being administered, they are soon reftored. By this medns it willhapen that the natiurdl 
effects of the place will encrease the received opinion of the power of the Divinity. 
DEcon, with regard to nature, is also observed when chambers and libraries receive theit 
light from the east; baths, and winter aparments, from the winter west; picture galleies. 
and such apartments as require a steady light, from the north, because that region of the 
heavens is rendered neither lighter nor darker by the course of the sun, but is equal and 
immutable the whole day. 
DISTRIUTION consists in the proper dispensation and application of the materials. 
oblerving moderate aeconomy with regard to the expence of the work. This will happen. 
if the architect does not require materials that cannot be obtained, or procured, unles at à 
great charge ; for there are not plenty of pit-sand, stones, fir, sappinus, or marble in all 
places; but some grow in one place, and some in another; and to procure some, it may be 
difficult or expensive. Where therefore there is no pit-sand, river, or washed sea sand must 
be uled; and for want of fir, or sappinus, the cypres, poplar, elm, or pine may be made 
use of; and so in other similar cases. 
ANOTHER part of distribution is the adapting the building to the convenience of the 
owner, his fortune, rank, or dignity; it is also found to be necessary to construct, the 
dwvelling house, different from the rustic buildings destined for the preservation of the fruits 
of the earth. The houses of traders, different from those of the rich and delicate. But for 
persons in power, by whose councils the republic is governed, things must be disposed to their 
use; always making the distribution of edifices suitable to every proprietor. 
(12*) Vitruvius gives the word distribution a very differ¬ 
ent signification, to that we now generally allow it. He 
applies it to the disposal and choice of the materials; and 
allo, to adapting the building to the fortune, dignity, and 
use of the owner; which latter seems rather to belong to the 
province of decor, as he has before explained it: it how¬ 
ever may be considered as belonging to both; for a build¬ 
ing cannot be said to be well distributed, unless it is suited 
to the owner; neither can it have propriety or decor, with- 
out being so suited. 
(13*) Sappinus is the name the Romans gave to the 
lower part of the stem of the fir tree, which being most 
free from knots, was prepared in a particular manner, and 
reserved for the inside work. See Vitruvius, Book II. 
Chap. IX. and Pliny, Book XVI. S. XVI. 
(14*) I differ from former translators in my conception 
of this passage. They have construed it as if meant to op¬ 
pose a city house to a country house; I understand it, as 
oppoling one part of the country house to another part (i. e.) 
the dwelling, or master's part, to the farming and husbandry 
0 K 1. 
part. The ancient villas contained three parts; one was 
called the urbana, or part where the master and his family 
dwelt; the other the rustica, destined for the uses of hus¬ 
bandry; and the third, the fructuaria, or receptacle for the 
fruits of the earth. I am therefore of opinion, that the 
words urbanas domos, allude to the master's part, as posessio¬ 
nibus rusticis do to the husbandry part of the villa. For, as 
these were well known terms for those different parts of the 
villa, it is to be supposed, that Vitruvius would have chosen 
some other words to distinguish his meaning, if he had 
meant any thing else by them. 
Vitruvius also distinguishes possessionibus rusticis, from 
urbanas domos, by the former's being destined for the recep- 
tion of the fruits. Now, that not being the chief purpose 
of the whole country house, but only that of an inferior 
part, it cannot properly be used to distinguish the purpose 
of a country house, in opposition to that of a city house; 
but, is perfectly proper to distinguish between the farming 
part, and the dwelling, or master's part of the villa. 
CHAP.