DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4263#0016
lrin§ ourselVeS)
Views.
1
Archi-
tecture
9
V I
Sculp,
turi
>
]
4
1
I
4
linm, &c.
wilibeiUustrated
aJ serve to render
done, by pointing
rfVitruvius)0rto
> or otter ancient
■ it convenient to
had originally in.
reified in the Pro-
5.
'Ondorf, in the he.
ray, a gentleman
commending this
my other obliga-
notive, printed at
ipersed in various
Consul at Venice,
idon in the year
le scheme which
.'ariation printed
the Arts, James
:e gentlemen the
and Balbec, and
s the honour to
undertaking, in
for they visited
re. It is with
owledging, that
a sufficient time
lot been for the
r virtues, added
t patron of the
is a misfortune
erosity of some
t from affecting
jre too great a
the obligations
time, we have
n having these
ice. We must
the year 174!),
lere, and soon
ig the men of
e read the de-
it have known
me at Athens,
account he did
■ set out from
rear, after the
was printed at
esofimprove-
Le Boy has
siting Greece,
ire formed it,
same task.
PREFACE. 15
indulge our curiosity, but to find materials there that would employ our vacant time, and enable us to
produce to our friends a proper specimen of the manner in which we proposed to execute our Athenian
Work: nor were we disappointed in these expectations.
On our return from Pola to Venice, we were still obliged to wait some months for a con-
venient passage; these delays however did not discourage us; we had the advantage of being known
to Sir James Gray, who was at that time his Majesty's resident at Venice. He was pleased to interest
himself greatly in our success, and was the first who set on foot a subscription for our intended work.
At length, on the 19th January, 1751, we embarked on board an English ship, bound for the island of
Zant. From Zant we continued our voyage in a vessel of that island, and touching in our way at
Chiarenza, Patrass, Pentagioi and Vostizza, we arrived safely on March 11, N. S. at Corinth. After
a short stay there, during which we measured an ancient temple and made some views, we were
informed that a vessel of Egina was in the Port of Cenchrea, ready to sail with the first fair wind to
Porto Lione, the ancient Pireus, once the most celebrated harbour of Athens. This was an opportunity
not to be neglected; we crossed the Isthmus to Cenchrea, from whence our vessel departed very early
on the 16th of March, N. S. we landed and dined at Megara, slept at Salamis, and on the 17th, at night,
anchored in the Pireus. The next morning we were conducted from hence to Athens by a Greek, who
resided there in quality of British Consul.
Our first business at Athens was to visit the antiquities which remain there; and we were
happy enough to find that they fully answered our highest expectations. We therefore resolved that
we would spare no expense or fatigue that might any way contribute to the better execution of the task
we had set ourselves. In particular we determined to avoid haste, and system, those most dangerous
enemies to accuracy and fidelity, for we had frequently, with great regret, observed their bad effects
in many, otherwise excellent, works of this kind. We have no where obtruded a line of imaginary
restoration on the reader; but whenever the ruined parts of these buildings are supplied, either from
materials found on the spot, or from what our own ideas have suggested (very few instances of the
latter will occur) the reader is apprised of it, and the reasons, or authorities for such restoration are
always produced. We have carefully examined as low as to the foundation of every building that we
have copied, though to perform this it was generally necessary to get a great quantity of earth and
rubbish removed; an operation which was sometimes attended with very considerable expence.
We have contented ourselves with setting down the measures3 of all these buildings in English
feet and inches, and decimal parts of an inch; purposely forbearing to mention modules, as they neces-
sarily imply a system, and perhaps too frequently incline an author to adopt one. Any artist may how-
ever from our measures form whatever kind of module or modulary division he best fancies.
It may here be proper to observe that we were provided with instruments made in London, by
the best artists, one of which was a rod of brass, three feet long, most accurately divided by Mr. Bird.
We had been at Athens about two months, when Mr. Dawkins and Mr. Wood arrived there ;
but we had not the happiness of seeing Mr. Bouverie with them, for that gentleman died in Asia
Minor, and never visited the Antiquities of Athens, of Balbec, or of Palmyra. Signor Piranesi, a very
excellent Italian Artist, uninformed it should seem of this circumstance, has by mistake quoted part
of a letterb, said to be written by this gentleman from Ephesus, as if he thought it a sufficient
authority to prove that there are no remains of antiquity which deserve our notice, either in the cities
a We here introduce from the " Errata" an observation of Accademia di Londra. Roma, MDCCLXI. We shall observe
the author's; viz. ' Concerning the measures marked on the archi- that before Mr. Bouverie visited Ephesus, he had travelled over
tectural plates, it is necessary to observe, that after the particu- the northern part of Asia Minor, and on seeing the many consi-
lars of a set of mouldings had been measured, the general height derable and beautiful Antiquities which remain at Cvzicum
of the stone on which they are cut was likewise taken, and is Pcrgamus, Sardis, Teios, &c, he always expressed the highest
marked on the plates; for which reason the reader will frequently satisfaction. At Ephesus, besides some vestiges of the famous
find some small difference between the general height, and the Temple of Diana, he saw the remains of a temple, exquisitely
sum of the particular heights of a set of mouldings.' wrought, the columns of which are about five feet in diameter,
b In his late work entitled, Delia Magnilicenza ed Architettura furnishing one of the richest examples of the Corinthian Order *,
de' Romani, opera di Gio Battista Piranesi, Socio della Rcale that is any where extant. From Ephesus he passed through a
J It is probably this example which is detailed in the ' Voyage' Pittoresrjue de la Grece', torn. 1. p. 197. PI. 199-3. [ed.]
Views.
1
Archi-
tecture
9
V I
Sculp,
turi
>
]
4
1
I
4
linm, &c.
wilibeiUustrated
aJ serve to render
done, by pointing
rfVitruvius)0rto
> or otter ancient
■ it convenient to
had originally in.
reified in the Pro-
5.
'Ondorf, in the he.
ray, a gentleman
commending this
my other obliga-
notive, printed at
ipersed in various
Consul at Venice,
idon in the year
le scheme which
.'ariation printed
the Arts, James
:e gentlemen the
and Balbec, and
s the honour to
undertaking, in
for they visited
re. It is with
owledging, that
a sufficient time
lot been for the
r virtues, added
t patron of the
is a misfortune
erosity of some
t from affecting
jre too great a
the obligations
time, we have
n having these
ice. We must
the year 174!),
lere, and soon
ig the men of
e read the de-
it have known
me at Athens,
account he did
■ set out from
rear, after the
was printed at
esofimprove-
Le Boy has
siting Greece,
ire formed it,
same task.
PREFACE. 15
indulge our curiosity, but to find materials there that would employ our vacant time, and enable us to
produce to our friends a proper specimen of the manner in which we proposed to execute our Athenian
Work: nor were we disappointed in these expectations.
On our return from Pola to Venice, we were still obliged to wait some months for a con-
venient passage; these delays however did not discourage us; we had the advantage of being known
to Sir James Gray, who was at that time his Majesty's resident at Venice. He was pleased to interest
himself greatly in our success, and was the first who set on foot a subscription for our intended work.
At length, on the 19th January, 1751, we embarked on board an English ship, bound for the island of
Zant. From Zant we continued our voyage in a vessel of that island, and touching in our way at
Chiarenza, Patrass, Pentagioi and Vostizza, we arrived safely on March 11, N. S. at Corinth. After
a short stay there, during which we measured an ancient temple and made some views, we were
informed that a vessel of Egina was in the Port of Cenchrea, ready to sail with the first fair wind to
Porto Lione, the ancient Pireus, once the most celebrated harbour of Athens. This was an opportunity
not to be neglected; we crossed the Isthmus to Cenchrea, from whence our vessel departed very early
on the 16th of March, N. S. we landed and dined at Megara, slept at Salamis, and on the 17th, at night,
anchored in the Pireus. The next morning we were conducted from hence to Athens by a Greek, who
resided there in quality of British Consul.
Our first business at Athens was to visit the antiquities which remain there; and we were
happy enough to find that they fully answered our highest expectations. We therefore resolved that
we would spare no expense or fatigue that might any way contribute to the better execution of the task
we had set ourselves. In particular we determined to avoid haste, and system, those most dangerous
enemies to accuracy and fidelity, for we had frequently, with great regret, observed their bad effects
in many, otherwise excellent, works of this kind. We have no where obtruded a line of imaginary
restoration on the reader; but whenever the ruined parts of these buildings are supplied, either from
materials found on the spot, or from what our own ideas have suggested (very few instances of the
latter will occur) the reader is apprised of it, and the reasons, or authorities for such restoration are
always produced. We have carefully examined as low as to the foundation of every building that we
have copied, though to perform this it was generally necessary to get a great quantity of earth and
rubbish removed; an operation which was sometimes attended with very considerable expence.
We have contented ourselves with setting down the measures3 of all these buildings in English
feet and inches, and decimal parts of an inch; purposely forbearing to mention modules, as they neces-
sarily imply a system, and perhaps too frequently incline an author to adopt one. Any artist may how-
ever from our measures form whatever kind of module or modulary division he best fancies.
It may here be proper to observe that we were provided with instruments made in London, by
the best artists, one of which was a rod of brass, three feet long, most accurately divided by Mr. Bird.
We had been at Athens about two months, when Mr. Dawkins and Mr. Wood arrived there ;
but we had not the happiness of seeing Mr. Bouverie with them, for that gentleman died in Asia
Minor, and never visited the Antiquities of Athens, of Balbec, or of Palmyra. Signor Piranesi, a very
excellent Italian Artist, uninformed it should seem of this circumstance, has by mistake quoted part
of a letterb, said to be written by this gentleman from Ephesus, as if he thought it a sufficient
authority to prove that there are no remains of antiquity which deserve our notice, either in the cities
a We here introduce from the " Errata" an observation of Accademia di Londra. Roma, MDCCLXI. We shall observe
the author's; viz. ' Concerning the measures marked on the archi- that before Mr. Bouverie visited Ephesus, he had travelled over
tectural plates, it is necessary to observe, that after the particu- the northern part of Asia Minor, and on seeing the many consi-
lars of a set of mouldings had been measured, the general height derable and beautiful Antiquities which remain at Cvzicum
of the stone on which they are cut was likewise taken, and is Pcrgamus, Sardis, Teios, &c, he always expressed the highest
marked on the plates; for which reason the reader will frequently satisfaction. At Ephesus, besides some vestiges of the famous
find some small difference between the general height, and the Temple of Diana, he saw the remains of a temple, exquisitely
sum of the particular heights of a set of mouldings.' wrought, the columns of which are about five feet in diameter,
b In his late work entitled, Delia Magnilicenza ed Architettura furnishing one of the richest examples of the Corinthian Order *,
de' Romani, opera di Gio Battista Piranesi, Socio della Rcale that is any where extant. From Ephesus he passed through a
J It is probably this example which is detailed in the ' Voyage' Pittoresrjue de la Grece', torn. 1. p. 197. PI. 199-3. [ed.]