Palladio, Andrea: The four books of Andrea Palladio's architecture (Band4): Wherein the ancient temples that are in Rome are described and figured and some others that are in Italy and out of Italy (London, 1738)

THE FOURTH BOOK

O F

Andrea Palladios
ARCHITECTURE.

The PREFACE/o the Reader.

IF upon any fabric labour and industry may be bellowed, tbat it may be comparted
with beautiful measure and proportion ; this, without any doubt, ought to be done in
temples; in which the maker and giver os all things, the almighty and supream Cod,
ought to be adored by us, and be praiied, and thanked sor his continual bem:
to us, in the belt manner that our utrcngth will permit. If, therefore, men in building
their own habitations, take very great care to find out excellent and expert architects, and able
artificers, they are certainly obliged to make uie of llill much greater care in the buildings
of churches. And if in thole they attend chiessy to conveniency, in thtie they ought to
have a regard to the dignity and grandeur of the Being there to be invoked and adored ;
who being the supream good, and highelr. persection, it is very proper, that all things
consccratcd to him, lliould be brought to the greatefl persection we are capable of. And
indeed, if we consider this beautiful machine of the world, with hoW many wondersul orna-
ments it is filled, and how the heavens, by their continual revolutions, change the feasons
according as nature requires, and their motion pceserves rtfelf by the sweetest harm
temperature; we cannot doubt, but that the little temples we make, ought to n
this very great one, which, by his immense goodness, w.- ;,ii:,,uv compleated with one
word of his; or imagine that we are not obliged to make in them all the ornaments we poilibly
can, and build them in such a manner, and with such proportions, that all the parts toge-
ther may convey a sweet harmony to the eyes os the beholders, and that ea
them separately may lervc agreeably to the ust sor which it (hall be appointed. For which
rcason, although they are worthy to be much commended, who b< ing guided bv an exceed-
ing good spirit, have already built temples to the supream Cod, and it ill build i1
does not scetn, neverthcless, that they ought to remain without (bme little r< preh)
they have not also endeavoured to make them in the bell and moll noble form our
condition will permit.
Hence, became the anticnt Greeks and Romans employed the utmosi care in buisd
temples to their Gods, and composed them of the raost beautisul architecture, that they
might be made with so much greater ornaments, and in greater proportion, as that they might
be suitable for the God to whom they were consecratedj 1 iluil (hew in this book thi
and the ornaments of many antient temples, of which the ruins are llill to be seen, and by
me have been reduced into deiigns, that every one may know in what form, and with what
ornaments churches ought to be built. And although there is but a (mall part of somc os
them to be seen (landing above-ground, I neverthcless from that small put, (the Foundations
that could be (ccn being also considered) have endeavoured, by conjecture, to (hew what
they mull have been when they were entire. And in this Vitruvius has been a very
great help to me; because, what I saw, agreeing with what he teacheth us, it was not
difficult forme to come at the knowledge ustheir aspeft, and of theis ' m
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