18

OF DOMES.

The Pantheon at Rome b (Fig. 4.) is a hemis-pherical Vault . The dome of Saint 1 Peter’s, andthe sub dome of Saint Paul’s 0 , are called ellipsoidal,the short axis horizontal.

The domes remarkable from their size erectedbefore the time of Constantine, are those of the Pan-theon b , of Minerva c Medica, of the baths of Cara-calla d and Diocletian e at Rome , and of the templesof Mercury f , Diana ga , Apollo h , or Proserpine andVenus in the neighbourhood of Pozzuoli .

The architect will doubt whether Michael Angelo has made good his boast, that he would confirm thetriumph of modern over ancient architecture. Thedome of Saint k Sophia had existed a thousand years,that of Santa Maria delle Fiore m had been just erected,and the builders of the middle ages yet remained toteach the theory of vaulting, and their structures toconfirm their precepts. With such assistance we mayquestion the peculiar praise. Was the weight of thelantern at Saint Peter’s # miscalculated, or had not theprinciple of sustaining a weight in the centre of avault transpired from the mysteries of the FreeMasons ?

It has been said that the extravagant productionsof early times, in a more refined age, are collected bygreat men, and lead to compositions, in our astonish-ment at which we forget for a while the sources

* See Memorie i.‘-toridie della gran Cupola del Tempio Vaticanoby Giovanni Poleni .