ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE. 41

capital, and may be divided in the large,into the architrave, the frize, and thecornice.

“ By examining the antiques, it willbe found, that, in all their profiles, thecyma and the cavetto are constantly usedas finishings, and never applied wherestrength is required ; that the ovolo andtalon are always employed as supportersto the essential members of the compo-sition, such as the modillions, denteles,and corona; that the chief use of the torusand astragal, is to fortify the tops andbottoms of columns, and sometimes pe-destals, where they are frequently cut inthe form of ropes ; and that the scotia isemployed only to separate the members ofbases, for which purpose the fillet is alsoused, not only in bases, but in all kinds ofprofiles.”

“ An assemblage of essential parts andmouldings, is termed a profile; on thechoice, disposition, and proportion ofthese, depends the beauty or deformityof the profile. The most perfect are, suchas are composed of few mouldings, variedboth in form and size, fitly applied with