Aldrich, Henry; Smyth, Philip [Übers.]: The Elements Of Civil Architecture: According To Vitruvius And Other Ancients, And The Most Approved Practice Of Modern Authors, Especially Palladio (London, 1789) [Cicognara, 395]

INTRODUCTION. ivii
sar, by plans and discourses. His elucidations of the
sormer author, yet unpublished, were dedicated to
Francis the reigning grand Duke os Tuscany. Thole
of the latter are printed with Baldelli’s Italian trans-
lation of the Commentaries. It is certain that the
profound erudition of his noble friend Trissi.no assist-
ed him greatly, in the study of the Roman art os
wars and thence, by mistake, might arise the tradi-
tion of the same friend having been his matter in
Architecture likewise. Palladio explained many dif-
siculties'in Vitruvius to Monk D. Barbara; and fur-
nished him the drawings, that accompany his Italian
Iranslation of that author with a commentary.
The last great effort of our Architect’s genius was
the design of the Olympic Theatre k in Vicenza, be-
gun the twenty-third os May, 1580, by an Academy/
of that name instituted in 1555, of which he was a
member and had been one of the firtt promoters.
In this work he meant to realize his own idea of the
antient theatres, as derived from Vitruvius and the
remaining Roman struCtures of that kind; but he
lived not to conduCt it further than a part of the
foundations. His surviving son Sill-a was appointed
to the superintendence upon his decease; and Sca-
mozzi (as himself declares) directed the standing
scenes. The completed fabric was viewed, by the
bestjudges of the time, with rapturous admiration;
and has, ever since, been reputed a prodigy of the
k For a description and critical examination of this see IlTeatro Olympico of
Count Gio, Montenari, Padova, 1749, Svo.
P 2 art,