A HISTORY OF SCIENCE 



any book how to make all these warlike engines, 

 which won him at that time the fame and glory, not 

 of man's knowledge, but rather of divine wisdom. 

 But he esteeming all kind of handicraft and invention 

 to make engines, and generally all manner of sciences 

 bringing common commodity by the use of them, to be 

 but vile, beggarly, and mercenary dross : employed his 

 wit and study only to write things, the beauty and 

 subtlety whereof were not mingled anything at all with 

 necessity. For all that he hath written, are geometri- 

 cal propositions, which are without comparison of any 

 other writings whatsoever: because the subject where- 

 of they treat, doth appear by demonstration, the 

 maker gives them the grace and the greatness, and 

 the demonstration proving it so exquisitely, with won- 

 derful reason and facility, as it is not repugnable. 

 For in all geometry are not to be found more pro- 

 found and difficult matters written, in more plain 

 and simple terms, and by more easy principles, than 

 those which he hath invented. Now some do impute 

 this, to the sharpness of his wit and understanding, 

 which was a natural gift in him : others do refer it to 

 the extreme pains he took, which made these things 

 come so easily from him, that they seemed as if they 

 had been no trouble to him at all. For no man living 

 of himself can devise the demonstration of his propo- 

 sitions, what pains soever he take to seek it : and yet 

 straight so soon as he cometh to declare and open it, 

 every man then imagineth with himself he could have 

 found it out well enough, he can then so plainly make 

 demonstration of the thing he meaneth to show. And 

 therefore that methinks is likely to be true, which they 



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