Truss Arches and Domed Churches; Pen Trials and Sums
Segmental truss arches, centralized dome elevations and a radial circle, with a halving series and 'Tell me...'
The sheet is dense with drawings that the transcription does not cover: large trussed segmental arches, curved ribbed members, lattice frameworks and a big circle divided by radial lines fill the upper half, while below stand several elevations of centralized domed churches beside a trussed arch and paired curved ribs. The only transcribed writing is a repeated phrase, 'Tell me if ever a thing was made...', and, with the sheet turned upside down, a column of figures including halving series.
On this page
Elevations of centralized domed churches
The lower left of the sheet gathers several elevations of centralized buildings crowned by ribbed domes and lanterns, ringed by lower cupolas. They are drawn rather than described in the transcription.
Trussed segmental arches and curved ribbed members
A broad trussed segmental arch spans the lower center, and to its right run paired curved members built up of jointed segments, as if the ribs or centring of an arch. Similar trussed arches and lattice frameworks appear across the top of the sheet.
A circle divided by radial lines
At the center right a large circle is subdivided by radial lines with marks around its rim, a circular construction set among the mechanical and architectural sketches. It is not addressed in the transcription.
Columns of figures and a halving series
With the sheet turned upside down, columns of figures are worked out, ending in the halving series 24, 12, 6, 3 and 40, 20, 10, 5. Other numbers (80, 30, 210, 50, 320, 10) are grouped alongside.
The repeated phrase 'Tell me if ever...'
A short passage, written elsewhere lower on the sheet, repeats the opening 'Tell me if ever a thing was made...', trailing off into 'Tell me... tell me, tell me if...'. It reads as a rhetorical pen trial rather than a finished note.