PALLADIO, ANDREA, in biography, a celebrated Italian architect, born at Vicenza in 1518. He obtained instructions from the poet Trissino, who discovering in him a genius for sculpture and the arts connected with it, taught him the elements of the mathematics, and explained to him the works of Vitruvius. Ile soon obtained distinction as an architect, and having an opportunity of accompanying his patron to Rome, he employed all his faculties in examining -- the rental is tat' inn-lent edifice, in that capital, and formed his taste upon then hi his return, nian\ works of impor tance were u.iininitted to which he managed wi hgreat obtained for himself a lag!) repumtion. Ile was Inn\ sent for to Venire, w here he built the in of Imre ;antiquity, Several other Italian eities were afterwards decorated with mag,niticent edifices, public and private. of his construction, and he was invited to the court of 1-fanannel Phdiliert, Dulitt of Savoy, who received him with honours, l'alladio is chiefly tat rilmted the classic taste which reigns itt s.t neatly of the buildings of Ital.. master-piece is reckoned the 1 /I\ mide theatre :It Vivi•it/l, in imitation of that of lalreclttis at IZonte. Ile died in tit it city in I 5 • having greatly improved the art. not only by his c lilies s but by his writings, which are standard performances. or these the 6tito•ing account is given: Trefitise uu .10-hi/retiree, in four hooks, was first published at Venice in 15;0. tidio, and has several times been reprinted. A magnificent edition, iu three vellum's. folio. was published at London in 17 15, in Italian. French, and EtTlish. Another, eiptally spacuilid, has since been published at Venice, in roar volumes, folio, the addition of his Medi ted Lord Burlington published in London, in 1 730, a volume entitled, Idiseyni delle 7'teme .10;rhe tli --ladred Pith, 11(). Ile composed a small work, 1iititl b L.• firhflc( alt le,mift,i),,t printed till alter his death. Ile illus t rated I 'a-sar's l'immecoaric•, by to hhmlehhI s trans lation of that \clink, a prelitaie U11 flit military system of the Hannans, with coppe•-p.:11es, designed, for tit,. nil 1st part, by Iris two sous, 1,eotiiiht. (1razio, who both died soon after. Palladio was modest in regard to his own merit, brit he e as a blend to all men of talents.; his memory is Ithdd\ hotmured
by the \it:at•les or the Ii.ie arts; and the simplicity and purity of his task hive given him the appellation of the Ilaplate of architects.
P.\ 1,I,.\ 1)1FM (from the (;reel: the yo //e.vs of mite) in antiquity, a statue of the god less l'allas, ur Nliner•a, three cubits high, a pike in the right hand, and a distaff and spinal e in the left, preserved in Troy, in the temple of min., va, 011 which time fate of that city is said to tradition is, that in a citadel, in honour of l'alts, told a temple in the most elevated part of it, the pal la ()plied froin heaccn, and marked out tin' place which the goddess was pleased to possess. .\ fter this, .1p0110 gave an oraele, importing did Trot should never be taken while the Palladium was 'band within its walls: which occasioned Iiiimiedes ;mil Fly sses. during the Tritjan tea•, to undertake the stealing of it. For this purpose having entered the citadel by night, or by means of secret intelli gence, they stole away tha:, vit italic pleilge of the security of the l'rojans, and con \ eyed it into their camp; they h td seitreely arrived, when the goddess gave testimonies Of her wrath 11 is said, there was. anciently, a statue of l'a' las preserved at Butte, in the temple of Vesta ; which some pretended to be the tine palladium or Froys brought into by .Eneas: it was kept the sacred things of the temple, and only to the priests till vestals. This statue ryas esteemed the destiny of Bowe ; and there Were several others In:1de poi fcctly lilt(' it to secure it front he:111;4 st then, was also it palladium in the citadel of Athens, plated there by or Palata•:It (French) in building, a landin,r plave in It stair-case, \\hid, being !manicr than the rest of the stair;, serves to rest upon. The term, which is time French, is not lunch used by English builders. Oa hoge staircases, where there are sometimes several pillars in a range or line, the palliers ought each to have, at least, the width of two steps. Vit•uvins calls the palliers 0u landing-places of the theatres diazomobt.
PALLIFICATIt /N, or Plum:, in architecture, the act of the ground-work, or strengthening it with piles, or timber driven into the ground ; this plan is adopted moist or marshy soils, where an edifice is intended to be erected.