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/ 
 
 THE 
 
 YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT; 
 
 or, 
 
 A SYSTEM OF ARCHITECTURE, 
 
 ADAPTED TO THE 
 
 STYLE OF BUILDING IN THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 BY OWEN BIDDLE , 
 
 HOUSE CARPENTER, AND TEACHER OF ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING, 
 PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY JOHNSON AND WARNER, , 
 
 AND SOLD AT THEIR BOOK STORES IN PHILADELPHIA, AND RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. 
 William Brown, Printer, Church Alley. 
 
 181 
 
 / 
 
District of Pennsylvania , to wit : 
 
 BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the fifth day of July, in the thirtieth year of the Independence of the 
 United States of America, A.D, 1805, Benjamin Johnson of the said District, hath deposited in this office the 
 title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, to wit: 
 
 i( The Young Carpenter’s Assistant ; or, a System of Architecture, adapted to the Style of Building in the 
 “ United States. By Owen Biddle, House Carpenter, and Teacher of Architectural Drawing, Phila- 
 <( delphia.” 
 
 In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, intituled, “ An Act for the Encourage- 
 ment of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of 
 such copies during the times therein mentioned,” And also to the Act, entitled, “ An Act supplementary 
 to an Act, entitled, <e An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, 
 and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned,” and extend- 
 ing the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints.” 
 
 D. CALDWELL, Clerk of the District of Pennsylvania , 
 
PREFACE 
 
 HAVING been for some time past in the practice of teaching the rudi- 
 ments of Architecture, I have experienced much inconvenience for want of 
 suitable books on the subject. All that have yet appeared have been writ- 
 ten by foreign authors, who have adapted their examples and observations 
 almost entirely to the style of building in their respective countries, which 
 in many instances differs very materially from ours. Hence the American 
 student of Architecture has been taxed with the purchase of books, two- 
 thirds of the contents of which were, to him, unnecessary, when at the same 
 time, in a large and expensive volume of this kind, he lias not always been 
 able to find the information wanted. 
 
 Nothing on Architecture has heretofore appeared in this country, where 
 the field for improvement in every useful art and science is, perhaps, more 
 extensive than in any other. Why there has not, appears to me matter of 
 surprise, whilst we have among us men of talents, fully acquainted with the 
 subject, some of whom are also men of leisure: perhaps they have not 
 viewed the subject in the same light, or given to it the same degree of im- 
 portance that I have. For my part, I can conceive of few objects of more 
 consequence in a new and improving country like our own, as it regards 
 our health or convenience, or as it may gratify the fancy, than the proper 
 construction and building of our houses: whence I conclude it a matter 
 of interest, not only meriting the attention of every carpenter, but of every, 
 man who has time and inclination to devote to the study, and more espe- 
 cially such who may have occasion to build. 
 
 Under the influence of these impressions, and at the solicitation of some of 
 my friends, I have been induced to this undertaking. How far I have suc- 
 ceeded I leave to those who are capable of judging:— No doubt they will 
 discover in it some imperfections, yet surely it will not be considered as ar- 
 rogance in me to conclude it better adapted to the peculiar circumstances 
 
 
4 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 of this country than any foreign production of the kind. I have not, from 
 prejudice, omitted any thing useful contained in the books already published 
 on the subject — neither have I, on account of their authority, or from par- 
 tiality, retained any thing I apprehended useless to the young Carpenter of 
 the United States. The proportion of the four Orders I have taken from 
 Pain’s Works, with but little variation; and for some of the Geometrical 
 problems I am indebted to Peter Nicholson, whose works are held in de- 
 served estimation. In stairs and framing roofs I have given the most recent 
 improvements of this country, and have endeavoured through the whole to 
 adapt the explanations to the capacities of learners, which accounts for a 
 minuteness that may possibly appear tedious to those who need no instruc- 
 tion. 
 

 ✓ 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 
THE 
 
 YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 AS this work is intended for the student in Architecture it seems requi- 
 site to give some directions respecting the necessary instruments for draw- 
 ing, %c. 
 
 Fig. A, Plate l, is a representation of a draught-hoard, to which the paper 
 used in drawing is to be fixed. This board is composed of a frame of ma- 
 hogany or other hard wood (the outside edges of which should be exactly 
 straight and square) with a pannel about half the thickness of the frame, to 
 be let in from the back, and to lie in a rabbit in the frame, there to be se- 
 cured by small wooden buttons. Fig. B is a section of the board, a and h 
 are the buttons by which the pannel is kept in its place ; eight or ten of 
 these may be necessary. The pannel should be clamped, to remedy any dis- 
 advantage attending the shrinking of the wood. It would not be amiss before 
 making the draught-board to ascertain the size of the paper to be used, and 
 make the pannel about 2 inches less each way than the sheet. In applying 
 this board to use, lay the paper on a table, and moisten one side of it with a 
 wet sponge, place the board upside down near it, take out the pannel and 
 lay it on the paper, one inch of which will extend beyond the pannel all 
 round, take hold of the edges of the paper and lift them both into the frame, 
 fasten the buttons and dry the paper by the fire, when it will be smooth as 
 a drum head. 
 
 Fig. C is the T square, the blade of which should be long enough to reach 
 nearly across the draught-board, and should not exceed three-sixteenths of an 
 
 B 
 
 f 
 
6 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT. 
 
 inch in thickness. Similar in form to this a bevel may be made, with the 
 blade moveable on a centre in the stock. The application of these in draw- 
 ing parallel lines on the draught-board is so obvious that I need not des- 
 cribe it. 
 
 In choosing a case of mathematical instruments, attention should be paid 
 to its containing the scales of equal parts on the thin ivory or box rule, as in 
 drawing the four Orders of Architecture, they are all proportioned by such 
 a scale; which indeed is the case with almost all Architectural drawings, and 
 with a little attention the student will generally be able to find a scale ready 
 made with greater accuracy than he would be able to make one himself. 
 The case should also contain a bow-pen or compass, a useful instrument 
 for drawing very small circles. With these, a small piece of gum elastic for 
 rubbing out black lead lines, a stick of Indian ink, two camel’s hair pencils, 
 one large, the other small, and a black lead pencil will constitute the in- 
 struments necessary in learning Architectural drawing. It may be proper 
 to observe that no kind of ink should be used except Indian ink; for draw- 
 ing lines this should be dissolved some time before it is to be used, but for 
 shading it is best to drop a little water on a plate or saucer, and rub the 
 stick of ink in it till it is of a proper shade. 
 
 I shall now proceed to explain some of the most useful geometrical prob- 
 lems, which every Carpenter ought to be acquainted with. 
 
 To raise a perpendicular or plumb line from a given point on a straight 
 line 
 
 Let a fig. E, be the line, and c the point given, from which the perden- 
 dicular is to be drawn: take any space with the compasses at random, as cb ; 
 with that space set oft’ c a and cb; then place one foot of the compasses in 
 a, and extend the other beyond c, and describe a small part of a circle, as at 
 d; then with the same extent of compasses place one foot in b , and make 
 a part of a circle to cross the other at d; through the intersection of these 
 circles a line drawn to e will be perpendicular or plumb. 
 
 From any given point over a right line to let fall a line which will be per- 
 pendicular to that right line : — 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT. 
 
 7 
 
 Let c fig. F be the point given ; and a b the right line, with one foot of the 
 compasses in c extend the other foot so as to describe the arc or part of a cir- 
 cle ab ; place one foot of the compasses at the intersection of this arc with 
 the right line at b , and extend them so as to describe a small arc at d; with 
 the same extent of the compasses place one foot in the intersection at a and 
 cross the arc at d; draw a line from c through the intersection of the arc at 
 d, and it will be perpendicular to the right line a b . 
 
 On the end of a right line to draw a line which will be perpendicular or 
 at right angles with that right line: — 
 
 Let a b fig. G be the right line ; at some point over this line, as at d, place 
 one foot of the compasses and extend the other to the end of the line at Ih 
 and describe the circle at ab c through the intersection at a and the centre 
 at d, draw the line a d c, from c draw the line c b which will be perpendicular 
 to the line a b. 
 
 To describe a square whose sides shall all be equal to a given right line: — - 
 
 Let a b fig. H be the line given; with one foot of the compasses on a des- 
 cribe the arc fc b; then with one foot in b describe a c e, divide the space c 
 b into two parts at d; with the extent c d in the compasses set off cf and ce; 
 connect a fife and e b and the square will be complete. 
 
 To lay off a square with a ten foot rod : — - 
 
 Let a b fig. I be the given line ; with eight feet of the rod from b make a 
 mark at «, with six feet from b describe an arc at c; and with ten feet from a 
 cross the arc at c; draw the line from the intersection at c to b and it will be 
 square with the line a b . 
 
 Three points (not in a right line) or a small part of a circle being given to 
 find a centre which will describe a circle to pass through the point or complete 
 the circle:— 
 
 Let ab c fig. K be the three points or part of a circle given ; to find the 
 centre of which, place the foot of the compasses in a and describe an arc at d 
 and c, with the same extent place one foot of the compasses in b , and cross 
 the arcs of d and c; and at the same time describe arcs at e and f* then with 
 the same extent of the compasses and one foot in c cross the arc at e and fi, 
 draw lines through the intersections of the arcs at d and c to g; and through 
 the intersections e and jf to g; the intersection of these lines at g is the centre 
 by which a circle may be drawn to pass through the points a h c t 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 8 
 
 To describe an Ellipsis mathematically to any given length and breadth: — 
 
 Let A C fig. A Plate 2 be the transverse, and B B the conjugate diame- 
 ters ; take half of 35 D and set it in from C to 0 ; divide what remains from 
 0 to 3 into three equal parts: set one of these parts from 0 to a; make the 
 distance from 3 to b equal to the distance from 3 to a, with the extent a b in 
 the compasses describe the arcs dbc and dac; these four points are the 
 centre by which the Ellipsis is drawn, and the dotted lines passing through 
 them and touching the Ellipsis mark how much of it is drawn by each centre. 
 
 To describe an Ellipsis with a tramel:— 
 
 AECD fig, B represents the tramel, being two strips crossing each 
 other at right angles and halved together. In the middle of these strips is a 
 groove, a d is the tramel rod on which are blocks made moveable like gauge 
 heads, with a pin to each small enough to slide along the groove ; at d is a pen- 
 cil ; fix the block or pin c so far from d as to be equal to half the conjugate dia- 
 meter, and the block or pin b so far from d as to he equal to half the transverse 
 diameter, place the pins in the groove of the tramel and on sliding them along 
 the pencil at d will describe an Ellipsis, 
 
 An Ellipsis being given to find the centre and two axes thereof : — 
 
 Let ABC!) fig. C he the Ellipsis ; draw a line at random, as a 6, through 
 another part of the Ellipsis draw d e parallel to ah; through the middle of 
 each of these draw ej, \ on the middle of which is the centre of the Ellipsis, on 
 which, with an extent of the compasses of less than half the transverse and 
 more than half the conjugate diameters, describe the circle intersecting the 
 Ellipsis in g hi and k ; through the middle of gh and ik draw the line A C 
 which is the transverse diameter; bisect or divide this at right angles and it 
 will give the conjugate diameter. 
 
 To describe a regular Polygon of any number of sides, the length of one 
 side being given : — 
 
 Let a b fig. D be the side given ; on* one end as b with any convenient ra- 
 dius or extent of compasses describe a semicircle; divide the round of this 
 into as many parts as the Polygon is to iiave sides, leave out two of these 
 parts, and with the length a b in the compasses set off from b to c, then from 
 c to d, then d to e; when this is done, place the compasses on a, set off af, \ 
 then fg , connect g and r, and the Polygon is completed. 
 
PL J'J 1 . //. 
 
 s/.w 
 
i 
 

 PL //'A'. ///. 
 

 THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 PLATE . 3 . 
 
 To describe an Octagon within a square, fig, 1:— « 
 
 Draw the diagonal a 6, and with the extent h d draw the are cde, then 
 will e f be the quantity to lay off from each corner of the square, or if it is 
 a piece of wood, to set the gauge for the quantity to be taken off from each 
 corner. 
 
 To describe a segment of a circle of large radius with a train el, fig. 2:— 
 
 Let a b be the chord, and d c the height of the segment; lay a strip with 
 a straight edge from b to c, and then another from c to e parallel to a by 
 fasten them together and brace them with a lath, fix pins in the points a c 
 and fi, and slide the frame or tramel along these pins, and the angle of it will 
 describe the segment required. 
 
 To draw a segment of a circle by intersecting lines, fig. 3 
 
 Let ah be the length or chord of the segment, and c d the height; 
 draw the chord line db , at right angles to which draw A e; through d and 
 parallel to aft, draw fde ; divide fe and ah into any even number of 
 parts, say 10, connect those divisions by the line 1 1, 2 2, 3 3, ; draw 
 
 b h perpendicular to a §, and diyide it into 5 parts ; from the centre d draw 
 lines to these divisions, and where these lines cross the lines 11, 2 2, 3 3, 
 %c., are the points through which to trace the segment. 
 
 To draw the arches of a groin, so that they shall intersect or mitre truly 
 ■together, over .a straight line, from a given arch of any form, .fig. 4: — ■ 
 
 € 
 
10 THE YOUNG- CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 A is the plan to be covered, B the arch of one side, which is here a semi- 
 circle, draw the chord line a ft, which divide into any number of parts ; from 
 the centre draw lines through those parts, touching the arch, draw ft c per- 
 pendicular to the base line, and from the crown of the arch at a, draw lines 
 through the points of intersection of the former lines with the arch line, to 
 the perpendicular line ft c ; lay off the width of one of the other arches as 
 ft c at C being the width of one end of the plan A, set up the height of the 
 middle of the arch the same as B, draw the two chord lines a ft and a c, di- 
 vide them into the same number of parts as a ft in B, transfer the perpendi- 
 cular line ft c from B to C, draw lines from the middle of the base through 
 the divisions on the chord line, and from the top of the arch to the divisions 
 on the perpendicular line, through the intersection of these lines the arch 
 line required may be traced: I) is the form of the groin or diagonal bracket 
 traced in the same manner. This method may be applied to arches of any 
 form whether Elliptical, Circular or. Gothic. 
 
 To divide a right line into any number of equal parts, fig. 5 
 
 Let A B be the right line given, to be divided into eight parts ; from one 
 end of it as at A, draw a line making an acute angle, as the line A a, from - 
 the other end of the line at B, draw another line parallel to A a, as B ft, 
 set off on these two lines, beginning at A and B, the number of divisions 
 required, without regard to their turning out to the length of the line, as 1, 
 2, 3, 4, fijc. connect these by the lines 1 7, 2 6, and where these lines 
 cross the line A B is the point of division required. 
 
3 -Parts 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 if 
 
 PLATE 4 
 
 REPRESENTS A FEW 
 
 MOULDINGS* 
 
 The centres for drawing which, being all represented, are perhaps suffi- 
 ciently clear. 
 
 The Consol or Key, should be in height equal to twice its width at bot- 
 tom. 
 
 The Yase and "Baluster are to shew the manner of drawing compound 
 circular lines, the meeting of the dotted lines shewing the centre. The stu- 
 dent will observe, that when it is required to draw two or more circular 
 lines of different radii, which are to appear smooth round, the two cen- 
 tres and the place of meeting of the different circles, should always be in a 
 right line. - 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT. 
 
 1 % 
 
 PLATE 5> 
 
 Fig. A shews the method of enlarging a draught of a cornice ; let the 
 line a ft be the height to which it is required to enlarge the cornice. 
 Wherever this line crosses the different members of the draught mark it, 
 and these marks will give the height of the different members of the enlarged 
 cornice. To find the projection, enlarged in proportion: from the point c 
 directly over the front of the wall draw the line cd at right angles or 
 square with the line a ft, on this line square over the projection of the dif- 
 ferent members of the draught, and that will give the projection required. 
 
 Fig. B is the method of contracting a draught. Let a ft he equal to the 
 height of the cornice required, from b draw the line h c, and where that 
 crosses the different members of the draught, draw lines perpendicular to 
 cross aft, which will be the height proportioned. To find the projection, 
 contracted in proportion: from c draw the line ca at right angles or square 
 with h c, then draw down the projection of the draught on this line, and 
 from this line carry them square out to the line dr, ♦which will be the 
 projection contracted in proportion to a ft. These two cornices with figures 
 C and' 33, may serve as examples for the student to apply to frontispieces, 
 and the other three E, F and G are examples of Stucco cornice in the 
 present fashion, of which G may ..serve where the story is low, and but little 
 room over the window. 
 
PJ..ITE. / 
 
Tmboui Sc. 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 PLATE 6, 
 
 Fig. A shews the manner of finding the form of a raking cornice, which 
 will mitre with a level one ; and the return at top for an open pediment. 
 Let a be the level cornice ; from the face of this, nearly at equal distances 
 apart on the face, draw lines parallel to the rake, then draw the level lines 
 11, 2 2, §e. from the face of the cornice a to the perpendicular line de$ 
 draw fg at b square with the rake, and make 11, 2 2, $jc, at h equal to 1 1 5 
 2 2, fyc. at a; and trace the cornice through the points 1, 2, 3, 4, 
 which will be the form of the cornice required. The return at top is set oft" 
 in the same manner from the perpendicular line h i, excepting that the pro- 
 jections at a are taken on the raking line. 
 
 Fig. B is the method of finding the sweep of a comice which will bend 
 round a circular wall and stand on a spring. Let a be a plan of the wall, d 
 the centre of it, and h the cornice drawn to its proper spring: draw the line 
 c e touching the face of the cornice, and continued till it intersects a line 
 drawn perpendicular from the centre d, the intersection at c will be the cen- 
 tre from which to draw the cornice. 
 
 Fig. C is the method of drawing a cornice, to bend round the inside of 
 a room, which being done by the same rule as the former, needs no further 
 explanation. 
 
 D 
 
14 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTERS ASSISTANT, 
 
 TO PROPORTION THE FOUR ORDERS OF ARCHITECTURE . 
 
 THE TUSCAN ORDER * 
 
 PLATE 7. 
 
 WHEN this order is to stand on a Pedestal, the whole height must he 
 divided into five parts, one of which is the pedestal, one fifth of the remain- 
 der is the Entablature, the other four fifths are the length of the Column 
 including the Base and Capital: This divided into seven parts, one of them 
 is the diameter of the Column just above its base; this diameter being 
 divided into sixty parts or minutes, is the scale by which all the mould- 
 ings are proportioned, both in height and projection: a reference to fig. 1 
 will explain the proportions. Fig. 2 shews the proportion of the mould- 
 ings, the heights, by the scale of 60 minutes, being set down on the outside 
 list marked at top with the letter H, and the projections measuring from 
 the perpendicular line of the shaft of the Column, and the front of the 
 Pedestal, in the other list marked P. The Column in this order is di- 
 minished to 45 minutes at its upper end. 
 
 * Of the Tuscan there are no examples of Antiquity remaining, excepting the Trajan and Antonine 
 Columns at Rome, which are generally reckoned of this Order, being nearer in their proportions and 
 mouldings to it, than to any other. It is supposed to receive its name from Tuscany, being more used 
 there than elsewhere. 
 
Plate 7 
 

 'f! mb 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT 
 
 <5 
 
 THE DORIC ORDER.* 
 
 PLATE 8. 
 
 THE general proportions of this Order are the same as the Tuscan, ex* 
 cepting that the diameter of the Column is one eighth of its length. The 
 Column in this Order is diminished at its upper end to 50 minutes ; the 
 width of the trigliphs in the frize is 30 minutes; the distance from the mid- 
 dle of one trigliph to the middle of the next, 7 5 minutes ; this should he at- 
 tended to in using this Order and those that follow, in Porticos, Colonnades, 
 $)C ; as a trigliph or modillion must always stand exactly oyer the middle of 
 the Column. The distance between the centres of modillions in this Order 
 is so great, that the Columns cannot be coupled, as they frequently are 
 in other Orders ; the flutes of the trigliphs are 5 minutes wide each, and sunk 
 2 and a half minutes. The plancers and underside of the modillion are 
 represented in Plate 13, and the method of drawing the scotia of the base 
 is shewn in Plate 10. 
 
 * Doric, so called from Doras, who, according to Vitruvius, built a Temple dedicated to Juno in the 
 City of Argos, wherein the proportions of this Order were used, and which were afterwards adopted by 
 the Cities of Achaia. 
 
 The ornaments of this Order clearly evince it to have been the first invented of all the orders of Archi- 
 tecture. In many instances the Columns were very short in proportion to their thickness, and without 
 bases ; and between the trigliphs there is generally placed a bull’s skull : the Architrave is sometimes 
 made much wider than here represented, with only one facia, but I have preferred these- proportions as 
 handsomer. 
 
16 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 THE IONIC ORDER." 
 
 PLATE 9 . 
 
 ONE fifth of the whole height of this Order is given to the Pedestal ; 
 one sixth of the remainder is the entablature, and the Column being divided 
 into 9 parts, one of them is the diameter. The Column in this Order is 
 diminished to 50 minutes at its upper end; the distance from centre to cen- 
 tre of the modillions is 3 1 minutes. 
 
 * Ionic, from Ion the son of Xuthus, who, building' a Temple to Diana, invented this Order. The 
 Ancients generally made their Capitals in this Order flat, and to face only one way j but the angular Capi- 
 tal being thought by many more convenient, I have here given that. 
 
Plate,, it. 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 17 
 
 PLATE 10. 
 
 To draw the Volute . 
 
 Divide tlie whole height of the volute, as in fig. 1, into 8 parts ; in the 
 fourth of these from the bottom draw a circle equal to one of those parts, 
 within which make the square ah cd, which for a clearer explanation is 
 transferred to fig. 2, on a larger scale, in the same position that the small 
 one is in the volute ; divide the square into 4 parts by the line 1 3 and 2 4, 
 divide each of these lines into 6 parts, and number them as is there repre- 
 sented; to draw the volute, place one foot of the compasses on 1 in the eye 
 of the volute, extend the other to 1 on the top of the volute, and draw round 
 to 2 on the edge of the volute, then place the one foot on 2 in the square or 
 eye, and draw the other round to 3, and so on taking each centre in nume- 
 rical order till it is all drawn ; to find the centre for the inside of the list, 
 set in from each centre one fourth of the distance from that to the next one, 
 as is represented in fig. 2 ; for the width of the list at top take one sixteenth 
 of the whole height, being 1 and a half minutes ; to draw that part of the 
 volute from 1 to 0, set the compasses at the bottom of the square. 
 
 Fig. 3 explains the manner of drawing the Scotia of the Attic Base ; di- 
 vide the height of the scotia into 3 parts, at the distance of one of these parts 
 from the top draw the line ah c, on which b and c are the centres for draw- 
 ing the scotia, and the line ah c is the limit of each quarter. 
 
 Fig. 4 is the Ionic Modillion, to draw which divide the bottom or pro- 
 jection into six parts, as 1, 2, 3, £yc. : two and a half of these divisions up 
 over a is the centre of from a to h ; under 2 one and a half divisions down, 
 is the centre of from b to c; and at 2 is the centre of from c to d; the line 
 ef from one centre to the other marks the limits of each arc. Here I will 
 take the liberty of remarking that when circles of different radii unite, and 
 are required to appear smooth round, the two centres and place of meeting 
 should always be on one line, as may appear in the two last examples. 
 
 Fig. 5 is the Ionic Capital on an enlarged scale, with a plan by which, a 
 clearer idea may be had of angular volutes. 
 
IS 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 THE CORINTHIAN ORDER.* 
 
 PLATE XL 
 
 THE general proportions of this Order are, one fifth of the entire height 
 for the Pedestal, one sixth of the remainder for the entablature, and one 
 tenth of the height of the Column is the diameter; the column diminishes to 
 50 minutes at its neck, the modillions are 11 and a half minutes wide, and 35 
 minutes from centre to centre of each, the dentils are 3 and a half minutes 
 wide, and the space between each two thirds of a dentil. For an enlarged 
 Capital and Modillion see next Plate. 
 
 * The following origin of the Corinthian Order is given by Vitruvius: 
 
 “A marriageable young lady of Corinth fell ill and died ; after the interment her nurse collected toge- 
 ther sundry ornaments with which she used to be pleased ; and putting them into a basket placed it near 
 her tomb; and lest it should be injured by the weather she covered it with a tile. It happened the basket 
 was placed on the root of an acanthus, which in the Spring shot forth its leaves ; these running up the sides 
 of the basket, naturally formed a kind of Volute, in the turn given by the tile to the leaves. Happily Ca- 
 limachus, a most ingenious sculptor passing that way was struck with the beauty, elegance, and novelty 
 of the basket surrounded by the Acanthus leaves ; and, according to this idea or example he afterwards 
 made Columns for the Corinthians, ordaining the proportions such as constitute the Corinthian Order.” 
 
 [. Rudiments of Ancient Architecture .J 
 
Plait, m 
 
I8/Hd 
 
/ v . / /'/: xjj 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 19 
 
 PLATE 12. 
 
 Fig. A is the Corinthian Capital, the height being figured from the scale 
 of minutes is plain to inspection ; to find the place for each leaf, draw a semi- 
 circle as a 4 j&, equal to the diameter of the neck of the Column, divide 
 the round of this into 8 parts, and from each of these draw lines through the 
 Capital; these lines mark the place of each stock, or middle of each leaf. 
 It may not he improper to remark that the inner break in the abacus or 
 upper moulding of the Capital should not have as much projection as the 
 outer one, as at d; if the real appearance of the moulding at d was given it 
 would be very near a straight perpendicular line, but as that would not look 
 well, a little liberty is taken to improve the appearance. 
 
 Fig. B is the same subject shaded, for the assistance of students. 
 
 Fig. C is the Corinthian Modillion, the parts being figured from the scale 
 of minutes ; fig. D is the eye of the Modillion on an enlarged scale ; the 
 centres are numbered, each centre serving for one quarter of a circle, and 
 these quarters are numbered in the Modillion. 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT 
 
 SO 
 
 PLATE 13 . 
 
 In tills Plate is represented the Planners of the Corinthian, Ionic, and Do- 
 ric Orders, at an external angle: the student may observe the Modillions 
 in all eases correspond with the Column; and in the Doric Order they are 
 enriched with drops, the shape of which is represented by the drops of the 
 triglyphs. 
 
PjLylTB. X®. 
 
 S ..... 
 

 
Pl. l TE KIE 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 
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 PLATE 14. 
 
 Of diminishing Columns . 
 
 Columns are sometimes diminished from the bottom, and sometimes the 
 diminishing commences at one-third of the height from the base. Fig. A 
 represents a Column with the lower third part undiminished; divide the up- 
 per two-thirds into any number of equal parts, say 5, as at 1 2 3 4 5 ; ah 
 at top is equal to the full thickness below, set in on each side from a and h 
 half the difference between the size of the Column at top and that at bottom 
 as a c and h d, divide each of these into the same number of parts that the 
 upper two-thirds of the Column is ; draw lines from e andjf to each of those 
 parts, and where these lines cross the divisions 12 3 and 4 will be the points 
 through which to draw the edge of the Column. 
 
 When Columns are made of plank glued up, the plank must each be di- 
 minished before glueing, in the same manner as if they were each a com* 
 plete Column. 
 
 Fig. B is a representation of a Column fluted; draw a semi-circle on each 
 end of the Column; divide the round of this into 12 parts, and each of these 
 again into 8 parts, 6 of these go to a flute and 2 to a fillet; observe that a 
 flute will always be exactly in the middle of the Column. 
 
 Fig. C. is a fluted Column^ shaded, to shew the effect. 
 
 F 
 
THE YOUNG- CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT.. 
 
 
 PLATE 15. 
 
 In this Plate are given the lines of a pitch pediment frontispiece ; in this 
 the Column is made ten diameters in height ; this is on a supposition that the 
 door is for a town house with a narrow front, in which case the true propor- 
 tion of the Orders may be dispensed with, and regard had to the general pro- 
 portion of the building; but in country houses where the front may be well 
 proportioned, the nearer we adhere to the Orders, the better will be the ap- 
 pearance in general. In fixing on the size of a door for the front of a house, 
 it is better to make it rather too large than too small, as few things will make 
 a house look meaner than a contracted front door; and where it will admit 
 of it. the door should be as wide as half its height. 
 

 
 
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 G. Biddle del. 
 
 W.KneafsJc. 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 $3 
 
 PLATE 16 . 
 
 In this plate the foregoing subject is shaded. I will here observe that 
 the light should always come from the left side, and at an angle of forty-five 
 degrees, or on a mitre, both horizontally and vertically, by which the sha- 
 dows of projecting moulding, §c. will be always equal to their projections ; 
 this will be better understood by examining the Plate. 
 
 As in geometrical drawings the relief or projection of the object can only 
 be shewn by the shading, the student should make it his business to under- 
 stand the effects of light and shade; in those parts that stand forward, or 
 project, the shade should be strong, and the part receiving the light should 
 be bright, and as the distance increases both lights and shades should be 
 weaker; all moulding, whether swelling or coving, will have both a stronger 
 light and shade than plane surfaces exposed to an equal degree of light, and 
 all surfaces on the same plane, not in a shadow, should have the same tint 
 or degree of shade. 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT, 
 
 m 
 
 PLATE 17 , 
 
 In this Plate is given a flat pediment frontispiece : the observations made 
 on the preceding example with respect to general proportions, will apply to 
 this* 
 
 After the student has fixed on the size of his door, lie will draw the arch, 
 and divide the half round of that into six parts, one of which is the width 
 of the key at bottom, and two of them will be its height, which is also the 
 top of the Columns : he may then find the diameter, and make a scale for 
 proportioning the mouldings. 
 
 PLATE 18 
 
 Is the foregoing, shaded. 
 
n.i7. 
 

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LJLTK \f\ 
 
 Scale cf J^ccC 
 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER S ASSISTANT. 
 
 m 
 
 PLATE 19 
 
 Is a Dormer window: the circular part of the sash is Gothic; in drawing 
 which the compasses should be kept at the same extent as in drawing the 
 arch, and the centre carried out on the top of the impost. If fluting or den- 
 tils are used for dormers, they should be larger in their proportions than in 
 common work, and the pitch of the pediment may be rather steeper than 
 in frontispieces, as the height will take off something from the pitch. 
 
2B 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT. 
 
 PLATE 20 
 
 Is a Venetian window in tlie Ionic Order. In giving a design for a win- 
 dow of this kind, the size of the glass should be made to correspond with 
 the entablature, so that it will be equal in height to one or two lights ; and 
 
 the sashes in the side window to range with the middle one. 
 
4 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT, 
 
 m 
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATION S. 
 
 THE four Orders of Architecture have been selected from such of the: 
 remains of Ancient buildings as are supposed to be the most beautiful; and 
 Paladio has been generally allowed to have been the best judge among the 
 Moderns, who have given the proportions of the remains of Antiquity ; the 
 proportions in this book are pretty nearly the same as his; the differences are 
 principally these: — There being no remains of Antiquity in the Tuscan Or- 
 der with an entablature, and Paladio having given a very poor one ; succeed- 
 ing Moderns have given that >rdcr an entablature near the proportion of 
 the others, which I have adopted. The Doric Order has no example of a 
 pedestal among the Ancients, and in the most admired building of Antiquity 
 in that Order, the Columns have no base; and I believe there is no example 
 remaining of the Ionic Order having modillions, but dentils only, though of 
 late modillions have been as frequently applied as dentils. In the foregoing 
 examples I have given to the Tuscan and Doric Order one-fifth of the 
 height, exclusive of the Pedestal, for the entablature; the Ionic and Co- 
 rinthian each have one-sixth ; in situations where there are one or more 
 Orders over another, this proportion in the upper should be altered; the 
 richer Order always being uppermost, the Ionic and Corinthian may then 
 have one-fifth for the entablature. These proportions are all for small 
 buildings, but if the buildings are large, exceeding 40 feet in height, the en- 
 tablature should increase proportionally; if one order only is used, the Tus- 
 can and Doric may have one-fourth, Ionic and Corinthian one-fifth; and if 
 several Orders are used, the Ionic and Corinthian may have each one-fourth 
 of the height of the Order, exclusive of the Pedestal, for the height of the 
 entablature. 
 
^8 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT 
 
 PLATES 21 and 22 
 
 Are four examples of Mantles. In ornamenting a mantle the young car- 
 penter would do well to endeavour at an imitation of something natural, and 
 not to cover his work with unmeaning holes and cuttings of a gouge. 
 
 Mantles and all other Architectural objects should always have a due pro- 
 portion of plain surfaces, as a contrast to the ornamented parts. With strict 
 propriety the faces of Architraves should never be fluted or carved ; it very 
 rarely occurs among the beautiful remains of antiquity, whose artists seem 
 to have understood true taste much better than those of the present day, or 
 their works would not have excited the admiration of so many ages. The 
 use of composition ornaments, on mantles, if judiciously chosen and placed, 
 may have a very good effect, but care should be taken not to overload the 
 work with them, and that there be a proper connection between the orna- 
 ments on different parts. 
 
Plate 
 
V. 
 

 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 m 
 
 PLATE 23 
 
 Of Intercolumniation , 
 
 This plate represents two Porticos, one Doric and the other Corinthian ; 
 it is necessary in all Orders where there are modillions that the Column 
 should be exactly under a modi!! ion. The Doric Order does not admit of 
 the Columns being coupled, as they are in the Corinthian ; the space from 
 centre to centre of the modillions or trigliphs being but 75 minutes, when 
 two columns with the bases touching would be 80 minutes from centre to 
 centre. The examples in the Plate are both of small porticos, and to admit of 
 a convenient space between the Columns, the intercolumniation, or space be- 
 tween the Columns, is greater than it should be when the Porticos are large, 
 and a graceful appearance is required; to admit of a free passage to the 
 door the middle Columns are placed further apart than the others, though 
 this is sometimes dispensed with, and the spaces made uniform. 
 
 
 H 
 
 
30 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 PLATE 24, 
 
 Of Hoofs . 
 
 This plate gives three examples of framing for Principal rafters for roofs ; 
 in designing these, the material for the covering should be considered; whe- 
 ther it would require a strong frame and steep pitch, as tile or slate, or whe- 
 ther shingles, or any kind of metal is to be used.— Both the strength of 
 framing, and the pitch of the examples in the plate, are 'calculated for shingles.. 
 
 It is a considerable improvement in framing principal rafters to keep them 
 below the purlins, and to let the Jack-rafters lay on the purlins ; the roof, 
 besides being much stiffer, being easier regulated, or kept straight on the 
 top ; and the feet of the rafters are brought so far from the end of the girder 
 as to be much stronger in their footing; the dotted lines at the foot of the 
 rafter, shew the shape of the tenon, which should be about half the thick- 
 ness of the rafter, and the ends to fit hard in the mortise.— A screw-bolt 
 to go through the girder up into the post, is a better way of supporting the 
 girder than a strap; the nut is let into the post in the same manner that a 
 bedstead screw is. 
 
 The customary pitch for roofs which are covered with shingles, is, one- 
 third of the span for the height; and to find the length of the rafter take half 
 the span and square it, and the whole height and square that, add the square 
 of these two together, and from that sum extract the square root, w hich will 
 he the length of the rafter. 
 
 Example. 
 
 Suppose a roof to span 45 feei ; to rise one third, or 15 feet 
 
 Half of 45 is 22.5 
 
 The height 15 
 
 22.5 
 
 15 
 
 11 25 
 
 75 
 
 450 
 
 15 
 
 450 
 
 
 
 Square of half span 506.35 
 
 •Square of the height 225 
 

2 ®h/ 
 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT, 
 
 81 
 
 Square of half span 506.25 
 Square of the height 225. 
 
 731.25(27.0 feet, length of rafter 
 
 4 
 
 47)331 
 
 329 
 
 540)225 
 
 PLATE 25, 
 
 Of Domes . 
 
 A is tlie section and B is the half plan of the framing for a dome to have 
 a vaulted ceiling and an opening for a sky-light; this frame is taken from P. 
 Nicholson, and to me appears to be abundantly too strong ; if we consider 
 that the purlins form a number of bands round a roof of this form, which 
 must burst before the roof falls in, we will find that we have little else to do 
 hut to connect the ends of the purlins so as to form hoops round the dome, 
 and it is impossible for the roof to fall in while the hoops are entire. 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT, 
 
 SB 
 
 PLATE 26 . 
 
 Borne of hoards and plank . 
 
 Fig. A is the section of a Dome made with thin boards and small pieces 
 of plank ; the principle of tills form of roof consists in placing a number of 
 hoops one above the other, and of such sizes as, when properly placed, will 
 form the contour of the Dome ; these hoops are here formed by pieces of 
 plank, represented by fig. D at the bottom of the Plate ; near each end of this 
 is a pretty long mortise, the position of these is shewn in the section A by 
 ddd; fig. C is one of the ribs or rafters with a mortise in the middle of it 
 long enough to receive two of fig. B, and at each end a sliding mortise of 
 half that length, represented in section A by c c c; when these are to be put 
 together, the wall plate (which should be of two thicknesses of boards, and 
 made to break joint (should be first laid, and then a piece of the rafter, fig. 
 C, should be fixed upright in its proper place and secured by a tenon at the 
 lower end, which must go through the plate ; it should be observed that the 
 rafters are of two thicknesses, which should break joint, of course one of the 
 first pieces should be but half the length of fig. C ; when one set of the raf- 
 ters are fixed all round, the pieces fig. B which form the hoops, or which I 
 shall call the purlins, are fixed in them and secured by wooden keys which 
 are driven, one on each side of the rafter through the mortise ; by driving 
 these keys more or less, the hoop may be lengthened or contracted, so as to 
 bring it to the exact form or contour of the Borne, after the first set of pur- 
 lins are fixed and properly keyed another set of rafters are placed, and then 
 another set of purlins, until the Borne is complete. 
 
 The figure in the plate, for the sake of making its parts more clear, has 
 been drawn considerably out of proportion, the materials being much too 
 large, and a much greater number of purlins, would be proper. This prin- 
 ciple of covering may he extended to a great span, and when the rafters 
 come too close together at the top, every other one may be left out. 
 
l y L 26. 
 
b. n 
 
 if. 'A hca 7- . 
 
 
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 _f/7/ Jl. 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTERS ASSISTANT* 
 
 ■33 
 
 PLATE 27, 
 
 Hip Roofs s 
 
 Fig. A is a square plan, to be covered with a Hip Roof; to find the length 
 of the hip rafter, draw the diagonals ah § c d which will bisect each other 
 at right angles at e; make ef equal to the height of the roof, and draw af 
 whicJi will be the length of the hip rafter; to find the bevel of the back, draw 
 i ft at right angles with ae to cut it in any point as ft, place one foot of the 
 compasses in ft and extend the other to the back of the rafter af and describe 
 a semicircle to cut the base line ae at g, then draw g i and g ft, which will 
 be the backing of the hip, as is shewn by the level at B; but the best way of 
 working it is by the side bevel at C, which is made by drawing I k parallel 
 to a e . 
 
 Fig. B is an oblong rectangular plan to be covered, with a ridge in the 
 middle ; make c d on the ridge equal to half the width a b and draw a cl, at 
 right angles to which make d e equal to the height of the roof, and draw a e, 
 which will be the length of the hip rafters ; as these may also answer for 
 sky lights, and the hip rafters of those are sometimes mitred together, the 
 bevel for the mitre is here given. 
 
 Fig. C is the same plan as the foregoing to be covered without any ridge; 
 draw two diagonal lines to cross each other in the centre at c ; draw ef equal 
 to the height of the roof and at right angles with a c, and draw af the hip 
 rafter; to find the backing draw mb at right angles with ac, and proceed 
 as in the former cases, when the two bevels I) and E will he found by mak- 
 ing their stocks parallel to the base line ac; at F is given the bevel for mi- 
 tring hips for sky lights, found by drawing op at right lines with the diago- 
 nal or base line. 
 
 Fig. 13 is an octangular plan; the hips are found in the same manner as 
 the preceding, by making the height ah at right angles to one of the base 
 
 lines, the bevel is shewn at E. 
 
 Fig. E is the plan whose sides are parallel hut the ends out of square; to 
 find the hips, on each end as a diameter, draw a semicircle, and from the two 
 centres draw the ridge, where the semicircles cross this will be the points to 
 draw the base lines for the hips ; the bevels F& G are found as before directed. 
 
 I 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT, 
 
 34j 
 
 PLATE 28, 
 
 In this plate is shewn the manner of drawing the section of an eave ; af- 
 ter the form of the cornice is fixed on, a section of it should be drawn either 
 by a proper scale, or to its full size, and then the joist should be drawn with 
 its lower edge on the plancere ; from the top of the cornice draw the pitch 
 of the roof, and from that set down the lath, rafters, £jc : and it will shew 
 the proper place for the raising piece. 
 
 To proportion the Cornice to the height of the Building. 
 
 Divide the whole height into nineteen parts; one of these will be the 
 height of the Cornice : this is a general rule, which may be varied to suit 
 circumstances, as in a very high building, a steeple for instance, it would be 
 too much ; and in a very low one it would be rather too little ; and as every 
 thing is in some degree regulated by fashion, this should be attended to : the 
 present fashion would he -something smaller than the above proportion. 
 

Pl./ITF. ffll. 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 35 
 
 PLATE 29. 
 
 Centres for Arches . 
 
 In making centres, the maimer in which the framing is strained should 
 be well understood, as frequently a piece of timber which is intended to 
 form a tie, and framed to answer the end of one, will by an alteration of the 
 pressure on the centre, in turning the arch, become a strut; and so vice 
 versa, a strut become a tie; and joints which it was expected would be 
 pressed hard, have become open, and required strapping to secure them. 
 
 Fig. A will explain a simple trussing for a centre; it is always expected 
 that the abutments for the arch, are sufficient for the centre, au4 that a tie- 
 beam across the bottom is useless, supposing the footing a and b are secure, 
 any two pieces of timber as a c, and c b connected at c like rafters, and foot- 
 ing at a and b, will bear any pressure at c, both acting as struts, and unless 
 they bend, the centre will not vary its shape at the point c; the same may 
 be said of a d and d b and also of a c and e b. 
 
 It is on this principle the centre Fig. B is drawn, a and b being the abut- 
 ments and c d and e corresponding with the same letters in fig. A, the pieces 
 fgh and i are both ties and stmts, and the joining of k and l into h should 
 be made like the footing of rafters, as ft is a tie for them while it forms a stmt 
 in a line with m and n to hear the pressure on the centre at c. In this frame 
 the scantling is all short, if timber could be procured long enough to reach 
 the length of the three pieces m h and n, it would be better to make it in one- 
 piece, and halve all the joints, the posts op and q might then be in two 
 thicknesses, and notched out to receive the frame between them, r and s are , 
 the striking wedges by which the centre is lowered after the arch is turn eel; 
 t and u the blocking by which it is supported. 
 
 It is of considerable importance in making centres for large arches that the 
 principle of equilibration or balancing of arches should be understood ; by 
 this is meant that the line of the arch should he of such a curve, as to have 
 no tendency in any part either to rise or fall; this curve is found by taking 
 
• THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 M 
 
 a chain of equal weight throughout, and suspending it from two points 
 placed as far apart as the arch is to span, and allowed to sag till it touches a 
 third point, placed equidistant from the others, and so far from a right line 
 connecting them as the arch is to rise; the chain will then describe the true 
 curve of an arch, which supposing the materials to be all equal in weight, 
 will have no tendency to rise or fall in one part more than another ; this is 
 called the Catenarian Curve , and is represented by fig. C, a and b being 
 the points of suspension of the chain and the span of the arch, and c d the 
 rise of the arch. It frequently happens that the arch is loaded more in one 
 part than another, as in a bridge filling up over the haunches to level the 
 road, to counterbalance this and preserve the equilibration of the arch, draw 
 a section of the filling up, hut w ith the drawing turned with the upper edge 
 downwards as d ef fig. C ; divide along this any number of equal parts as 
 at 1, 2, 3, ^c: and suspend to the chain ac b pieces of chain of the same 
 make from the points ghik fyc. so as they may fall over the divisions 12 3 
 %c : these chains being cut so as to just reach the line of the road d ef will 
 represent the filling in over the haunches and will make the chain a c b the 
 form of an arch that will he equally balanced. 
 
 In fig. D, I have given a curve which will he pretty near the Catenarian, 
 but drawn from centres with compasses, a is the centre ef the small part at 
 top, and b and c the centres of the other parts. 
 

 
 
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 *9 
 
Sc-cole, of Fe&fr 
 
TICE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT 
 
 37 
 
 PLATE 
 
 Of Stairs , 
 
 Fig. A is tlie plan of an open Newel Stairs, with two quarter-paces ; and 
 B is an elevation of the same, C being that part which is between the two 
 quarter-paces. 
 
 To draw the Ramp of the Rail • 
 
 When a section of the steps is drawn, place the newel posts in their places, 
 making them fair with the front edge of the steps, and draw the hand-rail, 
 making it 2 feet from the top of the steps to the top of the rail; lay off the 
 banisters, and let the mitre or key of the rail come on the first banister ; 
 this gives the height of the first newel post; make the other posts all the 
 same height, continue the line of the bottom of the rail up till it strikes the 
 edge of the newel post at a, fig. B, place one foot of the compasses on a as a 
 centre, and extend the other to h at the top of the rail on the post and draw 
 the arc he; then draw c d square with the top of the rail till it meets the 
 level of the rail on the post continued as b d, then will d be the centre for 
 sweeping the ramp. 
 
 K 
 
as 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT.. 
 
 PLATE 31. 
 
 A is the plan, and B the section or elevation of a circular or geometrical 
 stairs ; in drawing the plan I have made the circular steps to come beyond 
 the centre of the circular part the width of one square step, by that means 
 the ends of the circular steps are made wider and the difference in the rake 
 of the hand-rail between the square and circular steps is not so great as it 
 otherwise would be. 
 
 Fig. C shews the manner of drawing a bracket for the ends of the circular 
 steps which shall correspond with one made for a square step ; C is the 
 square-step bracket; draw any number of parallel lines across this as 1 2 
 and those parallel to it, then from the point e draw c d at any angle and 
 equal in length to the circular bracket, draw ordinates from the lines in C 
 as 2 3 and those parallel to it, touching the line cd; continue those lines 
 at right angles with c d as 3, 4, and those parallel to it; take the distance of 
 the ordinates from the line e c to the edges of the bracket C and mark them 
 on the corresponding line in the short bracket from the line d c and through 
 those points trace the form of the circular bracket. 
 
PUte C/ 
 

 
 
jPltt/C'31 
 
 f 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 89 
 
 PLATE 32, 
 
 To draw the Scroll for a Hand-rail* 
 
 Make a circle three inches and an half diameter, as ah cd fig. A; within 
 this make a square equal to one third the diameter of the circle, as efg 
 divide this into 36 small squares as is represented in fig. B on its full size, 
 and laid in the same position as in A, and with the centres numbered by 
 which the scroll is drawn; place one foot of the compasses on 1 in the square, 
 and extend them to c and draw round to 1 on the edge of the rail, then set 
 the compasses in 2 in the square and extending them to 1 draw round to 2 
 on the edge, and so on till the whole is drawn round to 6 ; to draw the out* 
 side of the rail, set in its thickness from 6 to 12, and go back by the same 
 numbers and the scroll will be complete. 
 
 To draw the curtail step . 
 
 At i k in fig. A place the thickness of a banister, and set out to l the pro- 
 jection of the nosing, with the same centres used for drawing the scroll, 
 draw this round till it meets the nosing at the end of the step drawn with the 
 same projection; the thickness of the banisters being setoff maybe drawn 
 round in the scroll and they maybe spaced off, making them the same dis- 
 tance apart that the other banisters are. 
 
 To draw the Face Mould . 
 
 Draw the pitch board ikl fig. A, making the base k I cut the scroll as near 
 its centre or widest part as possible; draw ordinates or parallel lines as mn 3 
 op, qr , Sjc. across the scroll; draw the line i l in fig. C, and make the spaces 
 Iw €cy t§ c. in fig. C agree with the spaces l w oc y fijc. on the line l i in fig. 
 A ; draw lines through those points in fig. C at right angles with i l as m nop , 
 £jc. take the distances from the line k l to the edge of the scroll at A, and 
 transfer them to C, as mu, op fijc. taking to the edge of the rail both inside 
 and outside ; through these points the face mould C may be traced with a 
 
■'40 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT?. 
 
 steady hand; continue the line of the pitch board in A up till it strikes the 
 riser of the second step, as from 8 to 7 and set that space off at C from 8 to 
 7, at which place square oyer a strong mark, the use of which will be ex- 
 plained hereafter. 
 
 To draw the Falling Mould . 
 
 Draw the pitch board at D, take off one sixth from the bottom and draw 
 the line 116 s take the distance from 1 1 to 6 in A, and set it from 11 to 6 
 in B, make the distance from 6 to s in B equal' to the distances round the 
 rail from 6 to s in A (being any distance beyond the first quarter,) by tracing 
 round with a small space in the compasses; divide the rake of the rail on 
 the pitch board and the level of it out to § into any equal number of parts 
 and by drawing intersecting lines the top of the rail is given. 
 
 The falling mould for the outside is drawn in the same manner, except- 
 ing the distance from 12 to 9 is taken from the outside of the rail from 12 to 
 9, % A. 
 
 In applying these to use, the mark at 7 on C should he made to corres- 
 pond with the edge a h of the pitch hoard in the falling moulds B and E. 
 
$U'-' 
 
 
THE YOUNG- CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 It 
 
 PLATE 33. 
 
 in this Plate is given two more examples of scrolls of different sizes, B and 
 D contains the centres for drawing, both figured. It may be well here to 
 observe, that in drawing the scroll, a line should be drawn from the centre 
 about to be used through the one used last, out to the edge of the scroll; this 
 shews where to commence the sweep for that quarter ; the dotted lines in A 
 and C will make this clearer. 
 
 h 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT, 
 
 m 
 
 PLATE 34 . 
 
 To draw the Moulds for an Elliptical Stairs , 
 
 The plan of the rail being drawn, and the ends of the steps being all of 
 equal width on the rail, it should be divided round into as many equal parts 
 as there are steps, then take the tread of any number of steps, suppose 8, and 
 let hh fig. H be the tread of 8 steps, on the perpendicular hm set up the 
 height of 8 risers, and draw the line m h which will be the under edge of 
 the falling mould; the Student will observe, that this falling mould will be a 
 straight line excepting a little turn at the landing; next mark the plan of the 
 rail into as many parts as there are to be pieces in the rail (in this there are 
 three,) then draw a chord line to the joints, as at E C and G; also draw lines 
 parallel to the chords to touch the convex sides of the rail as h ft, from eve- 
 ry joint draw perpendiculars to their respective chords ; now the tread of the 
 middle piece at C being just 8 steps, and the section II being for the same 
 number, set up hmn in B equal to limn in H, and make ih in B equal in 
 height to i h in H; then draw ni and draw the ordinates 1 12ft, 13 c, 6jc. 
 
 continued till they touch the line ni; prick off the ordinates on the face 
 mould from the plan C agreeable to the figuring, and trace the mould through 
 those points, and it will be complete. 
 
 The moulds for 33, and F, being only for 6 steps each, the tread of 6 steps 
 should be set off from ft to II in fig. H, and the height H k l set up from the 
 chord lines at 33 and F; as for the rest it is the same as B. 
 
/'4/a- 3 1 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
T/a/e 3J 
 
 w 
 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 48 
 
 PLATE 35 * 
 
 To draw the Moulds for glueing Hand-rails and Veneers * 
 
 Draw a plan of the rail, as A, on which mark the steps : the twisted part 
 of the rail which is to be veneered, should reach over one of the square 
 steps, both at top and bottom ; make a h in fig. B equal to stretch out of the 
 outside or greatest circle in fig. A and a c equal to the height of the risers^ 
 again d e is the compass of the lesser circle, set in the middle between a and 
 1) ; and df is the height of the steps the same as before, therefore the triangle 
 ah c is the pitch board for the inside falling mould, and bmo at bottom and 
 ihc at top are the pitch boards of two common steps ; which lines when in- 
 tersected will give the under line of the inside falling mould. In the same 
 manner dfe^ with the two common steps kgf at the top and elm at the 
 bottom will give the under line of the outside falling mould; the top lines 
 are only drawn parallel to the under side to the thickness of the rail. 
 
 In applying them to practice, draw a line t p to touch the mould in two 
 places ; this will represent the edge of the Plank, next square over several 
 lines, as p q where the moulds intersect, and at t s ? a , square over on the 
 plank lines corresponding with these, and mark oil* from the edge of the plank 
 the distances pq and ts on one side, and tr on the other, make the moulds 
 agree with these points, each one on its proper side, and mark off the rail i 
 the plank being of a sufficient thickness to allow for the saw curfs, wilt, 
 when cut out, and twisted, become square, and of the proper sise* 
 
44 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 PLATE 36. 
 
 Drawing Plans and Elevations. 
 
 In this Plate is given a Plan and Elevation of a small house; the Student 
 in drawing a Plan, will suppose the building to be raised just above the prin- 
 cipal floor, and the wall made level all round; and draw his plan to resem- 
 ble it as near as possible ; placing the partitions, doors, and windows in their 
 proper places ; the stairs should be drawn for the whole story to shew where 
 the landing for the next story will be ; in drawing the ground plan it will con- 
 siderably enliven the drawing to give the appearance of a shadow on one side 
 of the wall, by drawing one line thicker than the other; to do this he will 
 suppose the light to come from the left hand upper corner of the drawing, 
 and make the lines on the right hand and lower side of the walls and parti- 
 tions thick, and the other sides thin lines: this will be better understood by 
 closely inspecting the plans that follow. 
 

Plate. \\\/ // 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 4 5 
 
 PLATE 37 
 
 Is a Design for a large building; the dotted lines, AB, CD and EF shew 
 the place on the ground plan, through which the sections in the three foL 
 lowing plates are drawn, the letters on the sections corresponding with the 
 letters on the plans. 
 
 The plan in this Plate is for the principal story or first floor, and may be 
 disposed of as follows, viz. 
 
 a Portico. 
 
 b Hall. This is an octagon with the ceiling vaulted, and includes in its 
 height the mezanine, or small story between the two principal ones. See sec- 
 tion of Plate 38. 
 
 c Vestibule. This is lighted from a sky-light, and at the second story 
 has a gallery which gives a communication with the different rooms. See sec- 
 tion of Plate 38. 
 
 d Stairs. 
 
 e Saloon. This room includes in its height the mezanine, and has a mu- 
 sic gallery. See section of Plate 40. 
 
 f Dining room, with a recess for a side-board. 
 
 g Library. 
 
 h Breakfast parlour. 
 
 i Back stairs. 
 
 
 M 
 
40 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 PLATE 38 
 
 Contains a section of the same building as the foregoing, with the plan for 
 the Cellar or basement story. 
 
 In drawing a section, the Student will pay strict attention that it agrees 
 in all its parts with the plans for the different stories, and that the section 
 represents the building as it were cut through from top to bottom, on the 
 line of the plan, from which it is taken; a little liberty indeed may be taken 
 with stairs, as when the section cuts through them, to represent half of them 
 would not be as clear as if all was shewn. 
 
 The plan in this Plate may be disposed of as follows, viz. 
 
 a Maid servants’ room. The small stairs gives a communication with the 
 mezanine, and chamber over the library. 
 
 b Housekeeper’s room. 
 
 c Servants’ hall. 
 
 d Back stairs. 
 
 e Kitchen. 
 
 f Men servants’ room. 
 
 g h and i Beer and Wine cellars, £i$c. 
 
Pirate, xxt / iu 
 

 J* 
 
 
 
Plate \\\/x 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 47 
 
 PLATE 39* 
 
 The same building continued. The plan is for the Mezanine or small 
 story between the two principal stories ; of this a b c and A are the upper 
 parts of the Saloon, Stairs, Vestibule and Hall$ the others are small rooms 
 for servants, £$c. 
 
 Mezanine stories, or as they are sometimes called mezetti, are of use in a 
 large building, where some of the rooms are so large as to require more 
 height than common rooms, to be well proportioned ; the mezanine being 
 thrown into the height of the large rooms. And they also afford convenient 
 chambers for servants, more particularly those whose business it is to attend 
 on the master and mistress, by affording a room immediately under the cham- 
 bers occupied by them, with a private stairs for communication: were it not 
 for this, in very large buildings, the servants would frequently be unavoidably 
 lodged at a considerable distance from the heads of the family. 
 
48 
 
 THE YOUNGr CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 PLATE 40. 
 
 The same continued. The plan is for the second story, in which 
 
 a is the Vestibule, with a gallery of communication from the stairs to the 
 different rooms. 
 
 b and c two Chambers, with each an antichamber or dressing' room ; the 
 rest are private chambers, except d and e which are stairs. 
 
 In these plans it has been more my object to throw as great a variety into 
 a small compass as was readily practicable, than to give eligible plans for 
 the builder, thereby aiming at instruction for the Student, which indeed has 
 been my object throughout this work. 
 
PLAVJL 
 
 XL. 
 

THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 W 
 
 THE following Plates I have been induced to give, as containing four 
 different varieties in Architecture ; of these it is difficult to say which is the 
 most perfect. 
 
 PLATE 41 
 
 Contains a draft of the Frame of the bridge lately erected, by a Company 
 incorporated for that purpose, over the Schuylkill, at the West end of High 
 or Market Street; with a section of the Bed of that River. 
 
 The westernmost pier of this Bridge is sunk in a depth of water, unexam- 
 pled in Hydraulic-Architecture, in any part of the world ; the top of the rock 
 on which it stands being 41 feet 9 inches below common high tides.. Both . 
 piers were built within Coffer-dams. The dam for the Western pier was of 
 original and peculiar construction; the design furnished by William Wes- 
 ton, Esq. of Gainsborough in England, a celebrated Hydraulic engineer. 
 An idea of its magnitude may be formed when it is known that 800,000 feet 
 of timber (board measure) were unavoidably employed in and about it 
 It was executed, under the orders of the Building Committee of the Board, 
 consisting of the President and four, and sometimes five Directors (to whom 
 the master workmen express great obligations) by Samuel Robinson of this 
 city. Every disadvantage to which such difficult undertakings are subject 
 (the rock being, in sundry parts, nearly bare, and affording no footing for 
 the piles) opposed the progress of this. So that it could not be ready for the 
 commencement of the masonry, until the 25th of December, when the first 
 stone was laid; and the work continued in a severe Winter, to the height 
 then proposed. 
 
 The stone work was done by Thomas Yickers, under the orders, and with 
 the advice and constant attention of the same Committee ; assisted, on emer- 
 gencies, by all the members of the Board, and the Treasurer, who was 
 eminently useful on every occasion. The masonry is executed on a plan 
 
 N 
 
m 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 suggested to the mason, uncommon, if not new. The walls of the Abut- 
 ments and Wings are perpendicular , without buttresses; and supported bv 
 interior offsets. These are found completely competent to support the pres- 
 sure of the filling, without battering or e outre for is. The Abutments are 
 18 feet thick. The Wing wall s 9 feet at the foundations; retiring by off- 
 sets, ’till at the parapets they are only 18 inches. The eastern abutment 
 and wing walls are founded on a rock. Those on the Western side, are built 
 on piles. There are upwards of 7,500 tons of masonry in the Western pier. 
 Many of the stones, composing both piers, weigh from 3 to 12 tons. A num- 
 ber of massive chains are stretched, in various positions, across the piers. 
 These are worked in with the masonry; the exterior whereof is clamped, 
 and finished in the most substantial and workmanlike manner. 
 
 The Frame of the superstructure was designed and erected by Timothy 
 Palmer of Newbury-port in Massachusetts. It is a masterly piece of work- 
 manship; combining in its principles, that of King posts and Braces, with 
 that of a Stone arch. Half of each post, with the brace between them, will 
 form the vousseur of an arch; and lines through the middle of each post 
 would describe the radii, or joints. The letters ah c £jc. in the draught, re- 
 fer to the same letters below; where the manner of connecting the timbers 
 together, is shewn on a larger scale. The position of the letters are the same 
 with respect to eacli piece, in both places. Two of these, a and are dou- 
 ble, or in two thicknesses. There are 3 sections of the Frame, similar to the 
 one represented. That in the middle divides the space into two equal parts. 
 So that those passing, in opposite directions, are prevented from interfering 
 with each other. The Platform for travelling rises only 8 feet from a hori- 
 zontal line ; and the Top, or Cap pieces, are parallel to this. Of the sec- 
 tions the middle one has the most pressure; owing to the weight of transpor- 
 tation being thrown nearer to that section than towards the sides; to which 
 the foot-ways prevent its approach. These foot-ways are 5 feet in width; 
 elevated above the carriage-ways, and neatly protected by posts and chains. 
 T. Palmer is the original inventor of this kind of Wooden bridge- Architec- 
 ture. He permitted with much candour, considerable alterations in the plan, 
 on which he had erected several bridges in New-En gland. These were ac- 
 commodatory to the intended Cover, and were so much approved by him. 
 
THE YOUNG- CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 SI 
 
 that lie considers tlie Schuylkill Bridge superstructure the most perfect of 
 any he has built. 
 
 After the erection of the Frame, the Editor was employed by the Presi- 
 dent and Directors to perform the workmanship of the covering, agreeably 
 to a design furnished by them to him : this design of the Cover being orb 
 ginal, it is more surprising that it has not many faults, than that few, if any, 
 can be found. Especially as an accommodation to the Frame, created una- 
 voidable difficulties. The Editor was permitted to make some additions, 
 with the approbation of the Building Committee. He feels himself grateful 
 for the assistance he has had; and in participating with those who preceded 
 him, in the approbation of the work, by the Board and their Committee. At 
 their suggestion, the under work of the side covering is done in imitation of 
 masonry, by sprinkling the work with stone dust on the painting while fresh. 
 The smalting or spinkling was performed with so much ease and cheapness, 
 that it is hoped it will introduce a like mode of ornamenting and protecting 
 the surface of wooden elevations, of other descriptions, where protection and 
 ornament are required. 
 
 Commodious Wharves, on each side of the river, have been made by the 
 Company ; not anly to protect the foundations of the abutments and wings, 
 but with a view to profit. They co-operate with the other improvements, 
 to give a new and interesting front to our city. 
 
 It is a peculiar and interesting fact that (except the valuable assistance 
 rendered in its commencement by W, Weston, who was then about returning 
 to England) no scientific engineer has been employed, in any part of this 
 great undertaking. Neither the Board, or their committee who have been 
 constantly and actively engaged in all stages of the work, profess a scientific 
 knowledge of Hydraulic Architecture ; tho 3 they have now gained much 
 practical experience. Yet difficulties have been encountered and overcome 
 which would have called forth the talents, and practical knowledge, of the 
 ablest engineer. The mechanics and workmen (T. Palmer and his assis- 
 tants excepted) had, from the beginning of the undertaking, new and un- 
 known branches of their business to learn. Even T. Palmer is self taught 
 in the .art of wooden-bridge building; tho’ he has carried it to such high per- 
 
THE YOUNG- CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT. 
 
 5% 
 
 fection. It Is however believed that this bridge, in all its parts, both of ma- 
 sonry and wood work, will not suffer by a comparison with one so composed, 
 in any part of the world. Its workmanship and materials will stand the test 
 of the most rigid scrutiny. Both the plan and its execution, reflect credit 
 upon those concerned in the enterprize. So far as I have information, this 
 is now the only covered wooden Bridge, in any Country, except, perhaps, 
 one over the Limmat, built by the same Swiss carpenter who erected that 
 of Schauffhausen, since destroyed. I have frequently seen and carefully in- 
 spected the draughts of this much celebrated Bridge, and I am confident 
 that any intelligent and candid Architect, on examining the principles of 
 both, would give a decided preference to the Schuylkill Bridge. The de- 
 sign is more simple, its strength is greater, its parts are better combined 
 and more assistant to each other, and there is no useless timber, or unne- 
 cessary complexity in any part. 
 
 What I have just observed, as to those engaged in the direction or exe- 
 cution of the work of the Schuylkill Bridge, is not intended as adulatory, 
 or disparaging to any persons. But I have an ardent hope that others, in 
 similar undertakings, will be animated by their successful example ; when 
 labouring under the same, or greater disadvantages, arising from the want 
 of experienced and scientific professors of Architecture ; although w here 
 these can be had, for great undertakings, they ought undoubtedly, to be em- 
 ployed. 
 
 As a well-wisher to all public improvements, as a mechanic and one em- 
 ployed to close this eminently useful erection, I think it my tluty to mention, 
 and feel a sensible satisfaction in adding to the foregoing account' 
 
 That I have experienced the important advantages of ready and beneficial 
 advice, clear, promp and explicit orders, and timely and ample supplies. 
 Not a moment has been lost by delay and hesitation in directions, want of 
 provision of materials, or deficiency in punctuality of payment. This has 
 been constantly the case, thro’ the whole progress of the business, as the 
 workmen preceding me in its more difficult stages, have testified. Tho’ 
 heavy expenditures have been inevitably required, the greatest attention to 
 economy has been practised. 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT, 
 
 m 
 
 No interested or personal motives induce me to mention these circum- 
 stances. They are exemplary ; and essential to ensure the completion of 
 any extensive enterprize. To them, I am persuaded is to he chiefly attri- 
 buted, the success of this arduous work. From inattention, or incapacity 
 in these indispensible requisites, many public as well as private undertakings 
 in all countries have failed : and communities, and the individuals employed 
 in them, have been involved in disappointment and distress; if not in irre- 
 trievable ruin. 
 
 The Bridge has been 6 years in building, and cost about 275,000 dolls, 
 including the cash moiety of the purchase of the site ; for which 40,000 dolls, 
 were paid to the City Corporation, half in cash and half in Bridge shares. 
 
 Length of the bridge 
 Abutments and wing walls 
 Total length 
 
 Span of small arches each 
 Ditto of middle arch 
 Width of the bridge 
 Curvature of the middle arch 
 Ditto of small arches 
 
 Curvature or rise of the carriage way or road 
 
 Height in the clear over carriage way 
 
 Ditto from the surface of the river to the carriage way 
 
 Thickness of the pier 
 
 Length of ditto. 
 
 Depth of water to the rock at the western pier 
 Ditto at the eastern pier 
 
 Amount of toll when the work began for the year 
 1799, arising from the floating bridge 
 Present amount of toll on an average (1805) the 
 rates of toll in several instances being lower 
 than over the old floating bridge 
 
 ft. in. 
 
 55;) 00 
 750 00 
 1300 00 
 150 00 
 194 10 
 42 00 
 12 00 
 10 00 
 8 00 
 13 00 
 31 00 
 20 00 
 62 00 
 41 9 
 
 21 00 
 
 5,000 
 
 13,600 
 
 Dolh 
 
 O 
 
04 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT. 
 
 PLATE 42. 
 
 The Bank of Pennsylvania . 
 
 This beautiful building is entirely of Marble and is a neat specimen of the 
 Ionic Order, taken from an ancient Greek Temple ; - the design was given 
 by, and the building erected under the superintendence of Benjamin H. 
 Latrobe. The front extends 51 ft. in width, and the whole building, in» 
 eluding the Porticos front and back, is 125 ft. in depth. This building was 
 three years in hand, and was finished in the year 1799. 
 
Plate xlu 
 

 
 
s “1$$o 
 
P/^r/'/i xi,/// 
 
THE YOUNG CARPENTER’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 $5 
 
 PLATE 43, 
 
 Bank of the United States, 
 
 This superb Building is an elegant specimen of the Corinthian Order ; 
 the proportions taken from a Roman Temple called the Maison Quarree, 
 at Nisrnes, in the south of France. The front extends 94 ft by 72 deep ex- 
 clusive of the Portico. The design was given by Samuel Blodget of this 
 city, and was built about the year 1795* 
 
m 
 
 THE YOUNG CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT, 
 
 PLATE 44 
 
 Contains an elevation of the Steeple of Christ Church in Second Street, 
 which for the justness of its proportions, simplicity and symmetry of its parts 
 is allowed by good judges to be equal if not superior in beauty to any Steeple 
 of the spire kind, either in Europe or America. It was erected in the year 
 1755 by Robert Smith, who some time after took out the sills of the wooden 
 part which had begun to decay, and replaced them by others. 
 
 The superstructure of this steeple is composed of three distinct well-pro- 
 portioned parts of Architecture, the first story, with its small Pediments and 
 Attics, forming one ; the octagonal part, with its ogee formed dome, being 
 the second ; and the spire and its pedestal, the third. These three parts 
 are very dissimilar, no one having any thing in it that is common to the 
 others ; and yet they agree very well with each other, forming one complete 
 and consistent whole. 
 
 ;S. 
 
A 
 
 DICTIONARY OF TERMS 
 
 USED IN 
 
 ARCHITECTURE. 
 
 ABA — ANN 
 A. 
 
 ABACUS, the upper member of a column, 
 which serves as a covering to the capital ; to 
 the Tuscan, Doric and Ionic, it is square ; to 
 the modern Ionic and Corinthian, each side is 
 arched, or cut inwards, and is decorated in 
 the centre with a flower or other ornament. 
 
 Acanthus, a plant, whose leaves form an or- 
 nament in the Corinthian capital, and are 
 said to have originally given rise to that or- 
 der. 
 
 Acroteria, a kind of base, placed on the an- 
 gles of pediments, usually for the support of 
 statues, £cc. 
 
 Al^e, Ailes, also passages in theatres, houses, 
 &c. also in rooms, &c. the space between the 
 walls and the columns. 
 
 Amphitheatre, a place for exhibiting shows, 
 very spacious, of a round or oval figure, with 
 many seats rising on every side. The area in 
 the middle was called Arena , because it was 
 covered with sand, or saw-dust, to prevent 
 slipping, and to absorb blood. 
 
 Annulet, a small square moulding, which 
 serves to crown or accompany a larger, and 
 to separate the flutings in columns. 
 
 ANT— BAS 
 
 Ant^e, a species of pilasters on the extremity 
 of a wall, usually having no diminution, nor 
 do the mouldings of their capitals or bases 
 always resemble those of the columns. 
 
 Aqueduct, an artificial canal, built for the con- 
 veyance of water from one place to another, 
 either running under ground, or rising above 
 it. 
 
 Arch, part of a circle or ellipsis. 
 
 Architrave, the lowest principal member of 
 an entablature, lying immediately upon the 
 abacus of the capital. 
 
 Astragal, a small round moulding with two 
 annulets. 
 
 Attic Base, Ionic base. 
 
 B, 
 
 Baluster, small columns, or pillars of wood, 
 stone, 8cc. used on terraces or tops of build-- 
 ings for ornament, and to support railing, 
 and, when continued, form a balustrade. 
 
 Banister, the supports of an hand-rail of stairs. 
 
 Band, a general term for a low, fiat, or square 
 member. 
 
 Base, the lower and projecting part of a column 
 and pedestal. 
 
 p 
 
58 
 
 BUT— CAU 
 
 Butment, or Abutment , supporters, or props, 
 on or against which the feet of arches rest. 
 
 Buttress, a kind of butment, built sometimes 
 arch-wise, as to Gothic buildings; a mass of 
 stone or brick work, serving to prop or sup- 
 port buildings, wails, See. on the outside, 
 where their great height or weight require 
 additional strength. 
 
 C. 
 
 Capital, the uppermost member of a column, 
 which is a crown or head thereto, placed im- 
 mediately over the shaft, and under the ar- 
 chitrave ; no column is complete without a 
 capital, which has a distinguishing character 
 for each order.- — Tuscan and Doric capitals 
 consist of mouldings ; Ionic and Corinthian 
 capitals, of leaves and other ornaments. 
 
 Cartouche, an ornament in sculpture repre- 
 senting a scroll of paper, Sec. 
 
 Caryatides, a kind of order in Architecture, 
 in which a female figure is applied instead of 
 a pillar; the origin of which is thus handed 
 down by Vitruvius: the inhabitants of Caria, 
 a city of Peloponnesus, made a league with 
 the Persians against their own nation ; but 
 the Persians being worsted, they were after- 
 wards besieged by the victorious party, their 
 city taken and reduced to ashes, the men put 
 to the sword, and the women carried away 
 captives. To perpetuate the memory of this 
 victory, the conquerors caused public edi- 
 fices to be erected, in which, as a mark of 
 degradation and servility, the figures of the 
 • captives were used instead of columns, thus* 
 handing down to posterity their servility and 
 punishment. When figures of the male sex 
 are used, they are called Persians or Perses. 
 
 Cavetto, a concave moulding of one quarter 
 of a circle. 
 
 ■ Caulicoli, the little twists ©I* volutes under 
 
 CEL— COR 
 
 the flower on the abacus in the Corinthian ca- 
 pital, represent the twisted tops of the acan- 
 thus stalks ; are called also Helices. 
 
 Cell, in an ancient temple, is the inclosed space 
 within the walls. 
 
 Centre or Center , the support of an arch while 
 the masons are building it. 
 
 Cincture, a ring, list, or fillet, at the top and 
 bottom of the shaft of the column. 
 
 Circus, a large building for exhibiting eques 
 trian exercises in. 
 
 Coffer-dam, a large frame constructed for the 
 purpose of erecting works on the bottom of 
 deep waters ; the Coffer-dam being water- 
 tight and surrounding the place intended to 
 work on, is emptied of the water and leaves 
 the bottom bare. 
 
 Collar-beam, timbers placed across a roof 
 from the middle of one rafter to another. 
 
 Cqllarin, or Collarino , the neck or frize of 
 a Tuscan or Doric capital. 
 
 Colonnade, a series or continuation of co- 
 lumns. 
 
 Column, a round pillar used in Architecture, 
 to adorn or support. Columns are of four 
 kinds; the Tuscan , Doric , Ionic , and Corin- 
 thian, each of which has its particular pro- 
 portion. The term includes the base and the 
 capital. 
 
 Conge', a small moulding which serves to se- 
 parate larger ones, called also List or Annu- 
 let. 
 
 Console, an ornament cut on the key-stone of 
 arches, with a projection, capable of support- 
 ing busts, vases, &c. 
 
 Contour, the outiine of a figure, or piece of 
 Architecture. 
 
 Copin-g of a wall, the top or covering made 
 sloping to throw off water. 
 
 Corbeille, carved work, representing a bas- 
 ket with fruits or flowers, serving as a finish 
 
59 
 
 COR— DRG 
 
 to some other ornament. It sometimes is ap- 
 plied to the vase of the Corinthian capital, the 
 word originally meaning a basket. 
 
 Corinthian order , one of the four orders of Ar- 
 chitecture. 
 
 Cornice, the upper assemblage of members in 
 an entablature, commencing at the frize ; each 
 order has its particular cornice, with suitable 
 enrichments. To the Tuscan it is quite 
 plain; to the Doric are added gutt<z, or bells 
 in the soffit: the Ionic has plain modillions; 
 the Corinthian is much enriched, and has mo- 
 dillions. 
 
 Corona, a large flat and strong member in a 
 cornice, called also the Drip, or Larmier ; its 
 use is to screen the under parts of the work, 
 and, from its shape, to prevent the water run- 
 ning down the column; it has always a large 
 projection to answer its proposed use. 
 
 Corridor, a gallery or passage in large build- 
 ings, which leads to distinct apartments. 
 
 Cupola, a round roof or dome, in the form of 
 an inverted cup. 
 
 Gym a, Cima , or Cymatium , a species of mould- 
 ing, which is generally the upper one to an 
 entablature. There are two sorts of this 
 moulding, the cyma recta and cyma reversa , 
 which is commonly called an ogee. 
 
 D. 
 
 Dentele, an ornament resembling teeth, used 
 in Ionic and Corinthian cornices. 
 
 D ie, the square or naked piece in a pedestal, 
 that part which is between the base and the 
 capital. 
 
 Dome, a spherical roof.— -See Cupola . 
 
 Doric order y one of the four orders of Archi- 
 tecture. 
 
 Drops or Gutta, in the Doric entablature, are 
 small inverted pyramids or cones, immediate- 
 ly under the triglyph. 
 
 ECH—FRO 
 
 E. 
 
 Echinus, is properly the egg and anchor orna- 
 ment peculiar to the Ionic capital ; it is some- 
 times used for the whole member instead of 
 ovalo. 
 
 Entablature, an ornament or assemblage of 
 parts, supported by a column or pilaster over 
 the capital; each order of columns has a pe- 
 culiar entablature divided into three principal 
 parts ; the architrave , which is divided into 
 two or more facia y and rests upon the capital 
 The frize , is next, and may be plain or orna- 
 mented. The cornice is the top or crowning 
 part. 
 
 F. 
 
 Facade, the front view or elevation of a build- 
 ing. 
 
 Facia, a flat member in the entablature of an 
 order, representing a band or broad fillet in 
 an architrave ; if divided, these divisions are 
 called the first facia, the second facia, &c. 
 
 Fillet. See Annulet. 
 
 Flutings, the hollows or channels, which are 
 cut perpendicularly in columns by way of or - 
 nament, and which should always both begin 
 and end in the shaft, near the extremity of the 
 apophyges ; tho s there are examples to the 
 contrary. When flutings are used the capi- 
 tal should be enriched. 
 
 Foliage, an assemblage of leaves. 
 
 Frett, an ornament laid on plain narrow sur- 
 faces formed by one or more fillets running 
 along in a zig-zag direction, generally in right 
 angles, and keeping a space between each fil- 
 let equal in width to the fillet itself. 
 
 Frize, or Frise , the middle member of an en- 
 tablature, having the architrave below, and 
 the cornice above. 
 
 Frontispiece, sometimes signifies the whole 
 face or aspect of a building, but is more pro- 
 
00 
 
 FUS— KEY 
 
 KIN — OGE 
 
 perly applied to the decorated entrance of a 
 
 house. 
 
 Fust, the shaft of a column, or that part which 
 is between the base and the capital. 
 
 G. 
 
 Girders, large pieces of timber in flooring, 
 laid from one wall to another, when the dis- 
 tance is too great for common joists. 
 
 Glyphs, the perpendicular channels cut in the 
 triglyphs of the Doric frize. 
 
 Gothic, a peculiar style of Architecture, dis- 
 tinct from the Grecian or Roman, derived 
 from the Goths, or rather from the Sara- 
 cens. 
 
 Guiloches, ornaments made by circular fillets 
 crossing and recrossing each other, generally 
 encompassing a patera or flower. 
 
 H. 
 
 Hammer-beam, when the ceiling of a large 
 building is vaulted, the tie-beam of the roof 
 is broken in the middle and raised to admit 
 of the curvature of the ceiling, the middle of 
 the beam being secured to the collar-beam 
 it is then called a hammer-beam. 
 
 I. 
 
 Impost, a facia or small cornice which crowns 
 a pier or pilaster, and from which an arch 
 springs. 
 
 Insulated, standing alone, or detached from 
 any contiguous building, &c. 
 
 Intercolumniation, the space between two 
 columns. 
 
 Ionic order, one of the four orders of Architec- 
 ture. 
 
 K. 
 
 Key-stone, the highest stone of an arch, to 
 which a projection is usually given, and 
 which is sometimes cut in ornaments. 
 
 King-post the middle upright post in a set of 
 principal rafters in large roofs; being sup- 
 ported by the rafters it supports the middle 
 of the beam, and keeps it from sagging. 
 
 L. 
 
 Lacunarije, pannels or coffers in ceilings, or 
 in the soffits of cornices, &c. 
 
 M. 
 
 Metope, the interval or square space between 
 the triglyphs in the Doric frize. 
 
 Mezzanine, or Mezzetti , small or low stories 
 between principal ones, used as servants’ 
 apartments. 
 
 Minute, an architectonic measure , the lower 
 diameter of a column divided into sixty parts, 
 each part is a minute. 
 
 Modillion, an ornament resembling a bracket, 
 in the Ionic and Corinthian cornices. 
 
 Mouldings, those parts which project beyond 
 the base or perpendicular face of a wall, co- 
 lumn, &c. intended only for ornament, whe- 
 ther round, flat, or curved ; the regular mould- 
 ings are, 1st, the list , or annulet ; 2d, the as- 
 tragal or bead; 3d, the cyma reversa , or ogee; 
 4th, the cyma recta; 5th, the cavetto , or hol- 
 low ; 6th, the ovolo , or quarter round ; 7th, 
 the scotia; Sth, the torus. 
 
 Mutule, an ornament in the Doric cornice, 
 answering to a modillion in the Ionic and Co- 
 rinthian entablatures. 
 
 N. 
 
 Niche, a cavity or hollow in a wall for statues, 
 
 See. 
 
 O. 
 
 Obelisk, a tall pyramid. 
 Ogee, a cyma reversa. 
 
 
61 
 
 (3RD— PLI 
 
 Order, in Architecture, a column entire, con- 
 sisting of base , shaft , and capital , with an en- 
 tablature. 
 
 Ova, or ovum. See Echinus. 
 
 Ovolo, a moulding which projects one quarter 
 of a circle, called also a quarter round . 
 
 P. 
 
 Pedestal, a square body on which columns, 
 Sec. are placed. 
 
 Pediment, a low triangular ornament in the 
 front of buildings, and over doors, windows, 
 Sec. 
 
 Pier, a kind of pilaster or buttress, to support, 
 strengthen, or ornament ; the pier of a bridge, 
 is the foot or support of the arch. The wall 
 between windows or doors. Also square pil- 
 lars of stone or brick, to which gates are 
 hung. s 
 
 Peristyle, a range of columns or colonnade, 
 within a court or building like a cloister. 
 
 Piazza, a continued arched way or vaulting, 
 under which to walk, &c. 
 
 Pilaster, a square pillar or column, usually 
 placed against a wall. 
 
 Pillar, this word is generally used in Archi- 
 tecture, in common with column , though, 
 strictly speaking they are different ; thus the 
 supporters in Gothic Architecture are pillars, 
 but can never be properly termed columns, 
 varying in shape and every particular from 
 the latter. 
 
 Plancere, a reversed plan of a cornice or 
 other moulding ; or a view of the same from 
 below. 
 
 Plat-band, any flat square moulding with lit- 
 tle projection ; the different facias of an archi- 
 trave are called plat-bands ; the same is ap- 
 plied to the list between flutings, &c. 
 
 Plinth, the lower member of a base. 
 
 FOR— SAL 
 
 Portico, a continued range of columns cover- 
 ed at top, to shelter from the weather; also, a 
 common name to buildings which have co- 
 vered walks supported by pillars. 
 
 Prince-post, a post placed upright in framing 
 of principal rafters between the king-post and 
 the end of the tie-beam, giving additional sup- 
 port to the tie-beam. 
 
 Principal Rafters, large roofs are supported 
 by sets of framing placed at from 8 to 10 feet 
 apart, these frames are generally composed 
 of tie-beams, king-posts, prince-posts, braces 
 or trusses, and rafters. 
 
 Profile, the outline or contour of any build- 
 ing, &c. 
 
 Purlins, square pieces of timber laid from one 
 sett of principal rafters to another ; on these 
 are laid the jack-rafters or small rafters to 
 receive the covering. 
 
 Pyramid, a structure, which, from a square, 
 triangular, or other base, rises gradually to a. 
 point. 
 
 Q- 
 
 Quarter Round, a moulding. See Ovolo. 
 
 Quoins, stones or other materials put in the 
 angles of buildings to strengthen them. 
 
 R. 
 
 Relievo, signifies the projection of any carved 
 ornament. 
 
 Rotunda, a building which is round both with- 
 in and without. 
 
 Rustic, the term is applied to those stones in 
 a building which are hatched or picked in 
 holes, resembling a natural rough appear- 
 ance. 
 
 S. 
 
 Saloon, a lofty, vaulted, spacious hall or apart- 
 ment. 
 
 Q 
 
63 
 
 SCO — TRI 
 
 Scotia, a hollow moulding used in bases to 
 columns. 
 
 Section of a building, represents it as if cut per- 
 pendicularly from the roof downwards, and 
 serves to shew the internal decorations and 
 distribution. 
 
 Shaft, the trunk or body of a column between 
 the base and the capital. 
 
 Soffit, the under part or ceiling of a cornice, 
 which is usually ornamented ; the under part 
 of the corona is called the Soffit ; the word is 
 also applied to the ceiling of an arch, the un- 
 der side of an architrave, Sec. 
 
 T. 
 
 Tenia, the upper member of the Doric archi- 
 trave ; a kind of list el. 
 
 Tie-beams, large timbers forming the base line 
 of a set of principal rafters. 
 
 Torus, or Tore r a large semicircular mould- 
 ing used in the base of columns. 
 
 Transom, a piece placed over a door when 
 there is to be an opening for light immediate- 
 ly over the door; when the opening over is 
 circular it is generally called an impost. 
 
 Triglyfh, an ornament peculiar to the Doric 
 frize. 
 
 TRU— ZOC 
 
 Truss, or Brace , pieces of timber used in 
 framing to support the middle of any great 
 span. 
 
 Tuscan Order , one of the four orders of Archi- 
 tecture. 
 
 Tympan, the flat surface or space within a pe- 
 diment. 
 
 V. 
 
 Vase, the body of a Corinthian capital, also an 
 ornament used in Architecture, &c. 
 
 Vault, an arched roof, the stones or mate- 
 rials of which are so placed as to support 
 each other. 
 
 Volute, the scroll or spiral horn, used in Ionic 
 capitals. 
 
 W. 
 
 Wall-plate, a piece of timber laid on the top 
 of a wall on which is laid the joist and framing 
 of the roof. 
 
 Z. 
 
 Zocle, or Soccolo , a low square member, which 
 serves to elevate a statue, vase, See. also 
 when a range of columns is erected on one 
 continued high plinth , it is called a Zocle; it 
 differs from a pedestal, being without base 
 or cornice. 
 

 
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