TARTAGLIA DEFENDS HIS " ARTILLERY." 239 



treated or spoken, and I take no pleasure in doing as some 

 do, who fill their volumes with things robbed from this 

 or that other author. And although the speaking of 

 artillery, and of the firing of it, is not a thing very honour- 

 able in itself, yet, since it is a new matter, and not barren 

 of speculation, I thought well to say a little on it 1 , and in 

 connexion with that subject, I am at present bringing out 

 two sorts of instruments belonging to the art, that is to 

 say, a square to regulate the discharging of the said 

 artillery, and also to level and examine every elevation. 

 Also, another instrument for the investigation of distances 

 on a plane surface, the description of which instruments 

 will be published with my said work on artillery. And 

 because you have written to me that you purchased two 

 of my said books, one of which you gave to his excel- 

 lency the lord marquis, and the other you kept for 

 yourself, I have thought good to send you four copies of 

 the said instruments, and have given them to the house of 

 Messer Ottaviano Scoto, who will see that they are sent 

 to you by some messenger, to be added to those volumes ; 



1 Tliis passage, so creditable to Tartalea in its sense and temper, 

 stands in his own words thus : " Circa a questa particolarita ve rispondo 

 et dico, che me diletto, de noue inuentioni et di trattare, et parlare de 

 cose che altri non habbia trattato, ne parlato, et no me diletto di for 

 come fanno alcuni, chi impiono li suoi uolumi di cose robate da questo 

 et da quello altro autore. Et quantunque a parlare delle artegliarie, 

 et lor tiri non sia cosa molto honereuole in se, pur per esser una 

 materia noua, et di non puoca speculatione me apparso di parlarue 

 alquanto. . . ." Op. cit. p. 119. 



