The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-15
A CURIOUS OLD BOOK.
One Of the Treasures OF 4 aTacoma Mani
Library.

II
Library.
TACOMA. Nov 14.-[Specfal. IA curious
old style book treating of the ..Five Orders
sion Of Mr. w. L. DavidsOo, of 1109 North
street, Tacoma. This folume that is
treasured a. relic of oths& days may be
traced for more than 150 fears, the same
having descended from this gentleman's
ancestors. whose place of seode in the sew
enteenth century was in Enhthgowshire,
Scotland. The work, which is + transla-
ton of Andrea Palladio's first Italian edi-
ton, printed at Ven ce in 1870. came from
the press in Londop in In. accompanied
with an exact,eopy Of all the plates of the
original work. Andrea Falladio was an
Italian architect, born III tkls. and died in
1850. who. ~belieyipgS the& s*he Ancisut
Romans surpassed those who are come
after them IN building" takes as his
master and guide' Vitruvius, alleging
that the latter is the only ancient writer
upon Roman architecture whose works
have been transmitted. With studious
nicely the five ancient orders of architect
ure, namely, Tuscan, Doric. Ionic. Cor
inthian and composite are set forth. the
first four names derived from the Tuscan,
Dorian, Iorian and Corinthian peoples,
and the composite of Roman invention;
the whole is accompanied by full illustra-
tions of all parts and terms.
The work, with its curious knowledge
and countless number of rules. would
scarce be supposed an indispensable STAN
dard for modern architects. Brick navlng
been nodded are to be dried sin the shade"
for full two years and if thick should
have holes bored in them to assist the
drying; foundations where no cellars are
contemplated are to be one-sixth the
height of the building; spaces between
joists the breadth of one joist and half;
lambs of doors and windows must not be
bigger than one-fiith nor less than one
sixth the vacuity or opening; green tim
Der not to be drawn in the dewy hours of
morning, nor wrought under three years
from the time the tree is felled; height of
rooms must be equal to breadth, those
above one-sixth less in height than those
beneath, and when the ceiling is arched
the room must be one-third higher than
the breadth, etc. Very perfect representa-
tions of the Roman arch and other i'm
mortal Roman designs are also given.
The Posr-INTELLIGENCER correspondent
is not informed as to the existence or nom
existence of other kindred works which
this old-time author tells us he is about to
write, nor is it certain that the volume
that obviously has survived from genera
ton to generation is worthy to be q guide
and master to our architects. 1t is clear,
however, that this particular time-stained
book, with its old-style SIS. its capitaliza-
ton of nouns, and other marks peculiar to
a former age, is an heirloom highly priced
in the family of Mr.. Davidson. Recently
Architect Skillings. of the Washington
Worlds fair building had the book in his
possession for time at Seattle. He con-
siders it a very valuable curio. Many of
the calculations and rules laid down in
this work for shaping the stones of a
Roman arch are still IN use.
The volume is on exhibition at the Posr-
INTEILIGENCER bureau.