and if it is not in his Power to improve others in Knowledge, it is an incumbent Duty in him to endeavour to refine his own Under ftanding, whereby he may be faid to answer the End of his Existence, in some measure, and in which Senfe I wish to be underftood. Now I fubfcribe myself,

Your bumble Servant,

R. MORRIS.

T

HE Reader is defir'd to correct the following Errata.

The Table before the 6th Lecture fhould have been plac'd at the End of it; and for the Proportion 6, 5 and 4, Page 19, place the following Proportion mark'd F. Plate 2d,

P. 75.

Rooms.

Chimnies.

LECTURES

ON

ARCHITECTURE.

LECTURE I.

GENTLEMEN,

I

T is with Pleafure I fee fo many of you met here with an unanimous Confent to propagate Knowledge, without fordid Views of Gain, or any byafs'd Intereft; and this mutual communicating of fuch ufeful Branches of Learning to each other, will render

this a Society which even ENVY itself can no way diffolve: And as you have done me the Honour to chufe me your Prefident, I fhall endeavour to dif charge that Truft with the utmost Affiduity and Care; communicating to you fuch Parts of ARCHITECTURE which have not been fully explain'd, or tranfmitted to us, by thofe who have treated on that Subject. I fhall be as concife in my Language as the Subject will permit, endeavouring to fay nothing but what I think will be Neceffary; ftill aiming at the Defign for which this Society is propos'd to be inftituted.

As we are now forming ourselves into a kind of little Republick, for the mutual Affiftance of each other, I fhall in this Lecture fhew you the absolute Neceffity and Advantages of Societies in general, as they relate to the publick or private Welfare of the Individuals; both in respect to the Preservation of Rights and Properties, and Improvement of the Intellects of the Mind.

MAN is a Being, by his very Make and Conftitution, incapable of subsisting alone, more things being wanting to fupport

support him, than it is poffible he can provide for himself. Food and Raiment are abfolutely requifite, and if he alone were to provide them for himfelf in time of Health or Youth, and live upon fuch Fruits which the Earth fpontaneously produceth, or that Roots and Herbs were capable of continuing Life in that Health and Vigour of Age; yet which way muft he be provided for when he comes to the Verge of Old Age: Or fuppofe Sickness fhould feize him, and he could not be able to ftir from his Cave or Retirement, how would Nature languish, and what Anxieties would he have in that melancholy Condition?

BUT fuppofe Nature prompted him to seek only the Help of the other Sex, yet by that Means the Wants would undoubtedly encrease: Nature would require fomething more than Raiment and Food; the Instinct of propagating the Species would commence, and then more Relief, and the greater neceflity of Society will be requir'd.

If it were poffible to overcome these Inconveniencies, and that the little FaB 2 mily