[M2.10backL]                                                          [M2.10back]									10
                                                                      
[diagrams]                                                            		with that of its superstructure, applied entirely to the
                                                                      		area of its own base, may not crush {the materials} or displace disturb
                                                                      		the joints of the foundation:  The wider and deeper
                                                                      		their stone on which the pillar is based, the better;
                                                                      		but it evidently must not be made wide without being
                                                                      		deep.  For in such case, as, suppose at a opposite, there
                                                                      		would be a strong probability of the foundation stone’s
                                                                      		breaking in the centre, as at b:  in which case the building
                                                                      		would instantly become unstable; while if no foundation
                                                                      		stone had been employed at all, the pillar might
                                                                      		have sunk gradually into the ground without in any wise
                                                                      		losing its stability;  The more solid the block therefore
                                                                      		the better;  and the larger the better, up to the point
                                                                      		at which it loses its subordination to the pier, & becomes
                                                                      		a needless weight of stone requiring a foundation
                                                                      		for itself.  Supposing the foundation of the whole edifice
                                                                      		itself solid and well knit, the most natural and simple
                                                                      		form of base would be a block projecting (certainly not
                                                                      		more than one half the diameter of the column on each
                                                                      		side of it) to about the degree of the jut of the capital,
                                                                      		and of the not less depth than two thirds of its width,
                                                                      		as a2  Evidently however, when the pier is large, such
                                                                      		an arrangement would greatly interfere with the accessibility
                                                                      		of & convenience

[Version 0.05: May 2008]