Were it allowable to select portions from these examples and place them together at discretion, there would be no great difficulty in forming a very perfect specimen of Grecian Do•ic, but even without such a metamorphosis, we suggest, there can be no difficulty in perceiving a great and indubi table similarity between the structures of Egypt and the earlier ones of Greece, the likeness being more striking in some examples than in others, yet not being entirely absent in any. We may conclude, therefore, we presume, that there is a very strong probability of the Doric order having been derived from the architecture of Egypt.
This order, as practised by the Romans and Italians, differs in some essential particulars from that above described, and in process of' time its original character seems to have been all but entirely lost, the identity being evidenced only by the remains of some few details. The few points in which the resemblance between the Greek and Roman orders is preserved, are—the employment of triglyphs and metopes in the frieze, and of mutules in the corona, the fluting with anises instead of fillets, when indeed flutes were introduced, and the general form of the capital consisting of echinus and abacus. The distinctions are much more numerous, amongst which may be mentioned the elongation of the shaft and the not unf•equent absence of flutes ; the addition of a base, variations in the form of the capital and of the several mem bers of the entablature, the amplification of mouldings and such like ; so that were two examples, one of each kind, placed before a person unacquainted with the subject, he would have greater difficulty in tracing their resemblance, than ill pointing out their incongruities.
The height of the column is increased from six to eight diameters, and in some cases, as recommended by Vitruvius for porticos, to eight and a half. It is either fluted or left plain, and sometimes is partially fluted, the channels extend ing about two-thirds of the shaft, the remaining portion below, from the base upwards, being left blank.
The addition of the base follows very naturally the elonga tion of the shaft, for were it still to be omitted, the lower portion of the column would look too small, and would give to the edifice an appearance of weakness ; the columns would seem unsteady ; whereas in the Greek examples, the massive proportions and the rapid spreading of the shaft from the capital downwards, gives the effect of strength and stability. The base generally used is that termed the attic, and consists of a plinth, a torus, a hollow moulding or scotia with a fillet above and below it, upon the uppermost of which is another torus and fillet, out of which the shaft rises with an apophyge ; a simpler base, however, is sometimes made use of, comprising only a torus and two shallow fillets above it, and occasionally merely a plinth and simple fillet.
In the capital, the sunk amulets of the Greek examples are converted into projecting fillets in the Roman ; the shaft is separated from the cap by an astragal which gives much greater distinctness to the necking, which again is sometimes relieved with roscts and buds, or other ornament. Above the neck are three flat annular fillets, and these above the ovolo surmounted by the abacus. The ovolo, however, is not of so much importance as in the Greek order, nor of the same severe contour ; the abacus likewise is much shallower, and has the addition of mouldings on its top. The height of the capital is equal to a diameter, or 1 module, but this is not always the ease, for in the Theatre of Marcellus at Rome, it is 33 minutes, and in the Coliseum as much as 3S.
The architrave is often similar in appearance to the Greek, but is of less height, being equal to only two-thirds of the frieze. or half a diameter ; in a few instances, the architrave is composed of two fascias. The new frieze is also very similar to the old one, with some slight exceptions, the mutules being frequently filled with ox-skulls and patterns, and sometimes left plain ; the capitals of the triglyphs are of greater projection than before, and are returned at the ends. The triglyphs besides are in Roman examples, invariably placed over the centre of the columns, so that the ends of the frieze are finished with half-metopes, and not with triglyphs as in the Grecian order. In the Coliseum, the triglyphs are entirely omitted.
The cornice differs considerably from the Grecian, having its soffit flat and the mutules square. with a similar interval between them. In Grecian examples, the guttle generally appear in front below the mutules ; but in the Roman, they do not so, and are sometimes even omitted ; sometimes the mutules entirely disappear, as in the Theatre of Marcellus, where dentils with an ogee bed-mould are substituted in their place, and the Basilica at Vicenza, designed by Paladdio, has merely a bold ogee and ovolo in their place. The inter vals between the mutules are frequently enriched with panels and sculpture. The mutules and band are surmounted by a small ogee moulding, and under them is an ogee or ovolo forming a bed-moulding. The inutules support the cornice proper, consisting of the corona, an ogee and fillet, and a cavetto finished at the top with a fillet.