The architecture of humanism; a study in the history of taste

THE ACADEMIC

TRADITION 197

All this was eagerly

received, but most eagerly

of all were welcomed the famous

'

Rules.'

'

The

capitals mustbe such

that the lengthandbreadth

oftheabacusare

equaltothediameterofthelower

part of thecolumn and one eighteenth more; the

wholeheight

(includingthe volute) must behalfa

diameter. The face ofthe volutesmust recede by

onethirty-ninthfractionof

the

widthoftheabacus,

behinditsextremeprojection.'

Andsoforth,

through

alltheinfinitedetailofclassicarchitecture. Onthose

reconditeprescriptions the humanistarchitects fas-

tened

;

these they

quoted, illustrated,

venerated,

praised

;

and these they felt themselves at total

libertytodisregard.

Ill

Forit is

too

often forgotten

by

those whoassail

1

the

influenceofVitruvius,howlittleinthe

curiously

dualnatureofthe Renaissancearchitectthe zealof

thescholarwasallowed

to

subjugatethepromptings

i

of

theartist. True,thezealofscholarshipwas

there,

anditwasa newforce in architecture

;

but,

fortu-

natelyforarchitecture,theconscience ofscholarship

thebasketwithasquarepavingestone. Thatdone,

withweeping

tearsshesayde,Letpleasuregowythpleasure; andso

thenourishe

departed. Itchancedthatthebasketwasset

uponacertainrooteof

anherbecalledAcanthos,infrencheBranckursine,or

bearefotewithus.

Now
inthespringtimeoftheyere,wheneveryroote

spreadethfourth

his
leaves,intheencreasingtheydidronneupby

thesidesofthebasket,

until
theycouldrysenohigherforthestone,

thatcoveredthebasket

;

and
sogrewtothefashionthatVitruvius

callethVoluta.' CaHmachus

of
Corinth,passingby,borrowedtheidea

fortheCorinthianOrder.