GREEK ARCHITECTURE. 47

“Mouldings are the means by which an architect draws
a line upon his building.”

A true knowledge of the effect of contour is to be best
obtained from actual work rather than from drawings, and
the examples at the British Museum must be studied.

29. Greek Mouldings.

The principal characteristic of Greek mouldings was re-
finement. The influence of an almost continuous sunshine,
a clear atmosphere, and the hard marble material, had
naturally great influence in the production of these delicate
contours.

30. Roman Mouldings.

Grecian mouldings are not parts of circles ; they were pro-
bably drawn by hand, but approach very closely to various
conic sections, as parabolas, hyperbolas, and ellipses.

Note.—As a general rule the lines of the enrichment or
carving on any Greek moulding correspond to the
profile of the moulding on which it is carved. This