[M2.20backL]                                                          [M2.20back]									20
                                                                      
[diagrams]                                                            		extremities of the capital:  the angle a1ab, must be small
                                                                      		but when the lines of pressure fall vertically through
                                                                      		to the shaft, the projecting portions of the capital
                                                                      		become supplementary:  and the angle may be comparatively
                                                                      		large as in Greek lintel architecture fig 1 opp; or
                                                                      		again, when the lines of resistance are sloped to the head
                                                                      		of the shaft, the line a b, may be made parallel to their
                                                                      		slope;  fig 2 opp; and should be so, otherwise the unnecessary
                                                                      		weight of stone is added to the capital which
The capitals of the square shafts behind the statues on the           		is mere extra loading of the shaft:  As however in
tomb of San Pietro Martire have an excess of nearly                   		general when the excess of c d over a a; is great, the
the breadth of the shaft on each side in flowing                      		lines of resistance fall nearer the extremities of the
leafage:  This is done partly to bring them out from                  		capital; it follows that [symbols] the  a1 a b must be
behind the figures, partly it is new leafage flowing under            		less in proportion to this excess;  and that while in a
the angle of the capital in a graceful undulation                     		flat capital of small excess such a slope as that in fig 3
adhering to the frieze like a snail turning on its back               		opposite i. e. under 45 is {often} perfectly admissible it
It is beautiful in its way: but would be quite unfit for              		would be altogether preposterous in the capital of large
a pure architectural work.                                            Specific law	excess fig 4 and the specific law will follow that {in}
                                                                      except in	every capital whose {entire} excess is more than half its
                                                                      unsymmetrical	shaft diameter, the  a1 ab must be less than 135, but
                                                                      capitals: vid	when its entire excess is less than its shaft diameter,
                                                                      p 24		the  a1 ab may conditionally be greater than 135:
                                                                      		but never perhaps properly greater than 140  (consider the
                                                                      		effect of the following general rule;  let the width of
                                                                      		the abacus

[Version 0.05: May 2008]