The second sort of Beauty, which only pleases by the Circumstances that accompany it, is of two sorts; The one is called Wisdom, and the other Regularity. Wisdom consists in the reasonable use of Positive Beauties, which result from the use and convenient ranking of the Parts; for the Perfection of which, to a rich and precious Material, is given an Equal and Uniform Figure, with all the Property and Correctness possible.
Vitruvius gives us two Examples of this sort of Beauty; The first is, When Bosses or Relievo’s are made to hide the Joynts, putting them directly under the Bosses which hide them by their jetting or projecture, for this gives them great Beauty and an agreeable Aspect.
The second is, When we consider the Winter-Appartments, that we have a care, that upon the Ceiling there be little or no Carving, and that the Ornaments be not made of Stuck, because it hath a shining whiteness, which will not endure the least nastiness; for it is impossible to hinder the smoak of the Fire and Candles which are lighted in the Winter, from tarnishing the beautiful Colour of the Work to which the Filth will stick, and enter into the Crevises of the Carving, which cannot be wiped out.
The Regularity depends upon the Observation of the Laws which are Established for the Proportions of all the Parts of Architecture, the Observation of these Laws extreamly pleases those that understand Architecture, who love these Proportions for two Reasons.
The First is, That they are for the most part founded upon Reason; which requires, for example, that the parts that support and are under, be stronger than those above; as we see in Pedestalls, which are broader than the Pillars they support, and they are broader at the bottom than the top.
The other Motive is Prevention, which is one of the most usual Foundations of the Beauty of all things, for even as we love the Fashion of the Cloaths which the Courtiers wear, although this mode have no Positive Beauty, but only for the Positive Merit of the Persons that wear them; so we are accustomed to love the Proportions of the Members of Architecture, rather because of the great Opinion that we have of them that Invented them, than for any Positive Beauty which is found in the Works of the Ancients, where these Proportions are observ'd; for often these Proportions are against Reason; as we may see in the Thorus of the Ionick Base, in the Faces of Architraves and Chambranles, or Door-Cases, with their Mouldings, where the Strong is supported by the Weak, and many other things, which Custom only hath made supportable.
These Proportions appertain to Three principal Members, which are Pillars, Piedements, Chambranles; the Pillars taken Generically, and as opposite to Piedements, and Chambranles or Door-Cases, have Three parts, viz. The Pedestal, the Pillar, and the Ornaments. Every one of these Parts is likewise divided into Three other Parts, for the Pedestal is composed of the Basis, its Die and its Cornish; the Pillar Comprehends its Base, Shaft and Capital. The Ornaments consist in the Architrave, Frise, and Corniche.
The Piedement or Fronton, has likewise Three Parts, viz. The Tympan, the Corniches, and the Acroteres. The Chambranle or Door-Case is composed of two Pieds-droits, or Piers, and the Lintel which also supports a Frise, which has likewise its Cornich.
The Disposition, Form, and different Proportions of all the Parts make two things, to which all that is Beautiful in Building hath a Relation, which is Gender and Order.
Gender depends of the Proportion, which is between the thickness of the Pillars and the space betwixt them.