Salusbury, Thomas, Mathematical collections and translations (Tome I), 1667

List of thumbnails

< >
1
1 		2
2
3
3 		4
4
5
5 		6
6
7
7 		8
8
9
9 		10
10
< >
page |< < of 701 > >|
    <archimedes>
      <text>
        <front>
          <section>
            <pb xlink:href="040/01/007.jpg"/>
          </section>
          <section>
            <p type="main">
              <s>READER,</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>Mathematical Learning
                <emph type="italics"/>
              (to ſpeak nothing touching the neceſsity & delight thereof) hath bin ſo ſparing­
                <lb/>
              ly imparted to our Countrymen in their native Engliſh, eſpecially the nobler and ſublimer part,
                <lb/>
              that in Compliance with the
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Solicitations
                <emph type="italics"/>
              of ſeveral of my noble and learned Friends, and the
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Incli­
                <lb/>
              nations
                <emph type="italics"/>
              of ſuch as are Mathematically diſpoſed, more eſpecially thoſe, who either want Time or
                <lb/>
              Patience to look into the vulgar and unſtudied Languages, I did adventure upon this Work of Collecting & Tranſ­
                <lb/>
              lating from amongſt the excellent Pieces that are ſo abounding in the Italian and French Tongues, ſome of thoſe
                <lb/>
              that my own obſervation and the intimation of Friends were moſt uſefull and deſired, and with all moſt wanting
                <lb/>
              in their Own.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              I was, indeed, at firſt ſeriouſly Conſcious, and am now, by experience, fully convinced how diſproportionate the
                <lb/>
              weight of the Enterprize is to the weakneſs of the Vndertaker, but yet the Paſsion I ever had to be ſubſervient to
                <lb/>
              my Friends and Compatriots in their Inquiſition after theſe Sublime Studies, and a Patience which I owe to the
                <lb/>
              Flegme that is predominant in my Conſtitution, joyned with a nine-years converſence in theſe Languages, as alſo an
                <lb/>
              unhappy and long Vacation that the perſecutions of the late Tyrants gave me from more advantagious employ­
                <lb/>
              ments ſo prevailed with me, that I reſolved to improve even my very Confinement to ſerve thoſe Friends, whom, as
                <lb/>
              the Times then ſtood, I could not ſee.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              The Book being for Subject and Deſign intended chiefly for Gentlemen, I have hin as careleſs of uſing a ſtudied
                <lb/>
              Pedantry in my Style; as careful in contriving a pleaſant and beautiful Impreſſion. </s>
              <s>And when I had conſidered
                <lb/>
              the hazard, and computed the charge of the undertaking, I found it to exceed the ability of a private Purſe, eſpe­
                <lb/>
              cially of mine, that had bin ſo lately emptied by the hand of violent enemies, and perfidious friends; not to
                <lb/>
              make mention here of the Sums that a Loyal Reflexion upon my Princes Affairs had at the ſame time drawn
                <lb/>
              from me; and judg'd that the most ſafe, eaſy, and reaſonable way was to invite thoſe Perſons who had appeared
                <lb/>
              deſirous of the Book, to be contributary to their own Contentment, by ſubſcribing towards the charge of this Pu­
                <lb/>
              blication.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              And for the better management of the Work, I joyned to my ſelf a Printer, whoſe Genius having rendered
                <lb/>
              him Mathematical, and my overtures of profit having intereſſed his diligence, I was induced to promiſe my ſelf a
                <lb/>
              more than common Aſſiſtance from him: and at his door I with reaſon lay all miſcarriages that concerns his
                <lb/>
              Profeſſion in the Buſineſs.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              In this Work I found more than ordinary Encouragement from that publick ſpirited Perſon the Reverend and
                <lb/>
              Learned Dr.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Thomas Barlow,
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Provoſt of Queens Colledge Oxford, and
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Margaret
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Profeſſor in that Vniver­
                <lb/>
              ſity, as alſo from thoſe two able Mathematicians and my Reall Friends Major
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Miles Symner,
                <emph type="italics"/>
              and Mr.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Robert
                <lb/>
              Wood
                <emph type="italics"/>
              of Trinity Colledge
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Dublin,
                <emph type="italics"/>
              and ſome few others whoſe Modeſty hath expreſly enjoin'd me a concealment
                <lb/>
              of their Names.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Well, at length I have got to the end of my firſt Stage; and if I have not rid Poſt, let my excuſe be that my long
                <lb/>
              ſtay for my Warrant cauſed me to ſet out late; and being ill mounted, and in a road full of rubbs, I could not with
                <lb/>
              any ſafety go faſter; but hope to get it up in the next Stage, for in that I intend to ſhift my Horſes.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              The names of thoſe Authors and Treatices which I judged would moſt grace our Language, and gratify Stu­
                <lb/>
              dents, are particularly expreſt in the General Title of the two Tomes. </s>
              <s>Diſtinct Tomes they are as conſiſting of
                <lb/>
              ſeverat Pieces: Collections I call them, becauſe they have bin ſo publiſhed, diſperſt, and worn out of Print, that
                <lb/>
              they very rarely meet in one hand: and Tranſlations I own them to be, as not pretending to any thing more than
                <lb/>
              the diſpoſure and converſion of them: thoſe Tracts only excepted which compoſe the ſecond Part of the ſecond
                <lb/>
              Tome.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              The firſt Book which offers it ſelf to your view in this Tome is that ſingular and unimitable Piece of Reaſon
                <lb/>
              and Demonſtration the Syſteme of
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Galilco.
                <emph type="italics"/>
              The ſubject of it is a new and Noble port of Aſtronomy, to wit the
                <lb/>
              Doctrine and Hypotheſis of the Mobility of the carth and the Stability of the Sun; the Hiſtory whereof I ſhall
                <lb/>
              hereafter give you at large in the Life of that famous Man. </s>
              <s>Only this by the by; that the Reader may not wonder
                <lb/>
              why theſe Dialogues found ſo various entertainment in Italy (for he cannot but have heard that though they have
                <lb/>
              been with all veneration valued, read & applauded by the Iudicious yet they were with much deteſtation perſecuted,
                <lb/>
              ſuppreſſed & exploded by the Superſtitious) I am to tell him that our Author having aſſigned his intimate Friends
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
                <lb/>
              Salviati
                <emph type="italics"/>
              and
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Sagredo
                <emph type="italics"/>
              the more ſucceßfull Parts of the Challenger, and Moderater, he made the famous Commen­
                <lb/>
              tator
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Simplicius
                <emph type="italics"/>
              to perſonate the Peripatetick. </s>
              <s>The Book coming out, and Pope
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Urban
                <emph type="italics"/>
              the
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              VIII.
                <emph type="italics"/>
              taking his Ho­
                <lb/>
              nour to be concern'd as having in his private Capacity bin very poſitive in declaiming against the Samian Philo­
                <lb/>
              ſophy, and now (as he ſuppoſed) being ill delt with by
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Galilco
                <emph type="italics"/>
              who had ſummed up all his Arguments, and pur
                <lb/>
              them into the mouth of
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Simplicius;
                <emph type="italics"/>
              his Holineſs thereupon conceived an implacable Diſpleaſure against our Au­
                <lb/>
              thor, and thinking no other revenge ſufficient, he employed his Apoſtolical Authority, and deals with the Conſiſtory
                <lb/>
              to condemn him and proſcribe his Book as Heretical; proſtituting the Cenſure of the Church to his private revenge.
                <lb/>
              </s>
              <s>This was
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Galilco's
                <emph type="italics"/>
              fortune in
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Italy:
                <emph type="italics"/>
              but had I not reaſon to hope that the Engliſh will be more hoſpitable, on the
                <lb/>
              account of that Principle which induceth them to be civil to (I ſay not to dote on) Strangers, I ſhould fear to be
                <lb/>
              charged with imprudence for appearing an Interpreter to that great Philoſopher. </s>
              <s>And in this confidence I ſhall
                <lb/>
              forbear to make any large Exordium concerning him or his Book: & the rather in regard that ſuch kind of Gau­
                <lb/>
              deries become not the Gravity of the Subject; as alſo knowing how much (coming from me) they must fall ſhort of
                <lb/>
              the Merits of it, or him: but principally becauſe I court only perſons of Judgement & Candor, that can diſtinguiſh
                <lb/>
              between a Native Beauty, and ſpurious Verniſh. </s>
              <s>This only let me premiſe, though more to excuſe my weakneſs in
                <lb/>
              the menaging, than to inſinuate my ability in accompliſhing this ſo arduous a Task, that theſe profound Dialogues
                <lb/>
              have bin found ſo uneaſy to Tranſlate, that neither affectation of Novelty could induce the French, nor the
                <lb/>
              Tranſlating humour perſwade the Germans to undertake them. </s>
              <s>This difficulty, as I conceived, was charged either
                <lb/>
              upon the Intricacy of this manner of Writing, or upon the ſingular Elegance in the ſtile of
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Galilco,
                <emph type="italics"/>
              or elſe upon the
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
          </section>
        </front>
      </text>
    </archimedes>
Impressum