1804.]. Turkify Preface to aTranflation of Bonnycaffle’s Aftronomy. 315 
tained ; and, with an idea of improve- 
ment, have introduced many exceptionable 
principles, whereby the fubject is reodered 
ftill more perplext. “Of the works of the 
ancients, therefore, the moft celebrated and 
univerially. efeemed is that which con- 
tains the Elements of Geometry attributed 
to Euclid: neverthelefs, in laying down 
and explaining the definitions, poftulates, 
ana :xioms, he is fomewhat contfufed and 
inaccurate. The enunciations of fome of 
the theorems and problems are liable to 
profound objections. Some paflages are 
fo intricate, tiat the meaning 1s altogether 
unintelligible, and many of the demonftra- 
tions are exceedingly lax. Megreover, by 
confidering atreniively, it will be found 
that fome of the premifles are fallely affum- 
ed ; many of the propofitions, as they are 
extanrin the copies, are not legally de- 
moniirated ; and in the caurfe of the 
work he has committed feveral paralo- 
gifms. The method of proof, alfo, which 
Euclid has adopted, on fome occafions is 
vague and unfatistactory ; as the bef 
judges have fhewn by irrefragable argu- 
ments, who, after having examined with 
due caution, have detected the fallacy of 
Ais reatoning. . Neveriheleis, if there be 
any clue or way of deducing and inferring 
one geometrical truth fiom another, ina 
logical manner, as ancceflary confequence, 
the plan and method which Euclid has 
firuck out is moft natural and judicious. 
In order, therefore, to adhere as clofely as 
poflible to the {sid plan, both in matter 
and form, the prefent truly valuable per- 
formance was undertaken in the year one 
thouland feven hundred and eighty-nine 
from the Nativity of Jefus, (on whom be 
peace,) which is the year one thoufand 
two hundred and three, according to the 
date-of the Retreat (Hegiré,) of the moft 
periect Apoltle. At this time one of the 
geometers of England, named Bonny- 
calile, profeflor of mathematics and philo- 
fophy, endowed with nice and fubtile dif 
criminazion, and pre-eminent in the {ci- 
ences, actuated by a laudable defire of re- 
ftoring the Elements of Euclid, and of 
rendering the fubject more familiar and 
pet{picuous, by avoiding a needle(s pro- 
lixity, and omitting fuch propofitions as 
are cf no immediate utility, and by fub- 
ftituting others which have an evident 
connection, has abridged the moft effential 
parts of the {cience, and has, at the fame 
time, preferved methodical precifion and 
rigour ot demonftration, and has pointed 
out and reftified, with {cientific canduur, 
feveral errors which occurred in the 
work, The art of menfuraticn, and the 
properties of numbers, not appertaining to 
pure geometry, are rejected ; and thofe 
books, at the end of Euclid, which treat 
of the five Platonic bodies, net being of 
any very extenfive ufe in their application, 
are here omitted. 
The above work being, as it were, 
melted down in the crucibie of the under- 
ftanding, like pure gold freed from its bafe 
alloy, confifts of eight books of pure gec- 
metry, brought intoa fhort compafs, and 
rendered quite clear and familiar ; and in 
the opinion of the learned, the work is un- 
equalled for general utility and facility of 
comprehenficn. : 
The above-mentioned book contains, 
indeed, the elements of geometry only; 
yet it is manifeft that from thence the 
principles of the art of war, the arrange- 
ment of military ftores, the management of 
artillery, the defence of the frontiers and 
fortified places, and the moft effeétual 
means of refifting the mifchievous attacks 
of an enemy, with innumerable other folid 
advantages, may be ultimately deduced. 
The fupreme Lord and Ruler of the 
univerfe, whofe works and decrees are be- 
gun and executed in beautiful order and 
fublimity, whofe effence is infinite, hav. 
ing in his boundle!s wifdom thought fit to 
give ftability to the religion of Iflam, and 
reftore order to the ever-enduring empire, 
did by his divine favour ratfe up an Empe- 
ror with the youthful fortune of the wife 
Darius, Lord of the Khalifate, poflefltd of 
found judgment, viz. a Sultan of the race 
of Sultans, Sultan Selim Khan the Third, 
fon of Sultan Muflafa Khan the Third, 
fon of Sultan Ahmed Khan the Third ; 
may God grant him long to live and glo- 
rioufly to reign; and may God preterve 
his empire and his fubjects, and give au- 
thority to his, and ftability to his ordi- 
nances, till the end of time. This Maf- 
ter of the world formed the gracious and 
beneficial defign of dilciplining his troops, 
and of introducing falutary regulations 
into the war-department ; which matters 
depend chiefly on geometry for their ex- 
planation; and as the above-mentioned 
books were compofed in the Enghth lan- 
guage, this muft allo be known, previous 
to deriving from the work any advantage + 
inorder, therefere, to extend its ufe allo 
to the Mufulman regions, this humble, de~ 
ficient Selim, the g:ometrician, your fer- 
vant, having in my youth ftudied the ma- 
thematics under the above-mentioned maf- 
ter, as a f{pecimen of what I had learnt, 
did purpole to tranflate the faid book ; 
but the Lurkifh not being my native lan- 
guage, I was obliged to have recourfe = 
tie fing 
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