ATTIC.—This is usually defined to be a small Order placed over a principal one; from which it might be supposed that it differed from the Orders in general chiefly by being applied on a smaller scale; instead of which it has nothing of columniation and trabeation in it. There is far greater analogy between an attic and a stylobate, or continuous pedestal, both of them consisting of base, a dado or die, and a simple cornice, and the difference between them consisting chiefly in their application, the stylobate being below, and the attic above the Order. Attics are either plain or pilastered accordingly as the building itself is astylar or the contrary; but what are called attic pilasters are no more than slight _breaks_ or projections on the general surface, with the mouldings above and below breaking round them, without any sort of capital, but just after the manner of pedestals: their faces, however, are sometimes distinguished from the intermediate surfaces by being panelled and otherwise enriched, as is done, for instance, in the façade of the new Treasury Buildings: another mode of decoration is to place either a statue, or else a caryatid figure, before each break in the front of the Attic, an example of which occurs in the Strand front of Somerset House. When introduced only over particular portions of a façade, such as the centre or extremities, the Attic is an exceedingly useful element in composition, inasmuch as it serves not only to give such parts greater importance, but also to produce play of outline or sky-line; whereas, if continued throughout, it is apt to produce heaviness as well as monotony, and some degree of feebleness of expression also, its cornice forming, in comparison with the principal cornice below, but a very insignificant finish to the general structure. AXIS.—An imaginary line through the centre of a column, &c., or its geometrical representation. Where different members are placed over each other, so that the same vertical line, on the elevation, divides them equally, they are said to be on the same axis, although they may be on different planes. Thus, triglyphs and modillions are so arranged that one coincides with the axis or line of axis of each column. In like manner, the windows or other openings in the several stories of a façade must all be in the same respective axis, whether they are all of the same breadth or not. BALUSTER side of Ionic capital, 33.