The old Roman authority on architecture, Vitruvius, long ago
laid down the three fundamentals of all good building, viz.,
_firmness_, _utility_, and _charm_. In working for firmness (strength,
durability) and for utility (serviceableness, convenience),
the builder, we might say, is an engineer; in seeking to give
charm (attractiveness, beauty) to his work, he is an artist. In
other words, the builder always has before him structural and
artistic problems which, aside from his wit in planning the inner
conveniences and serviceableness of the house, depend largely
upon the material he chooses to work in. To what extent does this
material meet the structural requirements of strength, permanence,
durability, and to what extent the artistic requirements of
attractiveness, charm, beauty, are the main issues.