A rectangular decorative woodcut border with intricate floral and arabesque patterns encloses the entire text area. At the beginning of the main text, there is a large historiated drop cap 'S' featuring a figure in a landscape with a building in the background.

DE L'EXCELLENCE DES MATHEMA-

TIQUES. OU IL EST DEMONSTRE' COMBIEN ELLES

sont necessaires pour acquerir tous les arts liberaux.

If the traveler passing through pleasant meadows is accustomed to remain in doubt from the great beauty of colored flowers, which among all the others is the most noble and excellent; it is no wonder if the great Philosophers, walking within the cultivated gardens of the divine sciences and seeing them all directed to this unique end and principal goal of fully searching for the truth and uncovering it to the world, were of diverse opinions as to which of them they should give the first place. Nevertheless, having finally discovered by their clear judgment the excellence and the divine treasure of the Mathematical disciplines, they proposed them before all other human sciences. Departing from this, they not only attribute to themselves what they wish by their natural and proper gift, but, bringing a very clear light to all the others—like the shining sun to the universal earth—they make their knowledge and understanding easier to us; inasmuch as natural things are in themselves so obscure and scabrous that that intellect is fortunate enough which, after long study, can clearly judge them. And from there has come the variety of opinions and the great contention among the Philosophers concerning the principles of natural things: from which, as from an inexhaustible fountain, arises what is scattered under the rich heaven upon the universal earth, so that with great difficulty three or four of them have agreed in one manner. The same also happens with the first Philosophy, the supereminence of which extends only to the contemplation of God, very good and very great, and to the investigation of those divine Spirits who assist continually at his eternal and most holy Majesty; which it cannot do or operate simply by irrefragable argument without the sight of those things that fall