In the Eighth he speaks of Waters, and Rivers, and Fountains; _viz._ of their Springs, of their Nature, and Properties; how they are to be sought; and of the Conduits that are to bring them to Cities and Villages. The Ninth is wholly Gnomonical, and teaches the manner of making Sun-Dials, and gives an account of the Rules of Geometry, how to measure solid Bodies. He discourses at large of the Course of the Stars, and the particular Description of those that are called Fixed Stars. The Last is taken up wholly in the Description of making Machines to lift up great Weights, and others for several uses; _viz._ for the Elevation of Water for Corn-Mills, Water-Organs and Measuring the Way as well by Sea as by Land; but it chiefly treats of Machines fit for the use of Building and War. AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE TEN BOOKS OF ARCHITECTURE Written by VITRUVIUS. PART I. _Of Architecture that is common to us with the Ancients._ CHAP. I. _Of Architecture in General._ ARTICLE I. _Of the Original of Architecture._ [Sidenote: _Lib. 2. Chap. 1._] It's related by Historians, That Men, who in former times inhabited Woods and Caverns like wild Beasts, first assembled themselves to make Houses and Cities, which was occasioned by a Forest that was set on fire, which drew all the Inhabitants together by its novelty and surprizing effects; so that many Men meeting together in the same place, they found out means, by helping one another, to harbour themselves more conveniently, than in Caves and under Trees; so that it is pretended, that Architecture was the Beginning and Original of all other Arts. For Men seeing that they had success in Building, which necessity made them invent, they had the Thoughts and Courage of seeking out other Arts, and applying themselves to them. [Sidenote: _Lib. 4. Chap. 2._] Now even as they took Trees, Rocks and other Things that Nature her self furnished Beasts to harbour themselves under, which were made use of as Models for the first Houses, which at first were only made of green Turf and broken Branches of Trees, they made use of them afterwards, in the same manner, to arrive at something more perfect. For passing from the Imitation of the Natural to that of Artificial, they invented all the Ornaments of Edifices that were most curiously wrought, in giving them the Form and Shape of those things that are simply necessary to the most natural Buildings: And the Pieces of Timber of which the Roofs and Floors of Houses are made, were the Original of _Pillars_, _Architraves_, _Frises_, _Triglyphs_, _Mutils_, _Brackets_, _Corniches_, _Frontons_ or _Piediments_, which are made of Stone or Marble.