The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
A. B. Clayton del. from Sketches by J. Woods.
Arch at Orange.
London. Published by J & A Arch. May 1st. 1828.
LETTERS
OF AN
ARCHITECT,
FROM
FRANCE, ITALY, AND GREECE.
PREFACE.
Many books of travels in the south of Europe have been published;some of them written by men of talents and information,who were attached to the fine arts, and to architecture as one ofthem; and many professional works treating on the architectureof Italy and Greece, of greater or less excellence, have been givento the world; but I do not know that there is any one in whichthe author, after examining the most celebrated edifices of ancientand modern times, endeavours to explain to what circumstancesthey owe their power of pleasing; and what are to be consideredas defects, tending to diminish that power. The subject has beenslightly and incidentally touched upon by more than one traveller,but not treated with that care and detail which it deserves.To the architect, it is of the greatest importance: it isno less than the knowledge of what he is to shun, and what toimitate; by what different modes of building he can produce thesame effects, or how, by methods nearly similar, he can producedifferent effects. In short, in what manner, with means always insome degree limited, either by the nature of the material to beemployed, the customs of the country, the expense, or the taste orno taste of the employer, he can produce BEAUTY. The plansand details of a great many edifices have been measured withivcare, and published with considerable accuracy; and knowing theoriginal building to be beautiful, we copy, and re-copy its parts,without considering whether all the particulars conduce to thesame harmonious effect, or whether those forms which pleaseunder certain circumstances, may not displease in others: nor arewe entirely free from the danger of neglecting that characterand propriety of ornament, on which the beauty of the wholemust in some measure depend. In all the fine arts, but particularlyin architecture, the eye is frequently pleased without ourbeing able to explain why; and this why has sometimes escapedin the drawings and measures which have been published of theedifices. This connexion of cause and effect is then the greatend and object of the architect; the completion and consummationof his studies; and this it is the object of the author of thepresent work to explain, as far as his abilities and opportunitieswill admit. The sentiment of wanting such guidance on his ownpart, first incited him to make the attempt, and the freq