom attempts of lawless violence or unrestrained ambition.So variously conducive to human happiness is this art, to thewealth and safety of nations,—so naturally does it demandthat protection and encouragement which has ever beenyielded it in all well-governed states.

The perfection of various other arts we have beheld tobe a consequence of this ; for when building is encouraged,painting, sculpture, and every species of decorative art,w'ill flourish of course. It should not however be imaginedthat the heaping stone upon stone can be of consequence,or reflect honour on individuals or nations : the practice ofarchitecture infers exquisite art to be an essential pre-liminary; without this, and having some laudable end inview, it is apt to raise disgust. Architecture is usuallydivided into civil, military, and naval, architecture.

In the first attempts of architecture it was extremelyrude, if we believe those ancient historians, Diodorus ,Herodotus, and Tacitus : we have not room to give evena sketch of their descriptions, but must refer to theirseveral works. It has, however, from time to time, as im-provements have advanced, been raised to relative importanceas the intellection of the people have improved. And itcertainly gives the best record of the mental progress ofevery people which can be collected. It has ever beenfound to flourish best in free states, and when the governorshave possessed genius, virtue, and good taste. The mosteminent sera of Grecian architecture was when the Athenian