Composite order.

These modillions are carved with a small balustre front, and a leaf under them; they are surrounded at the upper part by a small ogee and fillet, which also runs round the face they spring from. Under the modillions is placed an ovolo, and then a fillet and the dentil face, which is often left uncut in exterior work. Under the dentils are a fillet and ogee. In some cases this order is properly worked with a plain cornice, omitting the modillions, and leaving the dentil face uncut.

The enrichments of this order may be very considerable, some of the mouldings of the pedestal and base may be enriched. The shaft may be fluted as the Ionic, in twenty-four flutes, which may be filled one-third high by staves, which is called cabling the flutes. The small mouldings of the architrave, and even some of its faces, and several mouldings of the cornice, may be enriched; the squares in the soffit of the corona pannelled and flowered, and the frieze may be adorned with carv. ings. But though the order will bear all this ornament without overloading it, yet, for exteriors, it seldom looks better than when the capitals and the modillions are the only carvings.

The Composite Order.

The Romans formed this order by mixing the Corinthian and Ionic capitals; like the Corinthian, the capital is its principal distinction. This is of the same height as the Corinthian, and it is formed by setting, on the two lower rows of leaves of the Corinthian capital, the modern Ionic volutes, ovolo, and abacus. The small space left of the bell is filled by caulicoles, with flowers, and the upper list of the volute is often flowered.

The column is of the same height as the Corinthian, and the pedestal and base differ very little from those of that order, the pedestal being sometimes a little plainer, and the base having an astragal or two less.

The entablature mostly used with this order is plainer than the Corinthian, having commonly only two faces to the architrave, the upper mouldings being rather bolder; and the cornice is different, in having, instead of the modillion and dentil, a sort of plain double modillion, consisting of two faces, the upper projecting farthest, and separated from the lower by a small ogee. Under this modillion is commonly a large ogee astragal and fillet.

A plain cornice, nearly like that used to the Corinthian order, is sometimes used to this order, and also a cornice with the modillions bolder, and cantalivers under them in the frieze.

This order may be enriched in the same manner as the Corinthian.

Composed orders.-Emlyn's attempt to form a new order.

Having gone through the most usual forms and distinctions of the orders, it is proper to say, that, even in Greece and Rome, we meet with specimens whose proportions and compo sition do not agree with either of them. These are comprised under the general name of composed orders, and though some are beautiful as small works, scarcely any of the ancient ones are worthy of imitation in large buildings, and modern composition has run very wild, and produced scarcely any thing worth prolonging by description. There was, however, one attempt of a singular kind, made some years since by an architect at Windsor, who published a magnificent treatise, and executed one portico and a few door-cases in and near Windsor. This was H. Emlyn, who conducted the restoration of St. George's chapel. His order, he says, was first brought into his mind by the twin trees in Windsor forest. He makes an oval shaft rise about one-fourth of its height, and then two round shafts spring from it close to each other, and the diminution affords space for two capitals, which have volutes, and instead of leaves, feathers like the caps of the knights of the garter. His entablature has triglyphs, and his cornice mutules. The triglyphs are ostrich feathers, the gutta acorns, and the metopes are filled with the star of the garter.

To conceal the awkward junction of the two columns to the lower part, an ornament is placed there, which is a trophy with the star of the garter in the centre.

It is obvious that this order must be extremely unmanage able, as it is difficult, and indeed almost impossible to make a good angle column, and if its entablature is proportioned to the diameter of one column, it will be too small; if to the whole diameter it will be too heavy, and a mean will give the capitals wrong; so that in any shape some error arises. In the portico above mentioned, the entablature is so light as to appear preposterous. This attempt is not generally known, as the book was very expensive, and the portico at a distance from a public road; but it deserves consideration, because, though the idea was new, its execution seems completely to have failed, and indeed in large designs, no composed order has ever yet appeared that can come into competition with a scrupulous attention to those excellent models of Greece and Rome, now, through the effects of graphic art, happily so familiar to almost every English architect.

Durability of the bricks of the ancients.-Means of equalling them.

BUILDING.

BRICKLAYING is the art of building with bricks.

Of Bricks.

Previous to entering upon details belonging exclusively to the art of bricklaying, we shall introduce an account of the manufacture and different sorts of bricks.

On comparing the strength and durability of modern bricks with those of the ancients, it is evident that the former are in every respect inferior. The ancients appear not only to have selected the best sort of clay, but to have combined it with other ingredients well adapted to form the most complete cement, such as coarsely powdered charcoal and old mortar added to the clay. Professor Pallas, on his last journey through the southern provinces of Russia, discovered, in the stupendous Tartar monuments, bricks which would scarcely yield to the hammer. Another circumstance contributing materially to the excellence of the bricks and tiles manufactured by the ancients, arose from their burning them uniformly, after they had been thoroughly dried. No doubt can be entertained, that if modern brickmakers were to pay more attention to their art, by digging the clay at proper seasons, exposing it much longer to the air than is done at present, working it sufficiently, bestowing more care upon the burning of the bricks, and that the latter operation may be done uniformly, making them much thinner than is prescribed by the standard form, we should be provided with bricks equal in point of strength and durability to the best of former times. In a variety of instances, persons may have it in their power, to obviate some of these causes of defect, and it is therefore proper to mention them; but the state of society is not favourable to any general change in the system which brickmakers pursue; the expedition with which a given number of bricks can be furnished, and the cheapness of the rate at which they can be manufactured, are to them the primary objects of consideration; and the speculative builder cares little about the real value and durability of his edifice, provided the difference between the cost and sale price is sufficiently ample to recompense him to his satisfaction.

It is an erroneous notion that bricks may be made of any earth that is not stony, or even of sea ouse; too much sand