Page:Mathematical collections and translations, in two tomes - Salusbury (1661).djvu/16

READER,

MAthematical Learning (to speak nothing touching the necessity & delight thereof; hath bin so sparingly imparted to our Countrymen in their native English, especially the nobler and sublimer part, that in Compliance with the Solicitations of several of my noble and learned Friends, and the Inclinations of such as are Mathematically disposed, more especially those, who either want Time or Patience to look into the vulgar and unstudied Languages, I did adventure upon this Work of Collecting & Translating from amongst the excellent Pieces that are so abounding in the Italian and French Tongues, some of those that my own observation and the intimation of Friends were most usefull and desired, and with all most wanting in their Own.

I was, indeed, at first seriously Conscious, and am now, by experience, fully convinced how disproportionate the weight of the Enterprize is to the weakness of the Vndertaker, but yet the Passion I ever had to be subservient to my Friends and Compatriots in their Inquisition after these Sublime Studies, and a Patience which I owe to the Flegme that is predominant in my Constitution, joyned with a nine-years conversence in these Languages, as also an unhappy and long Vacation that the persecutions of the late Tyrants gave me from more advantagious employments so prevailed with me, that I resolved to improve even my very Confinement to serve those Friends, whom, as the Times then stood, I could not see.

The Book being for Subject and Design intended chiefly for Gentlemen, I have bin as careless of using a studied Pedantry in my Style; as careful in contriving a pleasant and beautiful Impression. And when I had considered the hazard, and computed the charge of the undertaking, I found it to exceed the ability of a private Purse, especially of mine, that had bin so lately emptied by the hand of violent enemies, and perfidious friends; not to make mention here of the Sums that a Loyal Reflexion upon my Princes Affairs had at the same time drawn from me; and judg'd that the most safe, easy, and reasonable way was to invite those Persons who had appeared desirous of the Book, to be contributary to their own Contentment, by subscribing towards the charge of this Publication.

And for the better management of the Work, I joyned to my self a Printer, whose Genius having rendered him Mathematical, and my overtures of profit having interessed his diligence, I was induced to promise my self a more than common Assistance from him: and at his door I with reason lay all miscarriages that concerns his Profession in the Business.

In this Work I found more than ordinary Encouragement from that publick spirited Person the Reverend and Learned Dr. Thomas Barlow, Provost of Queens Colledge Oxford, and Margaret Professor in that Vniversity, as also from those two able Mathematicians and my Reall Friends Major Miles Symner, and Mr. Robert Wood of Trinity Colledge Dublin, and some few others whose Modesty hath expresly enjoin'd me a concealment of their Names.

Well, at length I have got to the end of my first Stage; and if I have not rid Post, let my excuse be that my long stay for my Warrant caused me to set out late; and being ill mounted, and in a road full of rubbs, I could not with any safety go faster; but hope to get it up in the next Stage, for in that I intend to shift my Horses.

The names of those Authors and Treatices which I judged would most grace our Language, and gratify Students, are particularly exprest in the General Title of the two Tomes. Distinct Tomes they are as consisting of several Pieces: Collections I call them, because they have bin so published, disperst, and worn out of Print, that they very rarely meet in one hand: and Translations I own them to be, as not pretending to any thing more than the disposure and conversion of them: those Tracts only excepted which compose the second Part of the second Tome.

The first Book which offers it self to your view in this Tome is that singular and unimitable Piece of Reason and Demonstration the Systeme of Galileo. The subject of it is a new and Noble prrt of Astronomy, to wit the Doctrine and Hypothesis of the Mobility of the Earth and the Stability of the Sun; the History whereof I shall hereafter give you at large in the Life of that famous Man. Only this by the by; that the Reader may not wonder why these Dialogues found so various entertainment in Italy (for he cannot but have heard that though they have been with all veneration valued, read & applauded by the Iudicious, yet they were with much detestation persecuted, suppressed & exploded by the Superstitious) I am to tell him that our Author having assigned his intimate Friends Salviati and Sagredo the more successfull Parts of the Challenger, and Moderater, he made the famous Commentator Simplicius to personate the Peripatetick. The Book coming out, and Pope Urban the VIII. taking his Honour to be concern'd as having in his private Capacity bin very positive in declaiming against the Samian Philosophy, and now (as he supposed) being ill delt with by Galileo who had summed up all his Arguments, and put them into the mouth of Simplicius; his Holiness thereupon conceived an implacable Displeasure against our Author, and thinking no other revenge sufficient, he employed his Apostolical Authority, and deals with the Consistory to condemn him and proscribe his Book as Heretical; prostituting the Censure of the Church to his private revenge. This was Galileo's fortune in Italy: but had I not reason to hope that the English will be more hospitable, on the account of that Principle which induceth them to be civil to (I say not to dote on) Strangers, I should fear to be charged with imprudence for appearing an Interpreter to that great Philosopher. And in this confidence I shall forbear to make any large Exordium concerning him or his Book: & the rather in regard that such kind of Gauderies become not the Gravity of the Subject; as also knowing how much (coming from me) they must fall short of the Merits of it, or him: but principally because I court only persons of Judgement & Candor, that can distinguish between a Native Beauty, and spurious Vernish. This only let me premise, though more to excuse my weakness in the menaging, than to insinuate my ability in accomplishing this so arduous a Task, that these profound Dialogues have bin found so uneasy to Translate, that neither affectation of Novelty could induce the French, nor the Translating humour perswade the Germans to undertake them. This difficulty, as I conceived, was charged either upon the Intricacy of this manner of Writing, or upon the singular Elegance in the stile of Galileo, or else upon themisca-