It is no secret that the moon has no light of her own, but is, as it were, a mirror, receiving brightness from the influence of the sun. - Vitruvius

Heat is a universal solvent, melting out of things their power of resistance, and sucking away and removing their natural strength with its fiery exhalations so that they grow soft, and hence weak, under its glow.

All these soft kinds [of stone] have the advantage that they can be easily worked as soon as they have been taken from the quarries. Under cover, they play their part well; but in open and exposed situations the frost and rime make them crumble, and they go to pieces. On the seacoast, too, the salt eats away and dissolves them, nor can they stand great heat either.

Architecture depends on Order, Arrangement, Eurythmy, Symmetry, Propriety, and Economy.