The Opus Majus of Roger Bacon

are as early as the fourteenth century. In the fifteenth it was several times copied. The Cottonian manuscript Tiberius C.V. has been mentioned in the Preface (page xv). It covers 71 folios (49-119) of the same volume that contains one of the principal manuscripts of Opus Tertium Third Work. There are no rubrics and no divisions of chapters. The Correctio Calendarii Correction of the Calendar, although it will be found in the Opus Tertium (folios 40b-43b) is not given here, nor the concluding astrological treatise. The manuscript ends as in V. with the final words of the Geographia Geography,—principalem Scripturam the principal writing. It is apparently of the middle of the fifteenth century.

Another copy of the fourth part is in the possession of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge; and yet another in the Lambeth Library. These are approximately of the same date as the Cottonian.

Of the fifth part of the Opus Majus (Perspectiva Perspective) the most important manuscript is Royal 7 F viii. (folios 47 et seq.) already spoken of on pages xiii and xv of the Preface. The rubric, displaced from its proper position, is, Tractatus perspectivae habens tres partes; prima est de communibus ad caeteras duas; secunda pars descendit in speciali ad visionem rectam principaliter; tertia ad visionem reflexam et fractam. Prima pars habet duodecim distinctiones. Prima est de proprietatibus istius scientiae et de partibus animae et cerebri et instrumenti videndi, habens capitula. Primum est de proprietatibus scientiae hujus. A treatise of perspective having three parts; the first is concerning things common to the other two; the second part descends in particular to direct vision principally; the third to reflected and refracted vision. The first part has twelve distinctions. The first is concerning the properties of this science and concerning the parts of the soul and the brain and the instrument of seeing, having chapters. The first is concerning the properties of this science.

The treatise begins, Hic aliqua dicenda sunt de perspectiva. Auctores quidem multi tractant de hac scientia; sed quidam nimis parum, et seq. Here some things must be said concerning perspective. Indeed many authors treat of this science; but some too little, and following as in the extract from Combach's edition, quoted in the note to volume two, pages 1-2. This manuscript, like the greater part of that which precedes it in the same volume (folios 13-46b), is of the 13th century.

The rubric of the second part of Perspectiva is, Hic incipit pars secunda hujus tractatus, et seq. Here begins the second part of this treatise, and following as in the text of this edition.

The rubric of the third part is simply, Tertia pars perspectivae principalis. The third part of the principal perspective.

It will be noted that 12 distinctions are spoken of in the first part. O., however, speaks of nine only. The two manuscripts, however, agree in giving ten distinctions, and they entirely coincide in their contents.

Next in antiquity is the manuscript of Perspectiva contained in Add. manuscript 8786 (a small volume entitled Baconis Opuscula Physica Bacon's Physical Works), folio 84 (et seq.). This manuscript is in very small writing, in double columns, of the early part of the fourteenth century. It is headed, Incipit tractatus de modo videndi Here begins the treatise on the method of seeing, and begins, Quoniam praecipua delectatio nostra est in visu, et lux et color habent specialem pulcritudinem (et seq.). Since our principal delight is in vision, and light and color have a special beauty (and following). Chapters are marked by red letters, but without titles. Of Distinctiones Distinctions, in the first part, nothing is said. The diagrams are scanty and imperfect.