DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25683#0013
ADVERTISEMENT
TO THE
SECOND EDITION.
•— ■■ ■ - —
*rpi
1- HE Author of this Work when he first presented it to the Public
^endeavoured to shew that a Science, which had so long been secluded from
the Artist and the Pupil of taste, was not incapable of being rendered simple
and accessible. His plan was to fix it upon its own principles, and while he
freed it from the irksomeness of Geometrical demonstration to set forth its
general truths in a manifest and incontrovertible light. His success in this
undertaking has been universally acknowledged : and rival publications have
started forth to participate in his merit. The course he had taken was, how-
ever, not so open as his followers seem to have imagined: he had not rejected,
but simplified Science: he had not exhibited a mere book of practice without
elements; and, therefore, when they pretended to imitate his labours, they
should not have omitted that foundation, which he had laid in the truths of
proportion, nor that arrangement which by its form alone elucidated the
principles of the Science. To a first attempt at reducing a branch of Mathe-
matical knowledge to so simple a structure, many improvements might
undoubtedly have been added; and he regrets that all those improvements
are left to his own exertions.
In this second Edition it will appear that be has not swerved from his
duty. The whole doctrine of vanishing lines and their central points
will now be found exhibited in one short, but perspicuous, survey of the
subject; and their analogy with the Horizontal line and point of sight, will
be seen correctly exemplified by an additional plate. The principles, on
which the delineation of Shadows in perspective is determined, are explained
in a few general maxims, which are accompanied with distinct diagrams : from
these elementary precepts the whole of the practice of shadows is deduced
in a new and easy manner. Still something appeared to be wanting. The
young Artist in taking a view might still beat a loss how to direct his hand
TO THE
SECOND EDITION.
•— ■■ ■ - —
*rpi
1- HE Author of this Work when he first presented it to the Public
^endeavoured to shew that a Science, which had so long been secluded from
the Artist and the Pupil of taste, was not incapable of being rendered simple
and accessible. His plan was to fix it upon its own principles, and while he
freed it from the irksomeness of Geometrical demonstration to set forth its
general truths in a manifest and incontrovertible light. His success in this
undertaking has been universally acknowledged : and rival publications have
started forth to participate in his merit. The course he had taken was, how-
ever, not so open as his followers seem to have imagined: he had not rejected,
but simplified Science: he had not exhibited a mere book of practice without
elements; and, therefore, when they pretended to imitate his labours, they
should not have omitted that foundation, which he had laid in the truths of
proportion, nor that arrangement which by its form alone elucidated the
principles of the Science. To a first attempt at reducing a branch of Mathe-
matical knowledge to so simple a structure, many improvements might
undoubtedly have been added; and he regrets that all those improvements
are left to his own exertions.
In this second Edition it will appear that be has not swerved from his
duty. The whole doctrine of vanishing lines and their central points
will now be found exhibited in one short, but perspicuous, survey of the
subject; and their analogy with the Horizontal line and point of sight, will
be seen correctly exemplified by an additional plate. The principles, on
which the delineation of Shadows in perspective is determined, are explained
in a few general maxims, which are accompanied with distinct diagrams : from
these elementary precepts the whole of the practice of shadows is deduced
in a new and easy manner. Still something appeared to be wanting. The
young Artist in taking a view might still beat a loss how to direct his hand