Rudiments of ancient architecture, containing an historical account of the five orders, with their proportions, and examples of each from antiques also, extracts from Vitruvius, Pliny, &c. relative to the buildings of the ancients (London, 1810 (4. Aufl.))

50 RUDIMENTS OP

erecting buildings to the honour of their
tutelar deities, or when they had vowed
worship and homage to any particular one;
I say, when we consider what variety of
opportunities offered to shew honour, to
exhibit splendour, and to display libera-
lity, we need not wonder at the great
number of sacred edifices still remaining:
indeed they are so many, and of such mag-
nificence, as chiefly to absorb the travel-
ler's attention, the remains of other public
structures being but few. I have there-
fore given no more on public edifices, than
what Vitruvius has written of sacred ones,
and the rules given by him for the dispo^
sition of columns.

OF TEMPLES.

The following account of their origin and
progress will, I think, be considered as ra-r
tional; for doubtless they had their states
of progression, as well as every other hu-
man invention.

There is implanted in the mind of man
so strong an idea of a superior power,