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                                                                      	of the building, which its stability would be increased
                                                                      rather than diminished by filling up the intervals i i
                                                                       with another block, as  i2.  In such case the base is
                                                                      apparently dispensed with altogether;  and may be so
                                                                      blamelessly,  it is however evidently quite optional
                                                                      with the architect to fill up the interval i 2 e[s]ither
                                                                      altogether, or to whatever height he pleases (i3) and this
                                                                      last arrangement would appear to be the best as permitting
                                                                      the eye to assure itself of the columns being set on a sin-
                                                                      gle stone - the height of the filling i 3 depending alto-
                                                                      gether on the scale of the building, and an aesthetic
                                                                      combinations, while in very small buildings or piers,
                                                                      it may perhaps be dispensed with altogether.
                                                                      An entire pier or pillar consists therefore of three
                                                                      distinct portion , and (3) a block base, which may be
                                                                      concealed or not at the architect’s pleasure, (1) a shaft,
                                                                      (2) a necesarily visible head or capital;  properly con-
                                                                      sisting of two parts:  Thus several parts we shall examine
                                                                      in order.
                                                                                1.	The Shafts:  Evidently whatever the given weight of
                                                                      superstructure - it is in the power of the architect to
                                                                      suppose it with many and slender or with few and massy
                                                                      shafts:  This is perfectly optional, except
                                                                      so far as the width of the interval is necessarily
                                                                      regulated and the slenderness of the shaft limited by
                                                                      the kind of materials at the architect’s disposal:  On the

[Version 0.05: May 2008]