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accommodations to render their siliations com-
fortable, and with splendid distinclions corres-
pondent to their exalted dignity. By what
means art will succeed in this attempt, I pro-
ceed now briessy to notice.
There are certain principles in which every
eredtion intended for the habitation of mankind
must of necessity agree; such as, that it should
be a defence from the vicissitudes of the Sea-
sons ; that it sshould be a commodious recep-
tacle for his property; that it should permit
the necessary avocations of nature, and contri-
bute to his satisfadiion as well by night as by
day, and so on. It is true, these are a part, and
a very important part of architectural study,
but your own observation. Ladies and Gen-
tlemen, will readily inform you, that it is
extremely extensive. It would not be easy to
notice its variety, much less to render it im-
proving, or entertaining : nor is it my present
design, to enter into a detail of carpentry, and
perplex you with beams, timbers, girders, joists,
and rafters; these we leave to whom they may
professionally concern, and turn our attention
to those compositions which boast peculiar
elegance.
In a former discourse we remarked, that to
increase the magnificence of their temples, the
Z 2 ancient