New Theater of Machines

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to the Art-loving Reader.

The favorable reader should know herewith that many years ago, various useful mill and water-works were collected by Mr. Jacob de Strada à Rosberg, Civem Rom. Imp. Ferd. Maximiliani & Rudolphi II. antiquarium, &c. original: "Citizen of Rome, Antiquarian to the Holy Roman Emperors Ferdinand, Maximilian, and Rudolf II, etc.", and doubtlessly, if he had lived longer, he would have described them in detail. However, after his death, the aforementioned Mr. de Strada's grandson, Mr. Octavius de Strada, did not let the aforementioned mill and water-works lie in the dark, but had them printed publicly in the year 1618, and again for the second time in 1629. And although the aforementioned sketches or figures were quite obscure and disorderly, and their description or explanation much too short, they have nevertheless produced and accomplished no small benefit for one or another intelligent artist until now.

But so that those who are eager for these matters may be served even further in the future, the publisher of this work has purchased various copperplates of the aforementioned mill and water-works, and has had them not only brought into a better order by me, and described in detail as much as possible, but also increased with many new and useful copperplates, some of which have never before been seen in print. It is hoped that this work, which was gathered with great effort and expense, will be received and accepted in the best light by intelligent connoisseurs. But if, contrary to expectation, someone should be found to criticize this, pretending that one should have presented and explained the exact proportion and division of all the aforementioned mill and water-works here through the compass and scale, one should know that this was omitted deliberately for special reasons. For the old proverb says: it is easy to preach to the learned; and one must not put the porridge right into a child's mouth.

If someone learns something good from this treatise, let him acknowledge it with thanks. If he knew it beforehand, he does not need to learn it, but let him not despise it for that reason; rather, let him remember that there are perhaps still many who do not know such or similar things.

If he does not understand it, let him leave it unjudged whether an ox or a donkey is running a mill or not. But if he knows how to refute or improve this with good reason, let him do so unashamedly; however, publicly, and not with sophistical detours, wicked insults, libels, or the like, as is becoming common nowadays, however much it is forbidden. We will gladly accept better suggestions, but have left the punishment of slanders to the authorities.

Finally, since mostly all kinds of mill-works are considered and dealt with in this treatise, it was deemed good to append the Saxon Mill Ordinance, as Mr. Zeisinck published it in the third part of his Theatr. Machinar. Theater of Machines, printed in Leipzig in 1612, at the end of this book, to share it with the artist as information. But so that no one, neither authorities nor countries, has their old and well-established customs diminished or dictated to in the slightest, we hereby protest in optima forma in the best form/formally and ask to be duly excused. In the meantime, I recommend this to the inclined reader and commend him to Divine protection.

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