Colen Campbell - Vitruvius Britannicus: The Classic of Eighteenth-Century British Architecture

T HE general Esteem that Travellers have for Things that are Foreign, is in nothing more conspicuous than with Regard to Building. We travel, for the most part, at an Age more apt to be imposed upon by the Ignorance or Partiality of others, than to judge truly of the Merit of Things by the Strength of Reason. Its owing to this Mistake in Education, that so many of the British Quality have so mean an Opinion of what is performed in our own Country; tho, perhaps, in most we equal, and in some Things we surpass, our Neighbours.

I have therefore judged, it would not be improper to publish this Collection, which will admit of a fair Comparison with the best of the Moderns . As to the Antiques , they are out of the Question; and, indeed, the Italians themselves have now no better Claim to them than they have to the Purity of the Latin.

We must, in Justice, acknowledge very great Obligations to those Restorers of Architecture, which the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centurys produced in Italy. Bramante, Barbaro, Sanfovino, Sangallo, Michael Angelo, Raphael Urbin, Julio Romano, Serglio, Labaco, Scamozzi, and many others, who have greatly helpd to raise this Noble Art from the Ruins of Barbarity : But above all, the great Palladio , who has exceeded all that were gone before him, and surpassd his Contemporaries, whose ingenious Labours will eclipse many, and rival most of the Ancients. And indeed, this excellent Architect seems to have arrived to a Ne plus ultra of his Art. With him the great Manner and exquisite Taste of Building is lost; for the Italians can no more now relish the Antique Simplicity, but are entirely employed in capricious Ornaments, which must at last end in the Gothick.

For Proof of this Assertion, I appeal to the Productions of the last Century : How affected and licentious are the Works of Bernini and Fontana? How wildly Extravagant are the Designs of Boromini , who has endeavoured to debauch Mankind with his odd and chimerical Beauties, where the Parts are without Proportion, Solids without their true Bearing, Heaps of Materials without Strength, excessive Ornaments without Grace, and the Whole without Symmetry? And what can be a stronger Argument, that this excellent Art is near lost in that Country, where such Absurdities meet with Applause?

It is then with the Renowned Palladio we enter the Lists, to whom we oppose the Famous Inigo Jones : Let the Banquetting-house , those excellent Pieces at Greenwich , with many other Things of this great Master, be carefully examined, and I doubt not but an impartial Judge will find in them all the Regularity of the former, with an Addition of Beauty and Majesty, in which our Architect is esteemed to have out-done all that went before ; and when those Designs he gave for White-hall , are published, which I intend in the Second Volume, I believe all Mankind will agree with me, that there is no Palace in the World to rival it.

And here I cannot but reflect on the Happiness of the British Nation, that at present abounds with so many learned and ingenious Gentlemen, as Sir Christopher Wren, Sir William Bruce, Sir John Vanbrugh , Mr. Archer, Mr. Wren , Mr. Wynne , Mr. Talman , Mr. Hawkfmore, Mr. James, &c. who have all greatly contributed to adorn our Island with their curious Labours, and are daily embellishing it more.

I hope, therefore, the Reader will be agreeably entertained in viewing what I have collected with so much Labour. All the Drawings are either taken from the Buildings themselves, or the original Designs of the Architects, who have very much assisted me in advancing this Work : And I can, with great Sincerity, assure the Publick, That I have used the utmost Care to render it acceptable ; and that nothing might be Wanting, I have given the following Explanation to each Figure.