CHAP. IV.
Of the Beauty of Buildings.
ARTICLE I.
In what the Beauty of Building Consists.
Uildings may have two sorts of Beauty, the one Positive, and the other Arbitrary. Positive Beauty, is that which necessarily pleaseth of her self; Arbitrary, is that which doth not necessarily please of her self, but her agreeableness depends upon the Circumstances that accompany her.
Positive Beauty, consists in Three principal Things; viz. In the Equality of the Relation that the Parts have one to another, which is called Symmetry, in the Richness of the Materials, in the Properness, Neatness, and Exactness of the Performance.
As to what regards the Relation of the Parts of the Fabrick one to another, Vitruvius hath not spoke of it, but only where he prefers the Netway Lib. 2.
Chap. 8.
Lib. 1.
Chap. 2.
Lib. 6.
Chap. 11. of Walling before all other sorts of Masonry, because of the Uniformity that is in that Figure, and the laying of the Stones; As to the Richness of the Materials, he leaves the Disposition to him that is at the Expences of the Building; and he acknowledges that the Beauty of the Performance depends wholly upon the Dexterousness and Industry of the Workmen.