d the abacus as necessarily a
separate stone from the bell: evidently, however, the strength of the
capital will be undiminished if both are cut out of one block. This is
actually the case in many capitals, especially those on a small scale;
and in others the detached upper stone is a mere representative of the
abacus, and is much thinner than the form of the capital requires,
while the true abacus is united with the bell, and concealed by its
decoration, or made part of it.

Sec. XXIII. Farther. We have hitherto considered bell and abacus as both
derived from the concentration of the cornice. But it must at once occur
to the reader, that the projection of the under stone and the thickness
of the upper, which are quite enough for the work of the continuous
cornice, may not be enough always, or rather are seldom likely to be so,
for the harder work of the capital. Both may have to be deepened and
expanded: but as this would cause a want of harmony in the parts, when
they occur on the same level, it is better in such case to let the
_entire_ cornice form the abacus of the capital, and put a deep capital
bell beneath it.

Sec. XXIV. The reader will understand both arrangements instantly by two
examples. Fig. XXVII. represents two windows, more than usually
beautiful examples of a very frequent Venetian form. Here the deep
cornice or string course which runs along the wall of the house is quite
strong enough for the work of the capitals of the slender shafts: its
own upper stone is therefore also theirs; its own lower stone, by its
revolution or concentration, forms their bells: but to mark the
increased importance of its function in so doing, it receives
decoration, as the bell of the capital, which it did not receive as the
under stone of the cornice.

[Illustration: Fig. XXVII.]

In Fig. XXVIII., a little bit of the church of Santa Fosca at Torcello,
the cornice or string course, which goes round every part of the church,
is not strong enough to form the capitals of the shafts. It therefore
forms their abaci only; and in order to mark the diminished importance
of its function, it ceases to receive, as the abacus of the capital, the
decoration which it received as the string course of the wall.

This last arrangement is of great frequency in Venice, occurring most
characteristically in St. Mark's: and in the Gothic of St. John and Paul
we find the two arrangements beautifully united, though in great
simplicity; the