Therefore the sensations of pleasure that are felt, from the observance of an object well proportioned, must owe their existence to the proper distribution of all the parts combined in unison; to the ex pression of a decided character. Objects that are destitute of natural beauty are made so when regarded in the light of their uses.
The orders of architecture, in which all the variety of genius and art has evolved itself, and which is regulated by settled.proportion, with such certainty as to defy and mock all attempts at innova t ion, receive their sanction from the above remarks on the observance of design ac commodating itself to uses; whereby beauty and harmony is established.
There are five orders in architecture, , .
viz, the Tuscan, Doric, Ionicl-c•oetnul'al' and Composite. These are, properly speaking, hutthree, the Doric, Ionic, and Orilikr, and consists of three grand divi sions; viz. the base, column, and entabla 1uref-flliese afe governing principles; and the proportions of the base and shaft are such, according to the character of the order, as appear, and are absolutely adequate to the support of the entabla ture which rests upon them. The great object derived from the difference or va riety of the orders is, the fitness of their respective parts tolthe support of the crowning weight, which must appear evi dent to all who have paid the least atten tion to the subject.
It is rather astonishing fkom what cause we feel pleasant sensations upon viewing the Greek structures, whether it is the nature of the architecture itself that im parts pleasurable ideas, orthe associations connected with them, that calls forth our admiration, knowing them to be reared upon classic g-roulid, and the relics of a brave and enlightened people ; but cer tain it is, their science, skill, and taste in the.arts, far surpassed all other nations before.and since their time.
This singular and industrious people, untraronlelled with tyranny, situated in a rugged;. country, of fine, climate, and abounding with forests, gave full scope to their imagination in the construction of wooden edifices ; in the prosecution of which, the rude forest tree, covered with a block or tile, suggested the idea of the Doric order ; the beams laid horizontally on the top, and projecting over the trunk of the tree, and rafters rising to a point in the centre, composed the leading features of a primitive Greek edifice.
It has been supposed that the Greeks were originally colonies of Egypt and Psis, at the time when those empires existed in great splendour, and construct ed edifices of great magnificence; being also the countries from whence their sages drew their earliest information, ren dered it more than probable that they borrowed their first ideas of building from those places ; they unquestionably were acquainted with the state of architecture in those countries; but that they adopted or applied this information is very doubt ful, from the circumstance of their-mate rials, in the first instance, being altoge ther wood, and consequently requiring different principles and practice in its ex ecution ani arrangement Stone edifices were afterwards constructed in conformi ty with the wooden model, and under went, at different periods of time, such additional arrangement as their genius and taste suggested. .
The Greeks, untaught by their more rich neighbours, abounding in granite, porphyry, and marble, with a variety of other local advantages, established a per fect school of architecture, by the inven tion of three complete orders, each having a peculiar and separate character, calcu lated for all kinds of structures, ascending from the most simple and robust, to those of a more delicate susceptibility of orna !tient; completing a perfect system in the art, that defies all human attempts to sur pass or, amend.
The most magnificent temple at Athe ns, and one which exhibits the perfection of Greek taste, is that dedicated to Minerva Parthenon. It is situated on the summit of the rock of the citadel, within the Acropolis, which appears as though na ture had fortified it as a pedestal, express ly for the purpose of supporting the beau tiful edifices upon. its crown. It was executed under the direction of Phidias, by Callicrates and ktinus ; and from the description of Mr. Stuart, who spent se ven years in the faithful delineation of the works of art in that once splendid city, is a perfect specimen of the Doric order. Its extreme length is 225 feet, and breadth 100 feet, surrounded by 46 columns, sup porting an entablature of 12 feet in height, upon which is sculptured, in the finest alto relievo, the wars between the Lapi thx and the Centaurs. The frize which surrounds the cell contains the Panathe naic procession of Charioteers, horsemen, and the coronation of a youthful victor in the chariot races. On the eastern pedi ment is represented a convention of the gods, consisting of five and twenty fi gures : Jupiter presides, and is in the act of receiving his daughter Minerva.