Full text: Vitruvius: The architecture of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio in ten books

161 
of the Spanish broom. 
On the upper side of the arch a 
composition of lime and sand is to be laid, so that if any 
water fall from the floor above or from the roof, it may 
not penetrate. If there be no supply of Greek reeds, 
the common slender marsh-reeds may be substituted. 
tied together with string in bundles of appropriate length. 
but of equal thickness, taking care that the distance 
from one ligature to another be not more than two feet. 
These are bound with cord to the ribs, as above directed, 
and made fast with wooden pins. All the remaining 
work is to be performed as above described. The arches 
being prepared and interwoven with the reeds, a coat is 
to be laid on the underside. The sand is afterwards in- 
troduced on it, and it is then polished with chalk or 
marble. After polishing, the cornices are to be run 
along the springing: they are to be as slender and light 
as possible; for, when large, they settle by their own 
weight, and are incapable of sustaining themselves. But 
little plaster should be used in them, and the stuff 
should be of uniform quality, such as marble-dust; for 
the former, by setting quickly, does not allow the work 
to dry of one consistence. The practice of the ancients, 
in arched ceilings, is also to be avoided ; for their cor- 
nices are dangerous, from their great projection and 
consequent weight. Some cornices are of plain, others 
of carved, work. In small private rooms, or where fire 
or many lights are used, they should be plain, to allow 
of being more easily cleaned; in summer rooms, and 
exedræ, where the smoke is in such small quantity that 
it can do no injury, carved cornices may be used; for 
white works, from the delicacy of their colour, are always 
soiled, not only with the smoke of the house itself, but 
also with that of the neighbouring buildings. The cor- 
nices being completed, the first coat of the walls is to be 
laid on as roughly as possible, and, while drying, the 
sand coat thereon; setting it out, in the direction of the 
length, by the rule and square; in that of the height,
	        
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