An Abridgment of the Architecture of Vitruvius Containing a System of the Whole Works of that Author — Background and Themes

Perrault's Systematic Reorganization

Perrault abandons Vitruvius's original book-by-book sequence in favor of a topical arrangement. The table of chapters reveals a tripartite division: Of the Architecture that is common to us with the Ancients, Of the Architecture that is particular to the Ancients, and a third part on machines. Within the first part, chapters proceed from general principles—definition of architecture, the eight parts (solidity, convenience, beauty, order, disposition, proportion, decorum, economy)—to specific materials and construction methods. This restructuring transforms Vitruvius from a historical artifact into a practical manual for the 17th-century reader.

Proportional Rules for the Doric Order

The abridgment devotes considerable space to the Doric order, prescribing exact modular measurements. The base, when added, must follow the Attic base: height equal to half the pillar's diameter, divided into three parts for plinthus, upper torus, and lower torus with scotiae. The capital is one module high and two and a half modules broad. Triglyphs occupy a module and a half in height and one module in breadth, with demi-metopes at corners. Perrault notes that Vitruvius himself made the base projection smaller in the Ionic order, indicating a critical awareness of inconsistencies in the source text.

The Ionic Order and Its Adjustments

For the Ionic order, Perrault records that early pillars had eight modules in height, but the ancients added half a diameter to enhance beauty. The addition of a base—absent in Doric—is presented as an ornamental improvement. The text describes two methods of setting pillars: perpendicularly or with outward rows inclined, a detail that hints at optical refinements in Greek architecture. Perrault's language is precise: the base's height is one module, the capital's breadth two and a half modules, and the architrave includes a platt-band with gouttes under the triglyphs.

Glossary and Technical Vocabulary

The edition includes a table of explanation and an appended etymology of architectural terms. Words like plinthus, torus, scotiae, echine, anulets, and metops are defined, often with French roots retained from Perrault's original. The translator adds English equivalents where possible, but the text retains Latinized forms. This glossary serves as a key for readers unfamiliar with classical architectural terminology, making the abridgment accessible to a broader audience of builders and gentlemen architects.

Materials and Construction Techniques

Vitruvius's discussion of materials is condensed into two articles: choice and use. Five sorts of materials are listed—stone, bricks, wood, lime, sand and gravel—with subtypes for each. Oak, fir, poplar, alder, pine, cypress, juniper, cedar, larch, and olive are specified for wood. The section on foundations emphasizes solid earth and proper masonry, while walls are classified into six sorts of masonry. Perrault includes precautions for binding walls with wood, ensuring perpendicularity, and relieving weight with arches or buttresses.

Readers approaching this abridgment should attend to Perrault's editorial choices: his reorganization reveals what a 17th-century scholar considered essential in Vitruvius. The modular proportions for the Doric and Ionic orders are given in exact numerical detail, inviting comparison with built examples. The appended glossary and etymologies reward careful study, as they clarify terms that recur throughout the text. This edition is best used as a reference alongside architectural drawings or actual ruins, where Perrault's measurements can be tested against surviving classical structures.

There’s something calming about old books that try to put the world in order, like Perrault’s tidy vision of columns and proportions. It made me think of a quieter feeling I found in The Mentor: American Mural Painters, vol. 2, Num 15, Serial No. 67, September 15, 1914 — Inside the Classic, where painted walls hold their own gentle geometry. Both stayed with me simply as calm, slow thoughts.