Gabb, Thomas: Finis pyramidis or Disquisitions concerning the antiquity and scientific end of the great pyramid of Giza, or ancient Memphis, in Egypt, and of the first standard of linear measure (Retford, 1806)

is denominated by the moderns an order. Some take ίϊ
to be a pedestal, column, and entablature : others ex-
clude the pedestal, but all agree to assume the definition
of Vitruvius to explain what they erroneously term an
order of architecture ; and complain that his definition
is obscure, from the difficulty they experience, when
they attempt to wrest it to their own preconceptions. To
conform, however, to their idea of the matter, without
adopting their error, an exemplar of Grecian or Roman
architecture, will be a less exceptionable term, though
by no means strictly proper, by which to express what
they mean by an intire order.

And here the stylobate is to be considered as an
occasional accessory, but not an essential constituent of
a complete exemplar. Hence Vitruvius, who so atten-
tively describes the forms and precise symmetries of
bases, shafts, capitals, epistyles, zophori or freezes,
coronas, cymatia, and sima?, with the pediments and
acroteria, in the different styles, assigns no symmetries
to the base, dado or trunk, and corona of a stylobate:
because he knew, in the first place, stylobates are not
always in sight, though, strictly speaking, always in use;
for in reality they are the foundations or bases of in tire
columns ; and what we term the column's base, Vitru-
vius uniformly names spira?, as will be noticed in Sect.
■Ò, beneath ; secondly, when stylobates are exposed to
view, in Temples, their height cannot be ascertained in
any symmetrical quantity, or by any of the members of
an intire exemplar, but depends on the number and
height of the steps in front of the Temple, and this is an
unsettled matter, for the number may beany thing be-
tween 3 and 103, which the Serapion is said to have
had ; of course, as the height of the stylobate cannot

Ζ 2 have