Al count of Books, ^gq 



NEir PUBLICATIONS. 



EfHii fur les Ouvrages Phyfico-mathematiques de Leonard de Vinci, avec de Frsgmcns tire's^ 

 de fes Manufcrits apportes de I'ltalie. Lu a la premiere Clafle de I'Inftitut National des 

 Sciences et Arts. Par J. B. Venturi.ProfefTeur de PhyHque a Modene, de I'Inftitut 

 de Bologne, &c. A Paris, chez Duprat,i797.— Or, AnEffay on thePhyfico-mathematical 

 Works of Leonardo da Vinci, with Extrads from his Manufcripts brought from Italy. 

 Read before the Firft Clafs of the National Inftitute of Sciences and Arts. By J. B. 

 Venturi, Profeflbr of Natural Philofophy at Modena, Member cf the Iiiftitute at Bo- 

 logna, &c. Quarto, 56 pages, with one plate. 



XTlMONG the treafures of fcience and art which the French have lately brought from 

 Ttaly, are thirteen manufcript volumes written by Leonardo da Vinci, whofe extraordinary 

 powers as a painter, fculptor, mufician, geometer, philofopher, and engineer, are well known. 

 €itizen Venturi, who refided in France during the war in his own country, has obtained the 

 communication of thefe manufcripts, and has feleded fuch parts as appear deferving of pub- 

 lication, which he purpofes to print in three feparate and complete treatifes, on mechanics 

 hydraulics, and optics. The fragments in the prefent work are for the moft part diftindt 

 and feparate from thofe principal matters, and are enriched with notes by the editor. 



Leonardo was born in 1452. He was the natural fon of a notary, whofe family pofleffes 

 at this day at Vinci in Tufcany the fituation of refpedable mediocrity. Nature, which as 

 C. Venturi obferves, is not aduated by confiderations of birth, was prodigal of her gifts 

 to this man. His perfon was beautiful ; his difpofition animated and lively, and the powers 

 of his mind wonderful. He applied to geometry, mufic, and painting, and in each of thefe 

 purfuits he foon excelled his teachers. He was called to Milan to caft an equeftrian ftatue 

 in bronze, which Louis Sforza confecrated to the memory of his father. He offered his 

 fervices to the Duke in every undertaking relating to military machines, water-works 

 fculpture, mechanics, and painting, with a defiance to anyone who ftiould pretend to excel 

 him ; a boaft which indeed he had the means of fupporting. When France took pofleflion 

 of the Milanefe at the end of the 15th century, he pafled feveral years at Florence • not 

 becaufe he was in any refpeft prejudiced againit the French, as is reported ; on the con- 

 trary, Louis the Xllth gave him a penfion, together with certain duties on the Milanefe- 

 canals, where Leonardo was employed under the French government. While he was at- 

 Florence he felefted two of the moft beautiful ladies of the country, with tlie intention- 

 of drawing their portraits, and prefcntcd them to Louis the Xllth. lie left Milan, and re- 

 paired to Rome in 1513, after Sforza had again entered the Milanefe; after which he 

 went to Fnmce on the invitation of Francis I. where he died, as it is faid, in the arms of 

 that prince. 



I ftiall forbear at prefent to enter into any detail refpcfling the contents of this intcreftinn- 

 work, in which this great genius, who preceded Chancellor Bacon in the true method of 

 philofophifing near a century, has the peculiar felicity of an editor and commentator 

 whofe valuable annotations befpeak him a complete mafter of the fubjefts of fcience and 

 refearch he has undertaken to publifti and elucidate. Oil a future occ»fion I fliali prefent. 

 fry readers with fomc cxtrai\s of tlic moft c.irivus parts. 



Phyfiulogy ; 



