V. BYZANTINE PALACES 151

The upper story has a central group of seven arches, whose widths are 4 ft. 1 in.

Ft.In.

The next arch on each side35

The three arches of each wing36

Here again we have a most curious instance of the subtlety of eye which was not satisfied without a third dimension, but could be satisfied with a difference of an inch on three feet and a half.

§ 9. In the Terraced House,¹ the ground floor is modernized, but the first story is composed of a centre of five arches with wings of two, measuring as follows:

Ft. In.

Three midmost arches of the central group40

Outermost arch of the central group46

Innermost arch of the wing410

Outermost arch of the wing*50

Here the greatest step is towards the centre; but the increase, which is unusual, is towards the outside, the gain being successively six, four, and two inches.

I could not obtain the measures of the second story, in which only the central group is left; but the two outermost arches are visibly larger than the others, thus beginning a correspondent proportion to the one below, of which the lateral quantities have been destroyed by restorations.

§ 10. Finally, in the Rio-Foscari House,² the central arch is the principal feature, and the four lateral ones form one magnificent wing; the dimensions being from the centre to the side:

Ft. In.

Central arch99

Second ,, 38

Third ,, 310

Fourth,, 310

Fifth ,, 38

* Only one wing of the first story is left. See Appendix 11 [p. 453].

¹ [On the Grand Canal, opposite the Casa Grimani; its local name is the Palazzo Mengaldo. See for some of its pillars, Fig. 2 in Plate 8, below, p. 159.]

² [The position of this ruined house, in the Rio di Ca’ Foscari, is described below, Appendix 11 (5), p. 454. It is illustrated in Plates 8, 9, and 10 of the Examples (see

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