In its architectural meaning, the term ORDER refers to the system of columniation practised by the Greeks and Romans, and is employed to denote the columns and entablature together; in other words, both the upright supporting pillars and the horizontal beams and roof, or trabeation, supported by them. These two divisions, combined, constitute an Order; and so far all Orders are alike, and might accordingly be reduced to a single one, although for convenience they are divided into five leading classes or families, distinguished as the DORIC, TUSCAN, IONIC, CORINTHIAN, and COMPOSITE.

It would be a mistake to suppose that inasmuch as the Orders are divided into five classes, there is for each of them one fixed, uniform character; for such a belief has led to a mechanical treatment of the respective Orders themselves, nothing being left for the Architect to do, so far as the Order which he employs is concerned, but merely to follow the example which he has selected; in other words, merely to copy, instead of designing.

Each leading class is distinct from the others, yet com prises many varieties or species, which, however much they may differ with respect to minor considerations, all evi

dently belong to one and the same style, which we call Order. We have now to consider their constituent parts, that is, those which apply to every order alike. Hitherto it has been usual with most writers, to treat of an Order as consisting of three principal parts or divisions, viz., pedestal, column, and entablature. The first of these, however, cannot by any means be regarded as an integral part of an Order. So far from being an essential, it is only an accidental one,-one, moreover, of Roman invention, and applicable only under particular circumstances. The pedestal no more belongs to an Order than an attic or podium placed above the entablature. In the idea of an Order we do not include what is extraneous to the Order itself; it makes no difference whether the columns stand immediately upon the ground or floor, or are raised above it. They almost invariably are so raised, because, were the columns to stand immediately upon the ground or a mere pavement, the effect would be comparatively mean and unsatisfactory; the edifice would hardly seem to stand firmly, and, for want of apparent footing, would look as if it had sunk in the ground, or the soil had accumulated around it. With the view, therefore, of increasing height for the whole structure, and otherwise enhancing its effect, the Greeks placed their temples upon a bold substructure, composed of gradini, or deep steps, or upon some sort of continuous stylobate; either of which modes is altogether different from, and affords no precedent for, the pedestal of modern writers. Essential as some form of stylobate is to the edifice itself, it does not properly belong to it, any more than that equally essential-in fact, more indispensable part-the roof.

The pedestal being discarded as something apart from the Order itself, the latter is reduced to the two grand divisions of COLUMN and ENTABLATURE, each of which is subdivided into three distinct parts or members, viz., the coLUMN, into base, shaft, and capital; the ENTABLATURE, into architrave, frieze, and cornice; so that the latter is to the entablature

what the capital is to the column, namely, its crowning member-that which completes it to the eye. Yet, although the above divisions of column and entablature hold good with regard to the general idea of an order, the primitive Greek or Doric one does not answer to what has just been said, inasmuch as it has no base-that is, no mouldings which distinctly mark the foot of the column as a separate and ornamented member. Hence, it will, perhaps, be thought that this Order is not so complete as the others, since it wants that member below which corresponds with the capital above. Still, the Grecian Doric is complete in itself-it needs no base: in fact, does not admit of such addition, without forfeiting much of its present character, and thus becoming something different. Were there a distinct base, the mouldings composing it could not very well exceed what is now the lower diameter or actual foot of the column; because, were it to do so, either the base would become too bulky, in proportion to the capital, or the latter must be increased, so as to make it correspond in size with the enlarged lower extremity. Even then, that closeness of intercolumniation (spacing of columns) which contributes so much to the majestic solidity that characterizes the genuine Doric, could not be observed: unless the columns were put considerably further apart, the bases would scarcely allow sufficient passage between them. The only way of escaping from these objections and difficulties, is by making the shaft of the column considerably more slender; so that what was before the measure of the lower diameter of the shaft itself, becomes that of the base. That can be donehas been done at least something like it; but the result is an attenuated Roman or Italian Doric, differing altogether in proportions from the original type, or order. The shaft no longer tapers visibly upwards, or, what is the same thing, expands below.

Before we come to speak of the orders severally and more in detail, there are some matters which require to be noticed; one of which is the origin of the Greek system of columnation,