A decorative woodcut headpiece featuring symmetrical scrolling floral patterns, stylized leaves, and central blossoms, framed by a double-line border.

PREFACE TO THE READER.

Jacques Besson, a native of the Dauphiné A former province in southeastern France; its inhabitants were known as Dauphinois. and an ingenious Mathematician to the King of France, disregarded many hardships, exposed himself to many dangers, and undertook difficult journeys through various lands. He devoted his entire life and worked in every way to draw from the most hidden sources of Mathematics and the mechanical arts, seeking out various secrets greatly necessary to all states and sufficient to satisfy the studies of the most refined minds. If he had wished to avoid labor and, from his youth, simply relied on the authority of the ancients to rehash The original French 'regratter' implies scraping or reworking old material. their ideas and make a name for himself by such means, he would never have attained this knowledge of difficult matters, which he has practiced for the great benefit of all.

Now, among the excellent works of this man of great and ingenious spirit—in which one can see admirable artistry—here is a Theater In this context, a "Theater" refers to a comprehensive display or collection of knowledge, intended for public viewing. of immense labor, filled with machines and instruments that are both pleasing to contemplate and very useful to put into practice. He certainly hoped, for the sake of learned men, to add several other tables to this book, along with an explanation of all the contents to teach those who are not the most experienced in such matters. However, because the memory of past labors and the difficulty of those presenting themselves turned this man away from his undertaking—he being often reduced to a very uncertain condition and way of life—and fearing also that in wishing to present a work entirely finished and provided with all its parts, death might prevent him and this better part might perish with him, he found excellent illustrators and engravers to carve in copper the sixty plates that we now offer you.

And as he was in the process of explaining this great Theater, to which he wished to add some new inventions and pieces no less excellent (namely three books: the first of which treated the invention of mean and continuous proportionals; the second, the elements of converting curves into straight dimensions; and the third, exercises for both the first and second. All were invented with such spirit that the most learned Mathematicians certified there had never been more profitable Mathematical inventions), death took him from the world, and stole the life of one who lived to serve others.

Now, while leaving such a loss to be mourned by studious men, we desire that everyone receive this work with good affection. Meanwhile, we want everyone to know that there is no instrument or machine depicted here that was not either invented or enriched by Besson (although several people have taken things from his private conversations, not being ashamed to show similar inventions here and there as their own). Each is solid and supported on all sides by compelling and necessary reasons drawn from Mathematics and Physics. So much so that one can say without boasting that this is not the work of an idle or delicate man, or one raised in the shade A Renaissance metaphor for someone who has lived a sheltered life of leisure without enduring the "heat" of real-world labor or hardship., but of one who has suffered much and consumed great wealth. In short, this work adorned with so many beautiful machines is such that it must be said that whoever does not take satisfaction in it is sick with ingratitude and envy—especially if he neither knows how to do better nor can do so.

Furthermore, so that you may derive as much profit as pleasure from these machines, I have explained them following the reasoning upon which Besson founded them, as you may see by reading this explanation. To better understand it, you will note this in all the figures (whether they are arranged one way or another): the top of the book is called the North original: "Septentrion", the line at the edge of the plate being for this reason called the Northern line; the bottom is the South original: "Midi", the edge of the plate turned toward that quarter being the Southern line; the binding is the West original: "Occident", and the edge facing it is the Western line; the opposite is the East original: "Orient", and its line is the Eastern line. Moreover, because there are no letters on the plates to serve as demonstrations, in order to lead you to the place I mean, I will often use a scale divided into twenty-four parts, which, along with everything else, is placed on the next page, to which you may have recourse.