In rich work of some modern buildings, the cables are composed of reeds, husks, spiral twisted ribbands, flowers, and vari ous other ornaments; but these niceties should only be employed in the decora tions of the interior, and even then very sparingly, as their cost would be much better employed in giving majesty and grandeur to other parts of the fabric. As the cornice which has obtained the name of Corinthian consists of so many mem bers, it will be necessary on this account to increase the whole height of the en tablature more than two diameters, so as to make the members distinct, and at the same time to preserve a just proportion between the cornice, froze, and archi trave ; masking the height of the entabla ture tWo-ninths of that of the column; but if the Ionic cornice is to be employed, or the (lentils and their cymatium omitted, two diameters, or a fifth of the height of the column will be sufficient. From hence the absurdity of giving too many mem bers to the cornice will appear, as these slight columns are incapable of bearing an entablature of the same part of their height as columns of fewer dia meters are : this absurdity will more rea dily appear, when the parts of both or ders are made of the same altitudes.
The Corinthian order is appropriate for all buildings, in which magnificence, ele gance, and gaiety, are requisite; it was employed by the ancients in temples de dicated to Venus, Flora, Proserpine, and also to the nymphs of the fountains, be ing the most splendid of all the orders, and bearing the most affinity to foliages, flowers, and volutes, which suited the de licacy and elegance of these deities.
Its splendor also recommends it in the decorations of palaces, squares, galleries, theatres, banqueting rooms, and other places consecrated to festive mirth, or convivial recreation ; it is likewise em ployed in churches dedicated to saint Marv, and other virgin saints.
Tuscan order. There are no ancient remains of any entire order of this kind; the columns of Trojan and Antonine, and one at Constantinople, being defective from the want olgtheir entablatures. We have the description of Vitruvius to the following purpose : the column is seven diameters in height, and is diminished at the top a fourth part of a diameter ; their bases have a circular plinth, and are in height half a diameter, which is divided into two parts, giving one to the altitude of the plinth, and one to the torus. 'The capital has also half a diameter in height, and one in the breadth of its abacus. The height of the capital is divided into three parts, one of which is given to the plinth or abacus, one to the echinus, and the third to the hypotrachelian with the apo phygis : the architrave is made with its vertical faces over the edge of the co lumn, at the neck of the capital, in two thicknesses, in its horizontal dimension, with a space of two digits or inch be tween, for the admission of air, to prevent the beams from rotting, and joined toge ther with mortise and tenon. Over the beams and over the walls the mutules are projected a fourth part of the heiglit of the columns, and antepagments are fixed to their fronts. A correct specimen
of Tuscan architecture may be seen in St. Paul's, Covent Garden, the work of the most distinguished blip Jones. This order is proper for all rustic structures.
Roman order. The character of this as an order is indicated by its capital ; the upper part of which being an entire Ionic capital of that species, which fronts the four sides of the column alike, and the lower part consisting of two rows of leaves, as in the Corinthian capital. Vi truvius speaks of various capitals derived from that of the Corinthian ; but does not distinguish columns with such capitals supporting an entablature bythe name of an order ; indeed, he expressly says that they do not belong to any species of co lumns. Serlio was the first who added a fifth order, by compounding columns si milar to that of the Arch of Titus, with the entablature of the uppermost order of the Coliseum. More recent authors have, for the greater part, either adopted the entablature of the frontispiece of Nero, which was supported by Corinthian co lumns, or have brought in adventitious parts of other orders, by introducing the denticulated band of the Ionic, with its cymatium between the modillions and the cymatium of the frize. It is something remarkable, that the columns of Roman buildings, with compounded capitals, sup port, for the greater part, Corinthian en tablatures: the columns of the arches of Septimius Severus and of the Goldsmiths support Ionic entablatures ; and those of the temple of Bacchus even support an entablature with what we now call a Tuscan cornice. In short, Rome affords no example of a composite order, with a similar cornice to any one found in the works of any distinguished modern au thor, except Vignola, who crowns his en tablature with a bold Ionic cornice. The capital of this order is more bold and massive in its parts than that of the Co rinthian; the proportion of the other mem bers should be corresponding thereto, and therefore more appropriate cornice than that of the frontispiece of Nero can hardly be applied: the modillions are very characteristic, but the denticulated band, shewn in a modern work, should be omitted : and for this reason also the shaft of the columns should be a medium be tween those of the Ionic and Corinthian, though the very reverse has been assign ed to it.
The medallions employed in this order differ from the Corinthian ; they are more massy, beingromposed of two faces, arid a cymatimn like an architrave. The Ro mans decorated their composite capitals with acanthus leaves, and the same prac tice is followed by the moderns. The pro portions will ire fully ualerstood in those of the Ionic and Corinthian orders. It is probable that the Romans employed the Composite order in their triumphal arch es, and other buildings, to commemorate their victories, and to show their domi nion over those whom they conquered ; and for this purpose also it may be em ployed in modern structures, to celebrate the achievements of conquerors and vir tues of legislators.