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templationof thofe Figures having inftrufled them of the things 
themfetves fpokenof in the l exc, it feem'd to them inreiligibic 
enough ; in like n^anner as it commonly happens , that we do well 
enough underftand what isfaid , though obfcurely,when the things 
areclear ihemfelvcs. And thus it could hardly be avoided, but 
that thofe who afterwards made Copies of thofe Exemplars that 
- were dcftitute of Figures, would commit many faults, tranfcribing 
things which they underftood nothing of* Nor is irtobe wondr^d, 
that even now the mofi: perfpicacious Pveaders of this Author, who 
not only want the Figures, but in a manner the Text it felf, meet 
with fo much difficulty in finding good fenfe in very many places, 
in which the change or tranfpoficion of a word, or only of a point, 
nath been able utterly to fpoil the Difcourfe, which Vv as the more 
liable to an almoft irreparable corruption, becaufe the matter of it 
was mare difpos*d for it than any other. 
Now concerning the difficulty that is met with in theTranflati- 
on of this Vitruvius^ thdX proceeds, in our Interpreters Judgment, 
from hence, that *tis not eafie to find in one and the fame perf^n the 
feveral different abilities requifite to fucceed therein ; Forafmuch 
as the skill of good Literature, and the diligent application to the 
fludy ofCriticifme, and the inquiry into the fignification of Terms 
of Art, that are with great judgement to be collefted out of many 
ancient Authors, are feldom joyned with that genim^ which in 
Archicedure, as well as in all other noble Arts, is fomewhat like 
to that different inftinfi, which Nature alone infufes to every Ani- 
mal, and v/hich makes them fucceed in certain things with a feci- 
lity, that is denied ro thofe, who are not born for it. 
Hence it is, ^aith our hferpreter; th^^t thofe who fince i6g years 
have haboured in the Traduftion of this Author, (among w horn the 
chief are, J. Joeoiidmy C^far Cifarmmy J, Eapt, Caporali^ GuiL 
ShiUnderi Daniel Barharo^ Bermrdwus Baldu^^ J, <^artm Se- 
cretary^to the Cardinal ^^?jtm^^i>Afr, and jf. Goujon Architeft of 
£rancu \. and Benry II. Kings in FrAnce^ have not given fatisfa- 
fiion. And for the fame reafon, f he is plcafed to adde, ) there 
may be caufe to believe , that this new Verfion may not produce a 
much better effeft, and that the addition of that little light to what 
fomany great men have to little purpofe hitherto endeavoured to 
give to Vttruvm^ may be of little moment in refpefl: of the many 
difficulties that remain: Ycthedifpairsnotbutthat it may be ©f 
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