INTRODUCTION.

It is then with the Renowned Palladio we enter the Lifts, to whom we oppose the Famous Inigo Jones: Let the Banquetting-house, those excellent Pieces at Greenwich, with many other Things of this great Master, be carefully examined, and I doubt not but an impartial Judge will find in them all the Regularity of the former, with an Addition of Beauty and Majesty, in which our Architect is esteemed to have out-done all that went before; and when those Designs he gave for Whitehall, are published, which I intend in the Second Volume, I believe all Mankind will agree with me, that there is no Palace in the World to rival it.

And here I cannot but reflect on the Happiness of the British Nation, that at present abounds with so many learned and ingenious Gentlemen, as Sir Christopher Wren, Sir William Bruce, Sir John Vanbrugh, Mr. Archer, Mr. Wren, Mr. Wynne, Mr. Talman, Mr. Hawkmore, Mr. James, &c. who have all greatly contributed to adorn our Island with their curious Labours, and are daily embellishing it more.

I hope, therefore, the Reader will be agreeably entertained in viewing what I have collected with so much Labour. All the Drawings are either taken from the Buildings themselves, or the original Designs of the Architects, who have very much assisted me in advancing this Work: And I can, with great Sincerity, assure the Publick, That I have used the utmost Care to render it acceptable; and that nothing might be Wanting, I have given the following Explanation to each Figure.

A N

AN
EXPLANATION
Of all the
PLATES
IN
The Firſt Volume.

S. Paul's Church, London, p. 3, 4.

THIS Noble Fabrick was begun by
Sir Christopher Wren, Anno 1672, and
happily finished by him, 1710. I
have made two Plates, the Plan and
Weft Front; and did intend the Se-
ction, but was prevented by the Ar-
chitect, who proposed to publish it
himself. I have omitted the Rufticks and fluting the
Columns in both Orders, to avoid the Confusion of fo
many Lines in fo firrell a Scale. Here is a Ruftick Bafe-
ment that carries two entire Orders, the firft is Corin-
thian, 4 Foot in Diameter, with a plain Entablature;
there is an Arcade all round the Building, that ferves for
Lights: The fecond Order is Compolite, proportion-
ably diminished with regard to the Inferior; here a
very rich Tabernacle reigns throughout the whole
Inter-Columnations, very like that excellent Mo-
del in the Rotundo at Rome, but with this difference,
that in this the Pedestal is pierced, to give Light. A
more particular Account is to be taken from the Deſign
by the Scale and Compafs, which would be too tedious
in this Introduction. The whole Fabrick is performed
in Stone, by thofe excellent and judicious Artifts, Mr.
Edward Sirong, Senior and Junior, whoſe confummate
Knowledge in their Proſection, has greatly contributed
to adorn the Kingdom; and it's beyond Exception, that
this is the fecond Church in the World.

S. Peter's at Rome, p. 5, 6, 7.

I
Thought it would not be improper to preſent the
Curious with the Plan, Elevation, and Section of
this Majefick Building; and the more that I dare faſ-
ely aver, that it's the moſt correct, with reſpect to the
Truth of Architecture, or Cleaſnels of Engraving, that
was ever published; and the Reader may have the Sa-
tisfaction to view both, reduced to Britisb Meaſure.
The Criticks generally condemn the exceſſive Height of
the Artick, which they confine to a third of the inſe-
riouſ Column. That the Pediment, supported by a
Terraſtyle, is mean for ſo great a Front, which at least
would demand an Hexatyle; that the Breaks are tri-
fling, and the Parts without any Proportion; that the
great Body of the Church, projected by Carlo Maderno,
has extreameſt injured the Auguſt Appearance of the
Capula, which is very much loſt by being removed ſo

far from the Eaſt Front, contrary to Michael Angelo's
Deſign, who conformed the whole Plan to a Square,
wherein he deſcribed a Grecian Croſs. But all agree,
that the Width is noble, and the Capula admirable:
It was begun Anno 1513, and finifhed 1640.

A new Design for a Church in Lincolns-Inn Fields, p. 8, 9.

THIS Deſign I made, at the Deſire of ſome Per-
fons of Quality and Diſtinction, when it was
proposed to have a Church in the Noble Square. The
Plan is reduced to a Square and Circle in the Middle,
which, in my weak Opinion, are the moſt perfect
Figures. In the Front I have removed the Angular
Towers, at ſuch a diſtance, that the great Capula is
without any Ambarſs: Here is a regular Hexatyle
that commands the Front, which, with the other
Parts, are all in certain Meaſures of Proportion. I
have introduced but one ſingle Corinthian Order, ſup-
ported by a full Bafement, and finifhed with an At-
tick and Balluſtrade. The Capula is adorned with a
ſingle Colonade of detached Columns; the whole is
dreſd very plain, as moſt proper for the sulphurous
Air of the City, and, indeed, moſt conformable to the
Simplicity of the Ancients. Done Anno 1712.

S. Philip's Church at Birmingham, p. 10, 11.

THIS Church is deſigned by the ingenious Mr.
Archer; and is juſtly eſtimated a very beauti-
ful Struſture. Anno 1710.

The Banquetting Houſe at Whitehall, p. 12, 13.

THIS incomparable Piece was deſigned by the
immortal Jones, as one Pavilion for that admi-
rable Model he gave for a Royal Palace; and if this
Specimen has juſtly commanded the Admiration of
Mankind, what muſt the finifhed Pile have produced ?
I hope Britain will ſill have the Glory to accomplih
it, which will as far exceed all the Palaces of the Uni-
verſe, as the Valour of our Troops and Conduct of
our Generals have ſurpaffed all others. Here our ex-
cellent Architect has introduced Strength with Polite-
neſs, Ornament with Simplicity, Beauty with Maje-
ſty: It is, without Diſpure, the firſt Room in the
World, and was built Anno 1616.

The