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40            ANALYSIS f          BEAUTY. 
and in fome it would be ridiculoufly lofing time if it 
could----Yet there may be cafes where it may be ne- 
ceffary to follow this method minutely; as for example, 
in architedure. 
I am thoroughly convinc'd in myfelf, however it may 
flartle fome, that a completely new and harmonious 
order of archite&ure in all its parts, might be produced 
by the following method of compofing, but hardly with 
certainty without it; and this I am the more apt to, be- 
lieve, as upon the firi&eft examination, thofe four orders 
of the ancients, which are fo well eflablifhed for beauty 
and true proportion, perfedly agree with the fcheme we 
fhall now lay down. 
This way of compofing pleafing forms, is to be ac- 
complifhed by making choice of variety of lines, as to 
their fhapes and dimenfions; and then again by varying 
their fituations with each other, by all the different ways 
that can be conceived: and at the fame time (if a folid 
figure be the fubje& of the compofition) the contents or 
fpace, that is to be inclofed within thofe lines, muft be 
duly confider'd and vary'd too, as much as poffible, 
with propriety.  In a word, it may be faid, the art of 
compofmg well is the art of varying well. It is not 
expe&ed that this fhould at firif be perfedly compre- 
hended, yet I believe it will be made fufficiently clear 
by the help of the examples following. 
F Fig. 29.  The figure t, reprefents the fimple and pleafing figure 
T. p. i. of a bell; this fhell, as we may call it, is compofed of 
waving