Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 9.djvu/374

352 Above all sciences, he favors geometry: "In fine, all the cunning that is in Painting, in the Measuring the world, in ground tilth and trimming, in the Art of war, in founding of metals, in the art of working Images in earth, in Image-making, in forging, in building and in metals, for the most part, cometh from geometry." He says, however, of the geometricians: "Yet such is their ambition, that they will never rest upon the precepts of their preceptors; but believing in such things to find out more than their Masters, do bring themselves into so great madness that all the Helleborus in the world sufficeth not to purge it." He instances as the fruits of this science, "all the cunning working of tools and artificial instruments, Magnaries, Machanopocetickes, Poliorcetickes, . . . . Testudines, Cuniculines, . . . . Exosters, Sambukes." Between paragraphs, the reader can consult the dictionary or encyclopædia.

We are told in cap. 23, "Of the Arte Opticke," that "there are sundry and divers opinions of the manner of seeing. For Plato supposeth the sight to be made according to the clearness: to wit, that which cometh from the eyes: the Light running to an outward air, that Light which is carried from the bodies being brought against it; but that which is about the midst of the air, doth cause that it spreadeth, and turneth back to the virtue of the Sight, being spread abroad, and like unto Fire. Galene and Plato are of one opinion; but Hipparchus saith, that the beams spreading abroad from the eyes unto bodies, touching them as it were with a certain feeling, or groping, do give that which they receive to the Sight. And the Epicures affirm that the similitudes of things not corporal, but according to the quality through the alteration of the air, which is in compass, doth come from visible things unto the sight. But Porphirius saith that, neither the Beams, neither the similitudes, nor any other thing, is the cause of seeing, but the soul alone, that knoweth herself visible, and that is one of all things, which knoweth herself in all things that are. The geometricians and perspectivians, approaching somewhat near to Hipparchus, do affirm that there be certain Figures made of the meeting together of the beams, which are sent out through the eyes, from whence the sight doth comprehend in one, many visible things, but they most certain of all, wheresoever the beams shall meet together. Certes, Alchindus saith otherwise of the Sights: but it seemeth to Augustine that the power of the Soul doth bring somewhat to effect in the eyes, the which is not yet perceived of the Students of Wisdom."

Although we have advanced much since the time of Cornelius Agrippa, still, even in this glorious nineteenth century there is here and there a thing "the whiche is not yet perceyved of the Studentes of Wisedome."

The following is a good example of our author's peculiar style: "Notwithstanding, I learned in time past in Italy, that there was in pictures and images an authority greatly to be esteemed; for whereas