BOOK 43. OF THE MOVEMENT OF AIR ENCLOSED IN WATER.

I have seen motions of the air so furious that they have carried,

mixed up in their course, the largest trees of the forest and whole

roofs of great palaces, and I have seen the same fury bore a hole

with a whirling movement digging out a gravel pit, and carrying

gravel, sand and water more than half a mile through the air.

[Footnote: The first sixteen lines of this passage which treat of

the subject as indicated on the title line have no place in this

connexion and have been omitted.]

*[Footnote 2: _Ho veduto movimenti_ &c. Nothing of the kind happened

in Italy during Leonardo's lifetime, and it is therefore extremely

probable that this refers to the natural phenomena which are so

fully described in the foregoing passage. (Compare too, No. 1021.)

There can be no doubt that the descriptions of the Deluge in the

Libro di Pittura (Vol. I, No. 607-611), and that of the fall of a

mountain No. 610, l. 17-30 were written from the vivid impressions

derived from personal experience. Compare also Pl. XXXIV-XL.]

1339.

Like a whirling wind which rushes down a sandy and hollow valley,

and which, in its hasty course, drives to its centre every thing

that opposes its furious course ...

No otherwise does the Northern blast whirl round in its tempestuous

progress ...

**[Footnote: It may be inferred from the character of the writing,

which is in the style of the note in facsimile Vol. I, p. 297, that

this passage was written between 1470 and 1480. As the figure 6 at

the end of the text indicates, it was continued on another page, but

I have searched in vain for it. The reverse of this leaf is coloured

red for drawing in silver point, but has not been used for that

purpose but for writing on, and at about the same date. The passages

are given as Nos. 1217, 1218, 1219, 1162 and No. 994 (see note page

218). The text given above is obviously not a fragment of a letter,

but a record of some personal experience. No. 1379 also seems to

refer to Leonardo's journeys in Southern Italy.]

Nor does the tempestuous sea bellow so loud, when the Northern blast

dashes it, with its foaming waves between Scylla and Charybdis; nor

Stromboli, nor Mount Etna, when their sulphurous flames, having been

forcibly confined, rend, and burst open the mountain, fulminating

stones and earth through the air together with the flames they

vomit.

Nor when the inflamed caverns of Mount Etna **[Footnote 13:

Mongibello is a name commonly given in Sicily to Mount Etna (from

Djebel, Arab.=mountain). Fr. FERRARA, _Descrizione dell' Etna con la

storia delle *eruzioni_ (Palermo, 1818, p. 88) tells us, on the

authority of the _Cronaca del Monastero Benedettino di Licordia_ of

an eruption of the Volcano with a great flow of lava on Sept. 21,

1447. The next records of the mountain are from the years 1533 and

1536. A. Percy neither does mention any eruptions of Etna during the

years to which this note must probably refer _Memoire des

tremblements de terre de la peninsule italique, Vol. XXII des

Memoires couronnees et Memoires des savants etrangers. Academie

Royal de Belgique_).

A literal interpretation of the passage would not, however, indicate

an allusion to any great eruption; particularly in the connection

with Stromboli, where the periodical outbreaks in very short

intervals are very striking to any observer, especially at night

time, when passing the island on the way from Naples to Messina.],

rejecting the ill-restained element vomit it forth, back to its own

region, driving furiously before it every obstacle that comes in the

way of its impetuous rage ...

Unable to resist my eager desire and wanting to see the great ... of

the various and strange shapes made by formative nature, and having

wandered some distance among gloomy rocks, I came to the entrance of

a great cavern, in front of which I stood some time, astonished and

unaware of such a thing. Bending my back into an arch I rested my

left hand on my knee and held my right hand over my down-cast and

contracted eye brows: often bending first one way and then the

other, to see whether I could discover anything inside, and this

being forbidden by the deep darkness within, and after having

remained there some time, two contrary emotions arose in me, fear

and desire--fear of the threatening dark cavern, desire to see

whether there were any marvellous thing within it ...

Drafts of Letters to Lodovico il Moro (1340-1345).

1340.

Most illustrious Lord, Having now sufficiently considered the

specimens of all those who proclaim themselves skilled contrivers of

instruments of war, and that the invention and operation of the said

instruments are nothing different to those in common use: I shall

endeavour, without prejudice to any one else, to explain myself to

your Excellency showing your Lordship my secrets, and then offering

them to your best pleasure and approbation to work with effect at

opportune moments as well as all those things which, in part, shall

be briefly noted below.

[Footnote: The numerous corrections, the alterations in the figures

(l. 18) and the absence of any signature prove that this is merely

the rough draft of a letter to Lodovico il Moro. It is one of the

very few manuscripts which are written from left to right--see the

facsimile of the beginning as here reproduced. This is probably the

final sketch of a document the clean of which copy was written in

the usual manner. Leonardo no doubt very rarely wrote so, and this

is probably the reason of the conspicuous dissimilarity in the

handwriting, when he did. (Compare Pl. XXXVIII.) It is noteworthy

too that here the orthography and abbreviations are also

exceptional. But such superficial peculiarities are not enough to

stamp the document as altogether spurious. It is neither a forgery

nor the production of any artist but Leonardo himself. As to this

point the contents leave us no doubt as to its authenticity,

particularly l. 32 (see No. 719, where this passage is repeated).

But whether the fragment, as we here see it, was written from

Leonardo's dictation--a theory favoured by the orthography, the

erasures and corrections--or whether it may be a copy made for or by

Melzi or Mazenta is comparatively unimportant. There are in the

Codex Atlanticus a few other documents not written by Leonardo

himself, but the notes in his own hand found on the reverse pages of

these leaves amply prove that they were certainly in Leonardo's

possession. This mark of ownership is wanting to the text in

question, but the compilers of the Codex Atlanticus, at any rate,

accepted it as a genuine document.

With regard to the probable date of this projected letter see Vol.

II, p. 3.]

1) I have a sort of extremely light and strong bridges, adapted to

be most easily carried, and with them you may pursue, and at any

time flee from the enemy; and others, secure and indestructible by

fire and battle, easy and convenient to lift and place. Also methods

of burning and destroying those of the enemy.

2) I know how, when a place is besieged, to take the water out of

the trenches, and make endless variety of bridges, and covered ways

and ladders, and other machines pertaining to such expeditions.

3) Item. If, by reason of the height of the banks, or the strength

of the place and its position, it is impossible, when besieging a

place, to avail oneself of the plan of bombardment, I have methods

for destroying every rock or other fortress, even if it were founded

on a rock, &c.

4) Again I have kinds of mortars; most convenient and easy to carry;

and with these can fling small stones almost resembling a storm; and

with the smoke of these causing great terror to the enemy, to his

great detriment and confusion.

9) [8]* And when the fight should be at sea I have kinds of many

machines most efficient for offence and defence; and vessels which

will resist the attack of the largest guns and powder and fumes.

5) Item.* I have means by secret and tortuous mines and ways, made

without noise to reach a designated [spot], even if it were needed

to pass under a trench or a river.

6) Item. I will make covered chariots, safe and unattackable which,

entering among the enemy with their artillery, there is no body of

men so great but they would break them. And behind these, infantry

could follow quite unhurt and without any hindrance.

7) Item. In case of need I will make big guns, mortars and light

ordnance of fine and useful forms, out of the common type.

8) Where the operation of bombardment should fail, I would contrive

catapults, mangonels, _trabocchi_ and other machines of marvellous

efficacy and not in common use. And in short, according to the

variety of cases, I can contrive various and endless means of

offence and defence.

10) In time of peace I believe I can give perfect satisfaction and

to the equal of any other in architecture and the composition of

buildings public and private; and in guiding water from one place to

another.

Item: I can carry out sculpture in marble, bronze or clay, and also

in painting whatever may be done, and as well as any other, be he

whom he may.

[32] Again, the bronze horse may be taken in hand, which is to be to

the immortal glory and eternal honour of the prince your father of

happy memory, and of the illustrious house of Sforza.

And if any one of the above-named things seem to any one to be

impossible or not feasible, I am most ready to make the experiment

in your park, or in whatever place may please your Excellency--to

whom I commend myself with the utmost humility &c.

1341.

To my illustrious Lord, Lodovico, Duke of Bari, Leonardo da Vinci of

Florence-- Leonardo.

[Footnote: Evidently a note of the superscription of a letter to the

Duke, and written, like the foregoing from left to right. The

manuscript containing it is of the year 1493. Lodovico was not

proclaimed and styled Duke of Milan till September 1494. The Dukedom

of Bari belonged to the Sforza family till 1499.]

1342.

You would like to see a model which will prove useful to you and to

me, also it will be of use to those who will be the cause of our

usefulness.

[Footnote: 1342. 1343. These two notes occur in the same not very

voluminous MS. as the former one and it is possible that they are

fragments of the same letter. By the _Modello_, the equestrian

statue is probably meant, particularly as the model of this statue

was publicly exhibited in this very year, 1493, on tne occasion of

the marriage of the Emperor Maximilian with Bianca Maria Sforza.]

1343.

There are here, my Lord, many gentlemen who will undertake this

expense among them, if they are allowed to enjoy the use of

admission to the waters, the mills, and the passage of vessels and

when it is sold to them the price will be repaid to them by the

canal of Martesana.

1344.

I am greatly vexed to be in necessity, but I still more regret that

this should be the cause of the hindrance of my wish which is always

disposed to obey your Excellency.

Perhaps your Excellency did not give further orders to Messer

Gualtieri, believing that I had money enough.

I am greatly annoyed that you should have found me in necessity, and

that my having to earn my living should have hindered me ...

[12] It vexes me greatly that having to earn my living has forced me

to interrupt the work and to attend to small matters, instead of

following up the work which your Lordship entrusted to me. But I

hope in a short time to have earned so much that I may carry it out

quietly to the satisfaction of your Excellency, to whom I commend

myself; and if your Lordship thought that I had money, your Lordship

was deceived. I had to feed 6 men for 56 months, and have had 50

ducats.

1345.

And if any other comission is given me by any ... of the reward of

my service. Because I am not [able] to be ... things assigned

because meanwhile they have ... to them ... ... which they well may

settle rather than I ... not my art which I wish to change and ...

given some clothing if I dare a sum ...

[Footnote: The paper on which this is written is torn down the

middle; about half of each line remains.]

My Lord, I knowing your Excellency's mind to be occupied ... to

remind your Lordship of my small matters and the arts put to silence

that my silence might be the cause of making your Lordship scorn ...

my life in your service. I hold myself ever in readiness to obey ...

[Footnote 11: See No. 723, where this passage is repeated.] Of the

horse I will say nothing because I know the times [are bad] to your

Lordship how I had still to receive two years' salary of the ...

with the two skilled workmen who are constantly in my pay and at my

cost that at last I found myself advanced the said sum about 15 lire

... works of fame by which I could show to those who shall see it

that I have been everywhere, but I do not know where I could bestow

my work [more] ...

[Footnote 17: See No. 1344 l. 12.] I, having been working to gain my

living ...

I not having been informed what it is, I find myself ...

[Footnote 19: In April, 1498, Leonardo was engaged in painting the

Saletta Nigra of the Castello at Milan. (See G. MONGERI, _l'Arte in

Milano_, 1872, p. 417.)] remember the commission to paint the rooms

...

I conveyed to your Lordship only requesting you ...

Draft of letter to be sent to Piacenza (1346. 1347).

1346.

Magnificent Commissioners of Buildings I, understanding that your

Magnificencies have made up your minds to make certain great works

in bronze, will remind you of certain things: first that you should

not be so hasty or so quick to give the commission, lest by this

haste it should become impossible to select a good model and a good

master; and some man of small merit may be chosen, who by his

insufficiency may cause you to

**[Footnote: **1346. 1347. Piacenza belonged to Milan. The Lord

spoken of in this letter, is no doubt Lodovico il Moro. One may

infer from the concluding sentence (No. 1346, l. 33. 34 and No.

1347), that Leonardo, who no doubt compiled this letter, did not

forward it to Piacenza himself, but gave it to some influential

patron, under whose name and signature a copy of it was sent to the

Commission.] be abused by your descendants, judging that this age

was but ill supplied with men of good counsel and with good masters;

seeing that other cities, and chiefly the city of the Florentines,

has been as it were in these very days, endowed with beautiful and

grand works in bronze; among which are the doors of their

Baptistery. And this town of Florence, like Piacenza, is a place of

intercourse, through which many foreigners pass; who, seeing that

the works are fine and of good quality, carry away a good

impression, and will say that that city is well filled with worthy

inhabitants, seeing the works which bear witness to their opinion;

and on the other hand, I say seeing so much metal expended and so

badly wrought, it were less shame to the city if the doors had been

of plain wood; because, the material, costing so little, would not

seem to merit any great outlay of skill...

Now the principal parts which are sought for in cities are their

cathedrals, and of these the first things which strike the eye are

the doors, by which one passes into these churches.

Beware, gentlemen of the Commission, lest too great speed in your

determination, and so much haste to expedite the entrusting of so

great a work as that which I hear you have ordered, be the cause

that that which was intended for the honour of God and of men should

be turned to great dishonour of your judgments, and of your city,

which, being a place of mark, is the resort and gathering-place of

innumerable foreigners. And this dishonour would result if by your

lack of diligence you were to put your trust in some vaunter, who by

his tricks or by favour shown to him here should obtain such work

from you, by which lasting and very great shame would result to him

and to you. Thus I cannot help being angry when I consider what men

those are who have conferred with you as wishing to undertake this

great work without thinking of their sufficiency for it, not to say

more. This one is a potter, that one a maker of cuirasses, this one

is a bell-founder, another a bell ringer, and one is even a

bombardier; and among them one in his Lordship's service, who

boasted that he was the gossip of Messer Ambrosio Ferrere [Footnote

26: Messer Ambrogio Ferrere was Farmer of the Customs under the

Duke. Piacenza at that time belonged to Milan.], who has some power

and who has made him some promises; and if this were not enough he

would mount on horseback, and go to his Lord and obtain such letters

that you could never refuse [to give] him the work. But consider

where masters of real talent and fit for such work are brought when

they have to compete with such men as these. Open your eyes and look

carefully lest your money should be spent in buying your own

disgrace. I can declare to you that from that place you will procure

none but average works of inferior and coarse masters. There is no

capable man,--[33] and you may believe me,--except Leonardo the

Florentine, who is making the equestrian statue in bronze of the

Duke Francesco and who has no need to bring himself into notice,

because he has work for all his life time; and I doubt, whether

being so great a work, he will ever finish it [34].

The miserable painstakers ... with what hope may they expect a

reward of their merit?

1347.

There is one whom his Lordship invited from Florence to do this work

and who is a worthy master, but with so very much business he will

never finish it; and you may imagine that a difference there is to

be seen between a beautiful object and an ugly one. Quote Pliny.

Letter to the Cardinal Ippolito d' Este.

1348.

Most Illustrious and most Reverend Lord. The Lord Ippolito, Cardinal

of Este at Ferrare.

Most Illustrious and most Reverend Lord.

I arrived from Milan but a few days since and finding that my elder

brother refuses to

**[Footnote: This letter addressed to the Cardinal Ippolito d'Este

is here given from Marchese G. CAMPORI'S publication: _Nuovi

documenti per la Vita di Leonardo da Vinci. Atti e Memorie delle R.

R. Deputazioni di Storia patria per la provincie modenesi e par-

_menesi, Vol. III._ It is the only text throughout this work which I

have not myself examined and copied from the original. The learned

discoverer of this letter--the only letter from Leonardo hitherto

known as having been sent--adds these interesting remarks: _Codesto

Cardinale nato ad Ercole I. nel 1470, arcivescovo di Strigonia a

sette anni, poi d'Agra, aveva conseguito nel 1497 la pingue ed

ambita cattedra di Milano, la dove avra conosciuto il Vinci, sebbene

il poco amore ch'ei professava alle arti lasci credere che le

proteste di servitu di Leonardo piu che a gratitudine per favori

ricevuti e per opere a lui allogate, accennino a speranza per un

favore che si aspetta. Notabile e ancora in questo prezioso

documento la ripetuta signatura del grande artista 'che si scrive

Vincio e Vincius, non da Vinci come si tiene comunemente, sebbene

l'una e l'altra possano valere a significare cosi il casato come il

paese; restando a sapere se il nome del paese di Vinci fosse assunto

a cognome della famiglia di Leonardo nel qual supposto piu

propriamento avrebbe a chiamarsi Leonardo Vinci, o Vincio

(latinamente Vincius) com'egli stesso amo segnarsi in questa

lettera, e come scrissero parecchi contenporanei di lui, il Casio,

il Cesariano, Geoffrey Tory, il Gaurico, il Bandello, Raffaelle

Maffei, il Paciolo. Per ultimo non lascero d'avvertire come la

lettera del Vinci e assai ben conservata, di nitida e larga

scrittura in forma pienemente corrispondente a quella dei suoi

manoscritti, vergata all'uso comune da sinistra a destra, anziche

contrariamente come fu suo costume; ma indubbiamente autentica e

fornita della menzione e del suggello che fresca ancora conserva

l'impronta di una testa di profilo da un picciolo antico cammeo._

(Compare No. 1368, note.)]

carry into effect a will, made three years ago when my father

died--as also, and no less, because I would not fail in a matter I

esteem most important--I cannot forbear to crave of your most

Reverend Highness a letter of recommendation and favour to Ser

Raphaello Hieronymo, at present one of the illustrious members of

the Signoria before whom my cause is being argued; and more

particularly it has been laid by his Excellency the Gonfaloniere

into the hands of the said Ser Raphaello, that his Worship may have

to decide and end it before the festival of All Saints. And

therefore, my Lord, I entreat you, as urgently as I know how and am

able, that your Highness will write a letter to the said Ser

Raphaello in that admirable and pressing manner which your Highness

can use, recommending to him Leonardo Vincio, your most humble

servant as I am, and shall always be; requesting him and pressing

him not only to do me justice but to do so with despatch; and I have

not the least doubt, from many things that I hear, that Ser

Raphaello, being most affectionately devoted to your Highness, the

matter will issue _ad votum_. And this I shall attribute to your

most Reverend Highness' letter, to whom I once more humbly commend

myself. _Et bene valeat_.

Florence XVIIIa 7bris 1507. E. V. R. D.

your humble servant Leonardus Vincius, pictor.

Draft of Letter to the Governor of Milan.

1349.

I am afraid lest the small return I have made for the great

benefits, I have received from your Excellency, have not made you

somewhat angry with me, and that this is why to so many letters

which I have written to your Lordship I have never had an answer. I

now send Salai to explain to your Lordship that I am almost at an

end of the litigation I had with my brother; that I hope to find

myself with you this Easter, and to carry with me two pictures of

two Madonnas of different sizes. These were done for our most

Christian King, or for whomsoever your Lordship may please. I should

be very glad to know on my return thence where I may have to reside,

for I would not give any more trouble to your Lordship. Also, as I

have worked for the most Christian King, whether my salary is to

continue or not. I wrote to the President as to that water which the

king granted me, and which I was not put in possession of because at

that time there was a dearth in the canal by reason of the great

droughts and because [Footnote:Compare Nos. 1009 and 1010. Leonardo

has noted the payment of the pension from the king in 1505.] its

outlets were not regulated; but he certainly promised me that when

this was done I should be put in possession. Thus I pray your

Lordship that you will take so much trouble, now that these outlets

are regulated, as to remind the President of my matter; that is, to

give me possession of this water, because on my return I hope to

make there instruments and other things which will greatly please

our most Christian King. Nothing else occurs to me. I am always

yours to command. [Footnote:1349. Charles d'Amboise, Marechal de

Chaumont, was Governor of Milan under Louis XII. Leonardo was in

personal communication with him so early as in 1503. He was absent

from Milan in the autumn of 1506 and from October l5l0--when he

besieged Pope Julius II. in Bologna--till his death, which took

place at Correggio, February 11, 1511. Francesco Vinci, Leonardo's

uncle, died--as Amoretti tells us--in the winter of l5l0-11 (or

according to Uzielli in 1506?), and Leonardo remained in Florence

for business connected with his estate. The letter written with

reference to this affair, No. 1348, is undoubtedly earlier than the

letters Nos. 1349 and 1350. Amoretti tells us, _Memorie Storiche_,

ch. II, that the following note existed on the same leaf in MS. C.

A. I have not however succeeded in finding it. The passage runs

thus: _Jo sono quasi al fine del mio letizio che io o con mie

fratetgli ... Ancora ricordo a V. Excia la facenda che o cum Ser

Juliana mio Fratello capo delli altri fratelli ricordandoli come se

offerse di conciar le cose nostre fra noi fratelli del comune della

eredita de mio Zio, e quelli costringa alla expeditione, quale

conteneva la lettera che lui me mando._]

C. A. 364b; 1138b]

Drafts of Letters to the Superintendent of Canals and to Fr. Melzi.

1350.

Magnificent President, I am sending thither Salai, my pupil, who is

the bearer of this, and from him you will hear by word of mouth the

cause of my...

Magnificent President, I...

Magnificent President:--Having ofttimes remembered the proposals

made many times to me by your Excellency, I take the liberty of

writing to remind your Lordship of the promise made to me at my last

departure, that is the possession of the twelve inches of water

granted to me by the most Christian King. Your Lordship knows that I

did not enter into possession, because at that time when it was

given to me there was a dearth of water in the canal, as well by

reason of the great drought as also because the outlets were not

regulated; but your Excellency promised me that as soon as this was

done, I should have my rights. Afterwards hearing that the canal was

complete I wrote several times to your Lordship and to Messer

Girolamo da Cusano,who has in his keeping the deed of this gift; and

so also I wrote to Corigero and never had a reply. I now send

thither Salai, my pupil, the bearer of this, to whom your Lordship

may tell by word of mouth all that happened in the matter about

which I petition your Excellency. I expect to go thither this Easter

since I am nearly at the end of my lawsuit, and I will take with me

two pictures of our Lady which I have begun, and at the present time

have brought them on to a very good end; nothing else occurs to me.

My Lord the love which your Excellency has always shown me and the

benefits that I have constantly received from you I have hitherto...

I am fearful lest the small return I have made for the great

benefits I have received from your Excellency may not have made you

somewhat annoyed with me. And this is why, to many letters which I

have written to your Excellency I have never had an answer. I now

send to you Salai to explain to your Excellency that I am almost at

the end of my litigation with my brothers, and that I hope to be

with you this Easter and carry with me two pictures on which are two

Madonnas of different sizes which I began for the most Christian

King, or for whomsoever you please. I should be very glad to know

where, on my return from this place, I shall have to reside, because

I do not wish to give more trouble to your Lordship; and then,

having worked for the most Christian King, whether my salary is to

be continued or not. I write to the President as to the water that

the king granted me of which I had not been put in possession by

reason of the dearth in the canal, caused by the great drought and

because its outlets were not regulated; but he promised me certainly

that as soon as the regulation was made, I should be put in

possession of it; I therefore pray you that, if you should meet the

said President, you would be good enough, now that the outlets are

regulated, to remind the said President to cause me to be put in

possession of that water, since I understand it is in great measure

in his power. Nothing else occurs to me; always yours to command.

Good day to you Messer Francesco. Why, in God's name, of all the

letters I have written to you, have you never answered one. Now wait

till I come, by God, and I shall make you write so much that perhaps

you will become sick of it.

Dear Messer Francesco. I am sending thither Salai to learn from His

Magnificence the President to what end the regulation of the water

has come since, at my departure this regulation of the outlets of

the canal had been ordered, because His Magnificence the President

promised me that as soon as this was done I should be satisfied. It

is now some time since I heard that the canal was in order, as also

its outlets, and I immediately wrote to the President and to you,

and then I repeated it, and never had an answer. So you will have

the goodness to answer me as to that which happened, and as I am not

to hurry the matter, would you take the trouble, for the love of me,

to urge the President a little, and also Messer Girolamo Cusano, to

whom you will commend me and offer my duty to his Magnificence.

*1350. 28-36. Draft of a letter to Francesco Melzi, born l493--a

youth therefore of about 17 in 1510. Leonardo addresses his young

friend as "Messer", as being the son of a noble house. Melzi

practised art under Leonardo as a dilettante and not as a pupil,

like Cesare da Sesto and others (See LERMOLIEFF, _Die Galerien_ &c.,

p. 476).

*Drafts of a letter to Giuliano de' Medici (1351-1352).

1351.

[Most illustrious Lord. I greatly rejoice most Illustrious Lord at

your...]

I was so greatly rejoiced, most illustrious Lord, by the desired

restoration of your health, that it almost had the effect that [my

own health recovered]--[I have got through my illness]--my own

illness left me-- --of your Excellency's almost restored health. But

I am extremely vexed that I have not been able completely to satisfy

the wishes of your Excellency, by reason of the wickedness of that

deceiver, for whom I left nothing undone which could be done for him

by me and by which I might be of use to him; and in the first place

his allowances were paid to him before the time, which I believe he

would willingly deny, if I had not the writing signed by myself and

the interpreter. And I, seeing that he did not work for me unless he

had no work to do for others, which he was very careful in

solliciting, invited him to dine with me, and to work afterwards

near me, because, besides the saving of expense, he

*1351. 1353.[Footnote: It is clear from the contents of this notes

that they refer to Leonardo's residence in Rome in 1513-1515. Nor

can there be any doubt that they were addressed to Leonardo's patron

at the time: Giuliano de' Medici, third son of Lorenzo the

Magnificent and brother of Pope Leo X (born 1478). In 1512 he became

the head of the Florentine Republic. The Pope invited him to Rome,

where he settled; in 1513 he was named patrician with much splendid

ceremonial. The medal struck in honour of the event bears the words

MAG. IVLIAN. MEDICES. Leonardo too uses the style "Magnifico", in

his letter. Compare also No. 1377.

GlNO CAPPONI (_Storia della Repubblica di Firenze_, Vol. III, p.

139) thus describes the character of Giuliano de' Medici, who died

in 1516: _Era il migliore della famiglia, di vita placida, grande

spenditore, tenendo intorno a s*e uomini ingegnosi, ed ogni nuova

cosa voleva provare._

See too GREGOROVIUS, _Geschichte der Stadi Rom_, VIII (book XIV.

III, 2): _Die Luftschl*osser f*urstlicher Gr*osse, wozu ihn der

Papst hatte erheben wollen zerfielen. Julian war der edelste aller

damaligen Medici, ein Mensch von innerlicher Richtung, unbefriedigt

durch das Leben, mitten im Sonnenglanz der Herrlichkeit Leo's X.

eine dunkle Gestalt die wie ein Schatten vor*uberzog._ Giuliano

lived in the Vatican, and it may be safely inferred from No. 1352 l.

2, and No. 1353 l. 4, that Leonardo did the same.

>From the following unpublished notice in the Vatican archives, which

M. Eug. M*untz, librarian of the Ecole des Beaux arts, Paris, has

done me the favour to communicate to me, we get a more accurate view

of Leonardo's relation to the often named GIORGIO TEDESCO:

_Nota delle provisione_ (sic) _a da pagare per me in nome del nostro

ill. S. Bernardo Bini e chomp*a di Roma, e prima della ill*ma sua

chonsorte ogni mese d. 800.

A L*do da Vinci per sua provisione d. XXXIII, e pi*u d. VII al detto

per la provisione di Giorgio tedescho, che sono in tutto d. 40.

>From this we learn, that seven ducats formed the German's monthly

wages, but according to No. 1353 l. 7 he pretended that eight ducats

had been agreed upon.]

would acquire the Italian language. He always promised, but would

never do so. And this I did also, because that Giovanni, the German

who makes the mirrors, was there always in the workshop, and wanted

to see and to know all that was being done there and made it known

outside ... strongly criticising it; and because he dined with those

of the Pope's guard, and then they went out with guns killing birds

among the ruins; and this went on from after dinner till the

evening; and when I sent Lorenzo to urge him to work he said that he

would not have so many masters over him, and that his work was for

your Excellency's Wardrobe; and thus two months passed and so it

went on; and one day finding Gian Niccolo of the Wardrobe and asking

whether the German had finished the work for your Magnificence, he

told me this was not true, but only that he had given him two guns

to clean. Afterwards, when I had urged him farther, be left the

workshop and began to work in his room, and lost much time in making

another pair of pincers and files and other tools with screws; and

there he worked at mills for twisting silk which he hid when any one

of my people went in, and with a thousand oaths and mutterings, so

that none of them would go there any more.

I was so greatly rejoiced, most Illustrious Lord, by the desired

restoration of your health, that my own illness almost left me. But

I am greatly vexed at not having been able to completely satisfy

your Excellency's wishes by reason of the wickedness of that German

deceiver, for whom I left nothing undone by which I could have hope

to please him; and secondly I invited him to lodge and board with

me, by which means I should constantly see the work he was doing and

with greater ease correct his errors while, besides this, he would

learn the Italian tongue, by means of which be could with more ease

talk without an interpreter; his moneys were always given him in

advance of the time when due. Afterwards he wanted to have the

models finished in wood, just as they were to be in iron, and wished

to carry them away to his own country. But this I refused him,

telling him that I would give him, in drawing, the breadth, length,

height and form of what he had to do; and so we remained in

ill-will.

The next thing was that he made himself another workshop and pincers

and tools in his room where he slept, and there he worked for

others; afterwards he went to dine with the Swiss of the guard,

where there are idle fellows, in which he beat them all; and most

times they went two or three together with guns, to shoot birds

among the ruins, and this went on till evening.

At last I found how this master Giovanni the mirror-maker was he who

had done it all, for two reasons; the first because he had said that

my coming here had deprived him of the countenance and favour of

your Lordship which always... The other is that he said that his

iron-workers' rooms suited him for working at his mirrors, and of

this he gave proof; for besides making him my enemy, he made him

sell all he had and leave his workshop to him, where he works with a

number of workmen making numerous mirrors to send to the fairs.

1352.

I was so greatly rejoiced, most Illustrious Lord, by the wished for

recovery of your health, that my own ills have almost left me; and I

say God be praised for it. But it vexes me greatly that I have not

been able completely to satisfy your Excellency's wishes by reason

of the wickedness of that German deceiver, for whom I left nothing

undone by which I could hope to please him; and secondly I invited

him to lodge and board with me, by which means I should see

constantly the work he was doing, for which purpose I would have a

table fixed at the foot of one of these windows, where he could work

with the file and finish the things made below; and so I should

constantly see the work he might do, and it could be corrected with

greater ease.

Draft of letter written at Rome.

1353.

This other hindered me in anatomy, blaming it before the Pope; and

likewise at the hospital; and he has filled [*4] this whole

Belvedere with workshops for mirrors; and he did the same thing in

Maestro Giorgio's room. He said that he had been promised [*7] eight

ducats every month, beginning with the first day, when he set out,

or at latest when he spoke with you; and that you agreed.

Seeing that he seldom stayed in the workshop, and that he ate a

great deal, I sent him word that, if he liked I could deal with him

separately for each thing that he might make, and would give him

what we might agree to be a fair valuation. He took counsel with his

neighbour and gave up his room, selling every thing, and went to

find...

Miscellaneous Records (1354. 1355)-

1354.

Dear Benedetto de' Pertarti. When the proud giant fell because of

the bloody and miry state of the ground it was as though a mountain

had fallen so that the country shook as with an earthquake, and

terror fell on Pluto in hell. From the violence of the shock he lay

as stunned on the level ground. Suddenly the people, seeing him as

one killed by a thunderbolt, turned back; like ants running wildly

over the body of the fallen oak, so these rushing over his ample

limbs.......... them with

*1354.[Footnote: A puzzling passage, meant, as it would seem, for a

jest. Compare the description of Giants in Dante, _Inf_. XXI and

XXII. Perhaps Leonardo had the Giant Antaeus in his mind. Of him the

myth relates that he was a son of Ge, that he fed on lions; that he

hunted in Libya and killed the inhabitants. He enjoyed the

peculiarity of renewing his strength whenever he fell and came in

contact with his mother earth; but that Hercules lifted him up and

so conquered and strangled him. Lucan gives a full account of the

struggle. Pharsalia IV, 617. The reading of this passage, which is

very indistinctly written, is in many places doubtful.]

frequent wounds; by which, the giant being roused and feeling

himself almost covered by the multitude, he suddenly perceives the

smarting of the stabs, and sent forth a roar which sounded like a

terrific clap of thunder; and placing his hands on the ground he

raised his terrible face: and having lifted one hand to his head he

found it full of men and rabble sticking to it like the minute

creatures which not unfrequently are found there; wherefore with a

shake of his head he sends the men flying through the air just as

hail does when driven by the fury of the winds. Many of these men

were found to be dead; stamping with his feet.

And clinging to his hair, and striving to hide in it, they behaved

like sailors in a storm, who run up the ropes to lessen the force of

the wind [by taking in sail].

News of things from the East.

Be it known to you that in the month of June there appeared a Giant,

who came from the Lybian desert... mad with rage like ants....

struck down by the rude.

This great Giant was born in Mount Atlas and was a hero ... and had

to fight against the Egyptians and Arabs, Medes and Persians. He

lived in the sea on whales, grampuses and ships.

Mars fearing for his life took refuge under the... of Jove.

And at the great fall it seemed as though the whole province quaked.

1355.

This spirit returns to the brain whence it had departed, with a loud

voice and with these words, it moved...

And if any man though he may have wisdom or goodness .........

[Footnote: This passage, very difficult to decipher, is on the

reverse of a drawing at Windsor, Pl. CXXII, which possibly has some

connection with it. The drawing is slightly reduced in this

reproduction; the original being 25 cm. high by 19 cm. wide.]

O blessed and happy spirit whence comest thou? Well have I known

this man, much against my will. This one is a receptacle of

villainy; he is a perfect heap of the utmost ingratitude combined

with every vice. But of what use is it to fatigue myself with vain

words? Nothing is to be found in them but every form of sin ... And

if there should be found among them any that possesses any good,

they will not be treated differently to myself by other men; and in

fine, I come to the conclusion that it is bad if they are hostile,

and worse if they are friendly.

Miscellaneous drafts of letters and personal records (1356--1368).

1356.

All the ills that are or ever were, if they could be set to work by

him, would not satisfy the desires of his iniquitous soul; and I

could not in any length of time describe his nature to you, but I

conclude...

1357.

I know one who, having promised me much, less than my due, being

disappointed of his presumptuous desires, has tried to deprive me of

all my friends; and as he has found them wise and not pliable to his

will, he has menaced me that, having found means of denouncing me,

he would deprive me of my benefactors. Hence I have informed your

Lordship of this, to the end [that this man who wishes to sow the

usual scandals, may find no soil fit for sowing the thoughts and

deeds of his evil nature] so that he, trying to make your Lordship,

the instrument of his iniquitous and maliceous nature may be

disappointed of his desire.

1358.

And in this case I know that I shall make few enemies seeing that no

one will believe what I can say of him; for they are but

[Footnote: Below this text we read gusstino--Giustino and in another

passage on the same page Justin is quoted (No. 1210, 1. 48). The two

have however no real connection.]

few whom his vices have disgusted, and he only dislikes those men

whose natures are contrary to those vices. And many hate their

fathers, and break off friendship with those who reprove their

vices; and he will not permit any examples against them, nor any

advice.

If you meet with any one who is virtuous do not drive him from you;

do him honour, so that he may not have to flee from you and be

reduced to hiding in hermitages, or caves or other solitary places

to escape from your treachery; if there is such an one among you do

him honour, for these are our Saints upon earth; these are they who

deserve statues from us, and images; but remember that their images

are not to be eaten by you, as is still done in some parts of India

[Footnote 15: In explanation of this passage I have received the

following communication from Dr. G. W. LEITNER of Lahore: "So far as

Indian customs are known to us, this practice spoken of by Leonardo

as 'still existing in some parts of India' is perfectly unknown; and

it is equally opposed to the spirit of Hinduism, Mohammedanism and

Sikhism. In central Thibet the ashes of the dead, when burnt, are

mixed with dough, and small figures--usually of Buddha--are stamped

out of them and some are laid in the grave while others are

distributed among the relations. The custom spoken of by Leonardo

may have prevailed there but I never heard of it." Possibly Leonardo

refers here to customs of nations of America.] where, when the

images have according to them, performed some miracle, the priests

cut them in pieces, being of wood, and give them to all the people

of the country, not without payment; and each one grates his portion

very fine, and puts it upon the first food he eats; and thus

believes that by faith he has eaten his saint who then preserves him

from all perils. What do you think here, Man, of your own species?

Are you so wise as you believe yourselves to be? Are these things to

be done by men?

1359.

As I told you in past days, you know that I am without any....

Francesco d'Antonio. Bernardo di Maestro Jacopo.

1360.

Tell me how the things happened.

1361.

j lorezo\\\ 2 inbiadali\\\ 3 inferri de\\\ 4in lorezo\\\ 5[inno

abuil]\\ 6 in acocatu\\\ 7 per la sella\\\ 8colte di lor\\\ 9v

cavallott\\\ I0el uiagg\\\ IIal\\\ I2a lurez\\\ 13in biada\\\

14inferri\\\ 15abuss\\\ 16in viagg\\\ 17alorz\\\ [Footnote: This

seems to be the beginning of a letter, but only the first words of

the lines have been preserved, the leaf being torn down the middle.

No translation is possible.]

1362.

And so may it please our great Author that I may demonstrate the

nature of man and his customs, in the way I describe his figure.

[Footnote: A preparatory note for the passage given as No. 798, *11.

41--42.]

1363.

This writing distinctly about the kite seems to be my destiny,

because among the first recollections of my infancy, it seemed to me

that, as I was in my cradle, a kite came to me and opened my mouth

with its tail, and struck me several times with its tail inside my

lips. [Footnote: This note probably refers to the text No. 1221.]

C. A. 248a; 737a]

1364.

[When I did well, as a boy you used to put me in prison. Now if I do

it being grown up, you will do worse to me.]

1365.

Tell me if anything was ever done.

1366.

Tell me if ever I did a thing which me ....

1367.

Do not reveal, if liberty is precious to you; my face is the prison

of love. [Footnote:This note seems to be a quotation.]

1368.

Maestro Leonardo of Florence. [Footnote: So Leonardo writes his name

on a sheet with sundry short notes, evidently to try a pen. Compare

the signature with those in Nos. 1341, 1348 and 1374 (see also No.

1346, l. 33). The form "Lionardo" does not occur in the autographs.

The Portrait of the Master in the Royal Library at Turin, which is

reproduced--slightly diminished--on Pl. I, has in the original two

lines of writing underneath; one in red chalk of two or three words

is partly effaced: _lionardo it... lm_ (or _lai_?); the second

written in pencil is as follows: _fatto da lui stesso assai

vecchio_. In both of these the writing is very like the Master's,

but is certainly only an imitation.]

Notes bearing Dates (1369--1378).

1369.

The day of Santa Maria _della Neve_ [of the Snows] August the 2nd

1473. [Footnote: *W. An. I. 1368. 1369. This date is on a drawing of

a rocky landscape. See _Chronique des Arts_ 1881 no. 23: _Leonard de

Vinci a-t-il ete au Righi le 5 aout 1473_? letter by H. de

Geymuller. The next following date in the MSS. is 1478 (see No.

663).

1370.

On the 2nd of April 1489, book entitled 'Of the human figure'.

[Footnote: While the letters in the MS. notes of 1473 and 1478 are

very ornate, this note and the texts on anatomy on the same sheet

(for instance No. 805) are in the same simple hand as we see on Pl.

CXVI and CXIX. No 1370 is the only dated note of the years between

1480 and 1489, and the characters are in all essential points

identical with those that we see in the latest manuscripts written

in France (compare the facsimiles on Pl. CXV and p. 254), so that it

is hardly possible to determine exactly the date of a manuscript

from the style of the handwriting, if it does not betray the

peculiarities of style as displayed in the few notes dated previous

to l480.--Compare the facsimile of the manuscripts 1479 on Pl.LXII,

No. 2; No. 664, note, Vol. I p. 346. This shows already a marked

simplicity as compared with the calligraphy of I478.

The text No. 720 belongs to the year 1490; No. 1510 to the year

1492; No. 1459, No. 1384 and No. 1460 to the year 1493; No. 1463,

No. 1517, No. 1024, 1025 and 1461 to the year 1494; Nos. 1523 and

1524 to the year 1497.

C. A. 103a; 325a]

1371.

On the ist of August 1499, I wrote here of motion and of weight.

[Footnote:1371. _Scrissi qui_. Leonardo does not say where; still we

may assume that it was not in Milan. Amoretti writes, _Memorie

Storiche_, chap. XIX: _Sembra pertanto che non nel 1499 ma nel 1500,

dopo il ritorno e la prigionia del duca, sia da qui partito Lionardo

per andare a Firenze; ed e quindi probabile, che i mesi di governo

nuovo e incerto abbia passati coll' amico suo Francesco Melzi a

Vaprio, ove meglio che altrove studiar potea la natura, e

soprattutta le acque, e l'Adda specialmente, che gia era stato

l'ogetto delle sue idrostatiche ricerche_. At that time Melzi was

only six years of age. The next date is 1502; to this year belong

No. 1034, 1040, 1042, 1048 and 1053. The note No. 1525 belongs to

the year 1503.]

1372.

On the 9th of July 1504, Wednesday, at seven o'clock, died Ser Piero

da Vinci, notary at the Palazzo del Podest*a, my father, --at seven

o'clock, being eighty years old, leaving behind ten sons and two

daughters.

[Footnote: This statement of Ser Piero's age contradicts that of the

_Riassunto della portata di Antonio da Vinci_ (Leonardo's

grandfather), who speaks of Ser Piero as being thirty years old in

1457; and that of the _Riassunto della portata di Ser Piero e

Francesco_, sons of Antonia da Vinci, where Ser Piero is mentioned

as being forty in 1469. These documents were published by G.

UZIELLI, _Ricerche intorno a L. da Vinci, Firenze_, 1872, pp. 144

and 146. Leonardo was, as is well known, a natural son. His mother

'La Catarina' was married in 1457 to Acchattabriga di Piero del

Vaccha da Vinci. She died in 1519. Leonardo never mentions her in

the Manuscripts. In the year of Leonardo's birth Ser Piero married

Albiera di Giovanni Amadoci, and after her death at the age of

thirty eight he again married, Francesca, daughter of Ser Giovanni

Lanfredi, then only fifteen. Their children were Leonardo's

halfbrothers, Antonio (b. 1476), Ser Giuliano (b. 1479), Lorenzo (b.

1484), a girl, Violante (b. 1485), and another boy Domenico (b.

1486); Domenico's descendants still exist as a family. Ser Piero

married for the third time Lucrezia di Guglielmo Cortigiani by whom

he had six children: Margherita (b. 1491), Benedetto (b. 1492),

Pandolfo (b. 1494), Guglielmo (b. 1496), Bartolommeo (b. 1497), and

Giovanni) date of birth unknown). Pierino da Vinci the sculptor

(about 1520-1554) was the son of Bartolommeo, the fifth of these

children. The dates of their deaths are not known, but we may infer

from the above passage that they were all still living in 1505.]

1373.

On Wednesday at seven o'clock died Ser Piero da Vinci on the 9th of

July 1504.

[Footnote: This and the previous text it may be remarked are the

only mention made by Leonardo of his father; Nos. 1526, 1527 and No.

1463 are of the year 1504.]

1374.

Begun by me, Leonardo da Vinci, on the l2th of July 1505.

[Footnote: Thus he writes on the first page of the MS. The title is

on the foregoing coversheet as follows: _Libro titolato

disstrafformatione coe_ (cio*e) _d'un corpo nvn_ (in un) _altro

sanza diminuitione e acresscemento di materia._]

1375.

Begun at Milan on the l2th of September 1508.

[Footnote: No. 1528 and No. 1529 belong to the same year. The text

Vol. I, No. 4 belongs to the following year 1509 (1508 old style);

so also does No. 1009.-- Nos. 1022, 1057 and 1464 belong to 1511.]

1376.

On the 9th of January 1513.

[Footnote: No. 1465 belongs to the same year. No. 1065 has the next

date 1514.]

1377.

The Magnifico Giuliano de' Medici left Rome on the 9th of January

1515, just at daybreak, to take a wife in Savoy; and on the same day

fell the death of the king of France.

[Footnote: Giuliano de Medici, brother to Pope Leo X.; see note to

Nos. 1351-1353. In February, 1515, he was married to Filiberta,

daughter of Filippo, Duke of Savoy, and aunt to Francis I, Louis

XII's successor on the throne of France. Louis XII died on Jan. 1st,

and not on Jan. 9th as is here stated.-- This addition is written in

paler ink and evidently at a later date.]

1378.

On the 24th of June, St John's day, 1518 at Amboise, in the palace

of...

[Footnote: _Castello del clli_. The meaning of this word is obscure;

it is perhaps not written at full length.]

_XXII._

_Miscellaneous Notes._

_The incidental memoranda scattered here and there throughout the

MSS. can have been for the most part intelligible to the writer

only; in many cases their meaning and connection are all the more

obscure because we are in ignorance about the persons with whom

Leonardo used to converse nor can we say what part he may have

played in the various events of his time. Vasari and other early

biographers give us a very superficial and far from accurate picture

of Leonardo's private life. Though his own memoranda, referring for

the most part to incidents of no permanent interest, do not go far

towards supplying this deficiency, they are nevertheless of some

importance and interest as helping us to solve the numerous

mysteries in which the history of Leonardo's long life remains

involved. We may at any rate assume, from Leonardo's having

committed to paper notes on more or less trivial matters on his

pupils, on his house-keeping, on various known and unknown

personages, and a hundred other trifies--that at the time they must

have been in some way important to him._

_I have endeavoured to make these 'Miscellaneous Notes' as complete

as possible, for in many cases an incidental memorandum will help to

explain the meaning of some other note of a similar kind. The first

portion of these notes (Nos. l379--l457), as well as those referring

to his pupils and to other artists and artificers who lived in his

house (1458--1468,) are arranged in chronological order. A

considerable proportion of these notes belong to the period between

1490 and 1500, when Leonardo was living at Milan under the patronage

of Lodovico il Moro, a time concerning which we have otherwise only

very scanty information. If Leonardo did really--as has always been

supposed,--spend also the greater part of the preceding decade in

Milan, it seems hardly likely that we should not find a single note

indicative of the fact, or referring to any event of that period, on

the numerous loose leaves in his writing that exist. Leonardo's life

in Milan between 1489 and 1500 must have been comparatively

uneventful. The MSS. and memoranda of those years seem to prove that

it was a tranquil period of intellectual and artistic labour rather

than of bustling court life. Whatever may have been the fate of the

MSS. and note books of the foregoing years--whether they were

destroyed by Leonardo himself or have been lost--it is certainly

strange that nothing whatever exists to inform us as to his life and

doings in Milan earlier than the consecutive series of manuscripts

which begin in the year 1489._

_There is nothing surprising in the fact that the notes regarding

his pupils are few and meagre. Excepting for the record of money

transactions only very exceptional circumstances would have prompted

him to make any written observations on the persons with whom he was

in daily intercourse, among whom, of course, were his pupils. Of

them all none is so frequently mentioned as Salai, but the character

of the notes does not--as it seems to me--justify us in supposing

that he was any thing more than a sort of factotum of Leonardo's

(see 1519, note)._

_Leonardo's quotations from books and his lists of titles supply

nothing more than a hint as to his occasional literary studies or

recreations. It was evidently no part of his ambition to be deeply

read (see Nrs. 10, 11, 1159) and he more than once expressly states

(in various passages which will be found in the foregoing sections)

that he did not recognise the authority of the Ancients, on

scientific questions, which in his day was held paramount.

Archimedes is the sole exception, and Leonardo frankly owns his

admiration for the illustrious Greek to whose genius his own was so

much akin (see No. 1476). All his notes on various authors,

excepting those which have already been inserted in the previous

section, have been arranged alphabetically for the sake of

convenience (1469--1508)._

_The passages next in order contain accounts and inventories

principally of household property. The publication of these--often

very trivial entries--is only justifiable as proving that the

wealth, the splendid mode of life and lavish expenditure which have

been attributed to Leonardo are altogether mythical; unless we put

forward the very improbable hypothesis that these notes as to money

in hand, outlay and receipts, refer throughout to an exceptional

state of his affairs, viz. when he was short of money._

_The memoranda collected at the end (No. 1505--1565) are, in the

original, in the usual writing, from left to right. Besides, the

style of the handwriting is at variance with what we should expect

it to be, if really Leonardo himself had written these notes. Most

of them are to be found in juxtaposition with undoubtedly authentic

writing of his. But this may be easily explained, if we take into

account the fact, that Leonardo frequently wrote on loose sheets. He

may therefore have occasionally used paper on which others had made

short memoranda, for the most part as it would seem, for his use. At

the end of all I have given Leonardo's will from the copy of it

preserved in the Melzi Library. It has already been printed by

Amoretti and by Uzielli. It is not known what has become of the

original document._

Memoranda before 1500 (1379-l413).

1379.

Find Longhi and tell him that you wait for him at Rome and will go

with him to Naples; make you pay the donation [Footnote 2: _Libro di

Vitolone_ see No. 1506 note.] and take the book by Vitolone, and the

measurements of the public buildings. [3] Have two covered boxes

made to be carried on mules, but bed-covers will be best; this makes

three, of which you will leave one at Vinci. [4] Obtain

the.............. from Giovanni Lombardo the linen draper of Verona.

Buy handkerchiefs and towels,.... and shoes, 4 pairs of hose, a

jerkin of... and skins, to make new ones; the lake of Alessandro.

[Footnote: 7 and fol. It would seem from the text that Leonardo

intended to have instructions in painting on paper. It is hardly

necessary to point out that the Art of illuminating was quite

separate from that of painting.]

Sell what you cannot take with you. Get from Jean de Paris the

method of painting in tempera and the way of making white [Footnote:

The mysterious looking words, quite distinctly written, in line 1:

_ingol, amor a, ilopan a_ and on line 2: _enoiganod al_ are

obviously in cipher and the solution is a simple one; by reading

them backwards we find for _ingol_: logni-probably _longi_,

evidently the name of a person; for _amor a_: _a Roma_, for _ilopan

a_: _a Napoli_. Leonardo has done the same in two passages treating

on some secrets of his art Nos. 641 and 729, the only other places

in which we find this cipher employed; we may therefore conclude

that it was for the sake of secrecy that he used it.

There can be no doubt, from the tenor of this passage, that Leonardo

projected a secret excursion to Naples. Nothing has hitherto been

known of this journey, but the significance of the passage will be

easily understood by a reference to the following notes, from which

we may infer that Leonardo really had at the time plans for

travelling further than Naples. From lines 3, 4 and 7 it is evident

that he purposed, after selling every thing that was not easily

portable, to leave a chest in the care of his relations at Vinci.

His luggage was to be packed into two trunks especially adapted for

transport by mules. The exact meaning of many sentences in the

following notes must necessarily remain obscure. These brief remarks

on small and irrelevant affairs and so forth are however of no

historical value. The notes referring to the preparations for his

journey are more intelligible.]

salt, and how to make tinted paper; sheets

of paper folded up; and his box of colours;

learn to work flesh colours in tempera,

learn to dissolve gum lac, linseed

... white, of the garlic of Piacenza; take 'de Ponderibus'; take the works of

Leonardo of Cremona. Remove the small

furnace ... seed of lilies and of... Sell the

boards of the support. Make him who stole it,

give you the ... learn levelling and how

much soil a man can dig out in a day.

C.19b]

1380.

This was done by Leone in the

piazza of the castle with a chain

and an arrow.

[Footnote: This note must have been made in Milan;

as we know from the date of the MS.]

B. 50b]

1381.

NAMES OF ENGINEERS.

Callias of Rhodes, Epimachus the Athenian,

Diogenes, a philosopher, of Rhodes,

Calcedonius of Thrace, Febar of Tyre,

Callimachus the architect, a master of fires.

[Footnote: Callias, Architect of Aradus, mentioned

by Vitruvius (X, 16, 5).--Epimachus, of Athens,

invented a battering-enginee for Demetrius Poliorketes

(Vitruvius X, 16, 4).--Callimachus, the inventor of

the Corinthian capital (Vitr. IV, I, 9), and of the

method of boring marble (Paus. I, 26, 7), was also

famous for his casts in bronze (Plin. XXXIV,

8, 19). He invented a lamp for the temple of

Athene Polias, on the Acropolis of Athens (Paus.

I, 26, 7)--The other names, here mentioned, cannot

be identified.]

Ash. II. 13b]

1382.

Ask maestro Lodovico for 'the conduits

of water'.

[Footnote: Condotti d'acqua. Possibly a book, a MS. or

a map.]

F1. Uff.]

1383.

... at Pistoja, Fioravante di Domenico at

Florence is my most beloved friend, as though

he were my [brother].

[Footnote: On the same sheet is the text No. 663.]

*** from previous page?***

II. 'De Ponderibus'. A large number of Leonardo's

notes bear this superscription. Compare No. 1436, 3.

S.K.M. III. 1b]

1384.

On the 16th day of July.

Caterina came on 16th day of July, 1493.

Messer Mariolo's Morel the Florentin, has a

big horse with a fine neck and a beautiful head.

The white stallion belonging to the falconer

has fine hind quarters; it is behind the

Comasina Gate.

The big horse of Cermonino, of Signor

Giulio.

[Footnote: Compare Nos. 1522 and 1517. Caterina

seems to have been his housekeeper.]

S.K.M. III. 30a]

1385.

OF THE INSTRUMENT.

Any one who spends one ducat may take

the instrument; and he will not pay more than

half a ducat as a premium to the inventor of

the instrument and one grosso to the workman

every year. I do not want sub-officials.

[Footnote: Refers perhaps to the regulation of the

water in the canals.]

S.K.M. III. 55a]

1386.

Maestro Giuliano da Marliano has a fine

herbal. He lives opposite to Strami the

Carpenters.

[Footnote: Compare No. 616, note. 4. legnamiere

(milanese dialect) = legnajuolo.]

S.K.M. III. 94a]

1387.

Christofano da Castiglione who lives at

the Pieta has a fine head.

C.A. 328a 980a]

1388.

Work of ... of the stable of Galeazzo;

by the road of Brera [Footnote 4: Brera, see No. 1448, II, 13]; benefice of Stanghe [Footnote 5:Stanghe,

see No. 1509.]; benefice of Porta Nuova; benefice

of Monza; Indaco's mistake; give first the

benefices; then the works; then ingratitude,

indignity and lamentations.

H.3 47b]

1389.

Chiliarch--captain of 1000.

Prefects--captains.

A legion, six thousand and sixty three men.

H.2 14b]

1390.

A nun lives at La Colomba at Cremona;

she works good straw plait, and a friar of

Saint Francis.[Footnote: La Colomba is to this day the name of a small house at Cremona, decorated with frescoes.]

H.2 46a]

1391.

Needle,--Niccolao,--thread,--Ferrando,

-lacopo Andrea,--canvas,--stone,--colours,

-brushes,-pallet,-sponge,-the panel

of the Duke.

S.K.M.II.2 7a]

1392.

Messer Gian Domenico Mezzabarba and

Messer Giovanni Franceso Mezzabarba. By

the side of Messer Piero d'Anghiera.

S.K.M. II.2 7b]

1393.

Conte Francesco Torello.

S.K.M. II.2 12a]

1394.

Giuliano Trombetta,--Antonio di Ferrara,

--Oil of ....

[Footnote: Near this text is the sketch of a head drawn in red chalk.]

S.K.M. II.2 20a]

1395.

Paul was snatched up to heaven.

[Footnote: See the facsimile of this note on

Pl.XXIII No. 2.]

S.K.M. II.2 22a]

1396.

Giuliano da Maria, physician, has a steward

without hands.

S.K.M. II.2 27a]

1397.

Have some ears of corn of large size sent

from Florence.

S.K.M.II.2 52a]

1398.

See the bedstead at Santa Maria.

Secret.

S.K.M.II.2 53a]

1399.

Arrigo is to have 11 gold Ducats.

Arrigo is to have 4 gold ducats in the

middle of August.

S.K.M.II.2 63a]

1400.

Give your master the instance of a

captain who does not himself win the

victory, but the soldiers do by his counsels;

and so he still deserves the reward.

S.K.M.II.2 68a]

1401.

Messer Pier Antonio.

S.K.M.II.2 69a]

1402.

Oil,--yellow,--Ambrosio,--the mouth,

--the farmhouse.

S.K.M.II.2 78b]

1403.

My dear Alessandro from Parma, by the

hand of ...

S.K.M.II.2 78b]

1404.

Giovannina, has a fantastic face,--is at

Santa Caterina, at the Hospital.[Footnote: Compare the text on the same page: No. 667.]

I.2 IIa]

1405.

24 tavole make 1 perch.

4 trabochi make 1 tavola.

4 braccia and a half make a trabocco.

A perch contains 1936 square braccia,

or 1944.

I.2 70b]

1406.

The road of Messer Mariolo is 13 1/4 braccia

wide; the House of Evangelista is 75.

It enters 7'/2 braccia in the house of Mariolo.

[Footnote: On this page and that which faces it,

MS.I2 7la, are two diagrams with numerous reference

numbers, evidently relating to the measurements of

a street.]

I.2 72b]

1407.

I ask at what part of its curved motion

the moving cause will leave the thing

moved and moveable.

Speak to Pietro Monti of these methods

of throwing spears.

I.2 87a]

1408.

Antonio de' Risi is at the council of

Justice.

I.1 28a]

1409.

Paolo said that no machine that moves

another ...[Footnote: The passage, of which, the beginning

is here given, deals with questions in mechanics.

The instances in which Leonardo quotes the

opinions of his contemporaries on scientific matters

are so rare as to be worth noticing. Compare

No. 901. ]

W.P.7.]

1410.

Caravaggio.[Footnote:Caravaggio, a village not far from the Adda between Milan and Brescia, where Polidoro and

Michelangelo da Caravaggio were born. This note is given

in facsimile on Pl. XIII, No. I (above, to the left).

On Pl. XIII, No. 2 above to the right we read

cerovazo.]

W.A.II.5b]

1411.

Pulleys,--nails,--rope,--mercury,--cloth,

Monday.

W.A.II.202b]

1412.

MEMORANDUM.

Maghino, Speculus of Master Giovanni

the Frenchman; Galenus on utility.

W.X.]

1413.

Near to Cordusio is Pier Antonio da

Tossano and his brother Serafino.

[Footnote: This note is written between lines 23 and

24 of the text No. 710. Corduso, Cordusio (curia

ducis) = Cordus in the Milanese dialect, is the name

of a Piazza between the Via del Broletto and the

Piazza de' Mercanti at Milan.. In the time of il

Moro it was the centre of the town. The persons

here named were members of the noble Milanese

family de'Fossani; Ambrogio da Possano, the con-

temporary painter, had no connection with them.]

1414.

L. o']

Memoranda

after 1500

(1414--1434)

1414.

Paul of Vannochio at Siena ...

The upper chamber for the apostles.

[4] Buildings by Bramante.

The governor of the castle made a

prisoner.

[Footnote 6: Visconti. Chi fosse quel Visconte non sapremmo indovinare fra tanti di questo nome. Arluno narra che allora atterrate furono le case de' Viconti, de' Castiglioni, de' Sanseverini, e de' Botta e non e improbabile che ne fossero insultati e morti i padroni. Molti Visconti annovera lo

stesso Cronista che per essersi rallegrati del ritorno del duca in Milano furono da Francesi arrestati, e strascinati in--Francia come prigionieri di stato; e fra questi Messer Francesco Visconti, e suo figliuolo Battista. (AMORETTI, Mem. Stor. XIX.). Visconti carried away and his son killed.

Giovanni della Rosa deprived of his money.

[Footnote 8: Borgonzio o Brugonzio Botta fu regolatore delle ducali entrate sotto il Moro, alla cui fuga la casa sua fu pur messa a sacco da' partitanti francesi. (AMORETTI, 1. c.)] Borgonzio began ...; and moreover

his fortunes fled.

The Duke has lost the state, property

and liberty and none of his entreprises was

carried out by him.

[Footnote 1: 4--10 This passage evidently refers to

events in Milan at the time of the overthrow of

Ludovico il Moro. Amoretti published it in the

'Memorie Storiche' and added copious notes.]

L. Ia]

1415.

Ambrosio Petri, St. Mark, 4 boards for

the window, 2 ..., 3 the saints of

chapels, 5 the Genoese at home.

L. Ib]

1416.

Piece of tapestry,-pair of compasses,--

Tommaso's book,--the book of Giovanni

Benci,--the box in the custom-house,--to cut

the cloth,--the sword-belt,--to sole the boots,

--a light hat,--the cane from the ruined

houses,--the debt for the table linen,

--swimming-belt,--a book of white paper for

drawing,--charcoal.--How much is a florin ....

a leather bodice.

L.2a]

1417.

Borges [Footnote: Borges. A Spanish name.] shall get for you the Archimedes from the bishop of Padua, and Vitellozzo the one from Borgo a San Sepolcro [Footnote: Borgo a San Sepolcro, where Luca Paciolo, Leonardo's friend, was born.]

L. 30b]

1418.

Marzocco's tablet.

L. o"]

1419.

Marcello lives in the house of Giacomo

da Mengardino.

Br. M. 202b]

1420.

Where is Valentino? [Footnote: Valentino. Cesare Borgia is probably meant. After being made Archbishop of Valence by Alexander VI he was commonly called Valentinus

or Valentino. With reference to Leonardo's engagements by him see pp. 224 and 243, note.]--boots,--boxes in

the custom-house ...,-- [Footnote: Carmine. A church and monastery at Florence.] the monk at the

Carmine,--squares,--[Footnotes 7 an 8: Martelli, Borgherini; names of Florentine families. See No. 4.] Piero Martelli,--[8] Salvi Borgherini,--send back the bags,--a support for the spectacles,--[Footnote 11: San Gallo; possibly Giuliano da San Gallo, the Florentine architect.] the nude study of San Gallo,--the cloak.

Porphyry,--groups,--square,--[Footnote 16: Pandolfini, see No. 1544 note.] Pandolfino.

1421.

Concave mirrors; philosophy of Aristotle;[Footnote:Filosofia d'Aristotele see No. 1481 note.][Footnote 2: Avicenna (Leonardo here writes it Avinega) the Arab philosopher, 980-1037, for centuries the unimpeachable authority on all medical questions.

Leonardo possibly points here to a printed edition:

Avicennae canonum libri V, latine 1476 Patavis.

Other editions are, Padua 1479, and Venice 1490.] the books of Avicenna Italian and Latin vocabulary; Messer Ottaviano Palavicino or his Vitruvius [Footnote 3: Vitruvius. See Vol. I, No. 343 note.].

bohemian knives; Vitruvius[Footnote 6: Vitruvius. See Vol. I, No. 343 note.]; go every Saturday to the

hot bath where you will see naked men;

Meteora' [Footnote 7: See No. 1448, 25.],

Archimedes, on the centre of gravity [Footnote 9: The works of Archimedes were not printed during Leonardo's life-time.]; anatomy [Footnote 10: Compare No. 1494.] Alessandro Benedetto; The Dante of Niccolo della Croce; Inflate the lungs of a pig and observe whether they increase in width and in length, or in width

diminishing in length.

[Footnote 14: Johannes Marliani sua etate philosophorum et medicorum principis et ducala phisic. primi de proportione motuum velocitate questio subtilissima incipit ex ejusdem Marliani originali feliciter extracta, M(ilano) 1482.

Another work by him has the title: Marlianus

mediolanensis. Questio de caliditate corporum humanorum

tempore hiemis ed estatis et de antiparistasi ad celebrem

philosophorum et medicorum universitatem ticinensem. 1474.] Marliano, on Calculation, to Bertuccio. Albertus, on heaven and earth [Footnote 15: See No. 1469, 1. 7.], [from the monk Bernardino]. Horace has written on the movements of the heavens.

F. 27b]

1422.

Of the three regular bodies as opposed to

some commentators who disparage the Ancients,

who were the originators of grammar

and the sciences and ...

W. An. III 217a (G)]

1423.

The room in the tower of Vaneri.

[Footnote: This note is written inside the sketch of a

plan of a house. On the same page is the date

1513 (see No. 1376).]

1424.

The figures you will have to reserve for

the last book on shadows that they may appear

in the study of Gerardo the illuminator at San

Marco at Florence.

[Go to see Melzo, and the Ambassador,

and Maestro Bernardo].

[Footnote: L. 1-3 are in the original written between

lines 3 and 4 of No. 292. But the sense is not clear

in this connection. It is scarcely possible to devine

the meaning of the following sentence.

*2. 3. _Gherardo_ Miniatore, a famous illuminator,

1445-1497, to whom Vasari dedicated a section of

his Lives (Vol. II pp. 237-243, ed. Sansoni 1879).

*5. _Bernardo_, possibly the painter Bernardo Zenale.]

1425.

Hermes the philosopher.

1426.

Suisset, viz. calculator,--Tisber,

--Angelo Fossobron,--Alberto.

1427.

The structure of the drawbridge shown me

by Donnino, and why _c_ and _d_ thrust downwards.

[Footnote: The sketch on the same page as this text

represents two poles one across the other. At the

ends of the longest are the letter _c_ and _d_. The

sense of the passage is not rendered any clearer.]

1428.

The great bird will take its first flight;--

on the back of his great swan,--filling

the universe with wonders; filling all writings

with his fame and bringing eternal glory to

his birthplace.

[Footnote: This seems to be a speculation about the

flying machine (compare p. 271).]

1429.

This stratagem was used by the Gauls

against the Romans, and so great a mortality

ensued that all Rome was dressed in mourning.

[Footnote: Leonardo perhaps alludes to the Gauls under

Brennus, who laid his sword in the scale when the

tribute was weighed.]

1430.

Alberto da Imola;--Algebra, that is,

the demonstration of the equality of one thing

to another.

1431.

Johannes Rubicissa e Robbia.

1432.

Ask the wife of Biagio Crivelli how the

capon nurtures and hatches the eggs of

the hen,--he being drunk.

1433.

The book on Water to Messer Marco

Antonio.

[Footnote: Possibly Marc-Antonio della Torre, see

p. 97.]

1434.

Have Avicenna's work on useful inventions

translated; spectacles with the case, steel

and fork and...., charcoal, boards, and

paper, and chalk and white, and wax;....

.... for glass, a saw for bones with fine

teeth, a chisel, inkstand ........ three

herbs, and Agnolo Benedetto. Get a skull,

nut,--mustard.

Boots,--gloves, socks, combs, papers,

towels, shirts,.... shoe-tapes,--.....

shoes, penknife, pens. A skin for the

chest.

[Footnote: 4. Lapis. Compare Condivi, _Vita di Michelagnolo

Buonarotti_, Chap. XVIII.: _Ma egli_ (Michelangelo)

_non avendo che mostrare, prese una penna (percioche

in quel tempo il lapis non era in uso) e con tal

leggiadria gli dipinse una mano ecc._ The incident is

of the year l496.--Lapis means pencil, and chalk

(_matita_). Between lines 7 and 8 are the texts given

as Nos. 819 and No. 7.]

Undated memoranda

(1435-1457).

1435.

The book of Piero Crescenze,--studies

from the nude by Giovanni Ambrosio,--compasses,

--the book of Giovanni Giacomo.

1436.

MEMORARDUM.

To make some provisions for my garden,

--Giordano, _De Ponderibus_[Footnote 3: _Giordano_.

Jordanus Nemorarius, a mathematician

of the beginning of the XIIIth century.

No particulars of his life are known. The title

of his principal work is: _Arithmetica decem libris demonstrata_,

first published at Paris 1496. In 1523 appeared

at Nuremberg: _Liber *Jordani Nemorarii de

ponderibus, propositiones XIII et earundem demonstrationes,

multarumque rerum rationes sane pulcherrimas

complectens, nunc in lucem editus._],--the peacemaker,

the flow and ebb of the sea,--have two

baggage trunks made, look to Beltraffio's [Footnote 6:

_Beltraffio_, see No. 465, note 2.

There are sketches by the side of lines 8

and 10.] lathe

and have taken the stone,--out leave the books

belonging to Messer Andrea the German,--

make scales of a long reed and weigh the

substance when hot and again when cold.

The mirror of Master Luigi; _A b_ the flow

and ebb of the water is shown at the mill

of Vaprio,--a cap.

1437.

Giovanni Fabre,--Lazaro del Volpe,--

the common,--Ser Piero.

[Footnote: These names are inserted on a plan of

plots of land adjoining the Arno.]

1438.

[Lactantius], [the book of Benozzo],

groups, to bind the book,--a lantern,--Ser

Pecantino,--Pandolfino.--[Rosso]--a square,

--small knives,--carriages,--curry combs--

cup.

1439.

Quadrant of Carlo Marmocchi,--Messer

Francesco Araldo,--Ser Benedetto d'Accie

perello,--Benedetto on arithmetic,--Maestro

Paulo, physician,--Domenico di Michelino,--

...... of the Alberti,--Messer Giovanni

Argimboldi.

1440.

Colours, formula,--Archimedes,--Marcantonio.

Tinned iron,--pierced iron.

1441.

See the shop that was formerly Bartolommeo's,

the stationer.

[Footnote: 6. _Marc Antonio_, see No. 1433.]

1442.

The first book is by Michele di Francesco

Nabini; it treats on science.

1443.

Messer Francesco, physician of Lucca,

with the Cardinal Farnese.

[Footnote: _Alessandro Farnese_, afterwards Pope Paul III

was created in 1493 Cardinal di San Cosimo e San

Damiano, by Alexander VI.]

1444.

Pandolfino's book [Footnote 1: _Pandolfino, Agnolo_, of Florence. It is to

this day doubtful whether he or L. B. Alberti was

the author of the famous work '_Del Governo della

Famiglia_'. It is the more probable that Leonardo

should have meant this work by the words _il libro_,

because no other book is known to have been

written by Pandolfino. This being the case this allusion

of Leonardo's is an important evidence in

favour of Pandolfino's authorship (compare No. 1454,

line 3).],--knives,--a pen

for ruling,--to have the vest dyed,--The

library at St.-Mark's,--The library at Santo

Spirito,--Lactantius of the Daldi [Footnote 7: The works of Lactantius were published

very often in Italy during Leonardo's lifetime. The

first edition published in 1465 "_in monastero

sublacensi_" was also the first book printed in

Italy.],--Antonio

Covoni,--A book by Maestro Paolo Infermieri,

--Boots, shoes and hose,--(Shell)lac,

--An apprentice to do the models for me.

Grammar, by Lorenzo de Medici,--Giovanni

del Sodo,--Sansovino, [Footnote 15: _Sansovino_, Andrea--the _sculptor_; 1460-1529.]--a ruler,--a very

sharp knife,--Spectacles,--fractions....,

--repair.........,--Tomaso's book,--

Michelagnolo's little chain; Learn the multiplication

of roots from Maestro Luca;--my

map of the world which Giovanni Benci

has [Footnote 25: Leonardo here probably alludes to the map,

not executed by him (See p. 224), which is with the

collection of his MSS. at Windsor, and was published

in the _Archaeologia_ Vol. XI (see p. 224).];-Socks,--clothes from the customhouse

--officier,--Red Cordova leather,--The

map of the world, of Giovanni Benci,--a

print, the districts about Milan--Market book.

1445.

In that at Pavia the movement is more

to be admired than any thing else.

The imitation of antique work is better

than that of the modern things.

Beauty and utility cannot exist together,

as seen in fortresses and in men.

The trot is almost the nature of the free

horse.

Where natural vivacity is lacking it must

be supplied by art.

[Footnote: Quel di Pavia_. _Pavia_ is possibly a clerical

error for _Padua_, and if so the meaning of the passage

is easily arrived at: _Quel di Padua_ would be

the bronze equestrian statue of Gattamelata, on the

Piazza del Santo at Padua executed by Donatelle in

1443 (see pp. 2 and 3).]

1446.

Salvadore, the matress maker, lives on the

Piazza di Sant' Andrea, you enter by the furrier's.

1447.

Monsignore de' Pazzi,--Ser Antonio Pacini.

1448.

An algebra, which the Marliani have,

written by their father, [Footnote 1:

_Marliani_, an old Milanese family, now

extinct.]--

On the bone, by the Marliani,--

On the bone which penetrates, Gian Giacomo

of Bellinzona, to draw out the nail with

facility,--

The measurement of Boccalino,--

The measurement of Milan and the suburbs,

[Footnote 5: *21. See Pl. CIX and No. 1016.]--

A book, treating of Milan and its churches

which is to be had at the last stationer's

on the way to Corduso [Footnote 6: _Corduso_, see No. 1413, note.],--

The measurement of the Corte Vecchia,--

The measurement of the Castle,--

Get the master of arithmetic to show you

how to square a....,--

Get Messer Fazio to show you [the book]

on proportion,--

Get the Friar di Brera to show you [the

book] '_de Ponderibus_' [*11],--

Of the measurement of San Lorenzo,--

I lent certain groups to Fra Filippo de

Brera, [*13]--

Memorandum: to ask Maestro Giovannino

as to the mode in which the tower of

Ferrara is walled without loopholes,--

Ask Maestro Antonio how mortars are

placed on bastions by day or by night,--

Ask Benedetto Portinari how the people

go on the ice in Flanders,--

On proportions by Alchino, with notes

by Marliano, from Messer Fazio,--

The measurement of the sun, promised me

by Maestro Giovanni, the Frenchman,--

The cross bow of Maestro Gianetto,--

The book by Giovanni Taverna that

Messer Fazio,--

You will draw Milan [21],--

The measurement of the canal, locks and

supports, and large boats; and the expense,--

Plan of Milan [Footnote 23: _Fondamento_ is commonly used by Leonardo to

mean ground-plan. See for instance p. 53.],--

Groups by Bramante [Footnote 24: _Gruppi_. See Vol. I p. 355, No. 600, note 9.],--

The book on celestial phenomena by

Aristoteles, in Italian [Footnote 25: _Meteora_. By this Leonardo means no doubt

the four books *. He must refer

here to a MS. translation, as no Italian translation

is known to have been published (see No. 1477

note).],--

Try to get Vitolone, which is in the

library at Pavia [Footnote 26: _Vitolone_ see No. 1506, note.

_Libreria di Pavia_. One of the most famous of

Italian libraries. After the victory of Novara in

April 1500, Louis XII had it conveyed to France,

'_come trofeo di vittoria_'!] and which treats of

Mathematics,--He had a master [learned] in

waterworks and get him to explain the repairs

and the costs, and a lock and a canal and

a mill in the Lombard fashion.

A grandson of Gian Angelo's, the painter

has a book on water which was his fathers.

Paolino Scarpellino, called Assiolo has

great knowledge of water works.

1449.

Francesco d'Antonio at Florence.

11. 13. [Footnote: _Brera_, now _Palazzo delle Scienze ed Arti.

Until 1571 it was the monastery of the order of the

Umiliati and afterwards of the Jesuits.

_De ponderibus_, compare No. 1436, 3.]

12. [Footnote: _Sco Lorenzo_. A church at Milan, see pp. 39,

40 and 50.]

*13. 24. [Footnote: _Gruppi_. See Vol. I p. 355, No. 600, note 9.]

*16. [Footnote: The _Portinari_ were one of the great merchant-

families of Florence.]

1450.

Giuliano Condi[*1],--Tomaso Ridolf1,--

Tomaso Paganelli,--Nicolo delNero,--Simone

Zasti,--Nasi,--the heir of Lionardo Manelli,

--Guglielmo di Ser Martino,--Bartolomeo

del Tovaglia,--Andrea Arrigucci,--

Nicolo Capponi,--Giovanni Portinari.

[Footnote: I. _Guiliano Gondi_. Ser Piero da Vinci,

Leonardo's father, lived till 1480, in a house belonging

to Giuliano Gondi. In 1498 this was pulled

down to make room for the fine Palazzo built on

the Piazza San Firenze by Giuliano di San Gallo,

which still exists. In the _Riassunto del Catasto di Ser

Piero da Vinci_, 1480, Leonardo is not mentioned; it

is evident therefore that he was living elsewhere. It

may be noticed incidentally that in the _Catasto di

Giuliano Gondi_ of the same year the following mention

is made of his four eldest sons:

_Lionardo mio figliuolo d'eta d'anni 29, non fa nulla,

Giovambatista d'eta d'anni 28 in Ghostantinopoli,

Billichozo d'eta d'anni 24 a Napoli,

Simone d'eta d'anni 23 in Ungheria.

He himself was a merchant of gold filigree (_facciamo

lavorare una bottegha d'arte di seta ... facciamo

un pocho di trafico a Napoli_}, As he was 59 years

old in 1480, he certainly would not have been alive

at the time of Leonardo's death. But Leonardo must

have been on intimate terms with the family till the

end of his life, for in a letter dated June 1. 1519,

in which Fr. Melzi, writing from Amboise, announces

Leonardo's death to Giuliano da Vinci at Florence

(see p. 284), he says at the end "_Datemene risposta per

i Gondi_" (see UZIELLI, _Ricerche_, passim).

Most of the other names on the list are those

of well-known Florentine families.]

1451.

Pandolfino.

1452.

Vespuccio will give me a book of Geometry.

[Footnote: See No. 844, note, p. 130.]

1453.

Marcantonio Colonna at Santi Apostoli.

[Footnote: In July 1506 Pope Julius II gave Donna

Lucrezia della Rovere, the daughter of his sister

Lucchina, in marriage to the youthful Marcantonio

Colonna, who, like his brothers Prospero and

Fabrizio, became one of the most famous Captains

of his family. He gave to him Frascati

and made him a present of the palazzo he had

built, when Cardinal, near the church of Santi Apostoli

which is now known as the Palazzo Colonna

(see GREGOROVIUS, _Gesch. der Stadt Rom._

Vol. VIII, book XIV I, 3. And COPPI, _Mem. Colonnesi

p. 251).]

1454.

A box, a cage,--

A square, to make the bird [Footnote 2:

Vasari states that Leonardo invented mechanical

birds which moved through the air. Compare

No. 703.],--

Pandolfino's book, mortar [?],--

Small knives, Venieri for the

*1454. [Footnote: Much of No. 1444 is repeated in this memorandum.]

*Pen for ruling, stone,--star,--

To have the vest dyed, Alfieri's tazza,--

The Libraries, the book on celestial

phenomena,--

Lactantius of the go to the house of

Daldi,-- the Pazzi,

Book from Maestro small box,--

Paolo Infermieri,--

Boots, shoes and small gimlet,--

hose,

Lac, .......,--

An apprentice for .....,--

models,

Grammar of Lo-the amount of the

renzo de' Medici,...

Giovanni del Sodo .....

for...,--the broken

Sansovino, the....

Piero di Cosino [Footnote 16: _Pier di Cosimo_ the well known Florentine

painter 1462-1521. See VASARI, _Vite_ (Vol. IV, p. 134

ed. Sansoni 1880) about Leonardo's influence on

Piero di Cosimo's style of painting.], the wings,--

Filippo and Lorenzo [Footnote 17: _Filippo e Lorenzo_;

probably the painters Filippino

Lippi and Lorenzo di Credi. L. di Credi's pictures

and Vasari's history of that painter bear ample evidence

to his intimate relations with Leonardo.],--A ruler-,--

Spectacles,--to do the..... again,--To-

maso's book,--Michelagnolo's chain,--The

multiplication of roots,--Of the bow and

strinch,--The map of the world from Benci,--

Socks,--The clothes from the custom-house

officier,--Cordova leather,--Market books,

--waters of Cronaca,--waters of Tanaglino...,

--the caps,--Rosso's mirror; to see him make

it,--1/3 of which I have 5/6,--on the celestial

phenomena, by Aristotle [Footnote 36: _Meteora_. See No. 1448, 25.],--boxes

of Lorenzo di Pier Francesco [Footnote 37: _Lorenzo di Pier Francesco_ and his brother _Giovanni_

were a lateral branch of the _Medici_ family and

changed their name for that of Popolani.],--Maestro

Piero of the Borgo,--To have my book

bound,--Show the book to Serigatto,--

and get the rule of the clock [Footnote 41:

Possibly this refers to the clock on the tower

of the Palazzo Vecchio at Florence. In February

1512 it had been repaired, and so arranged as to

indicate the hours after the French manner (twelve

hours a. m. and as many p. m.).],--

ring,--nutmeg,--gum,--the square,--Giovan'

Batista at the piazza, de' Mozzi,--Giovanni

Benci has my book and jaspers,--brass for

the spectacles.

1455.

Search in Florence for......

*7. 36. _Meteora_. See No. 1448, 25.

1456.

Bernardo da Ponte ... Val di Lugano

... many veins for anatomical demonstration.

[Footnote: This fragmentary note is written on the

margin of a drawing of two legs.]

1457.

Paolo of Tavechia, to see the marks in

the German stones.

[Footnote: This note occurs on a pen and ink drawing

made by Leonardo as a sketch for the celebrated

large cartoon in the possession of the Royal Academy

of Arts, in London. This cartoon is commonly

supposed to be identical with that described

and lauded by Vasari, which was exhibited in Florence

at the time and which now seems to be lost.

Mr. Alfred Marks, of Long Ditton, in his valuable

paper (read before the Royal Soc. of Literature,

June 28, 1882) "On the St. Anne of Leonardo da

Vinci", has adduced proof that the cartoon now in the

Royal Academy was executed earlier at Milan. The note

here given, which is written on the sheet containing

the study for the said cartoon, has evidently no

reference to the drawing on which it is written

but is obviously of the same date. Though I have

not any opening here for discussing this question of

the cartoon, it seemed to me important to point out

that the character of the writing in this note does

not confirm the opinion hitherto held that the Royal

Academy cartoon was the one described by Vasari,

but, on the contrary, supports the hypothesis put

forward by Mr. Marks.]

Notes on

pupils

(1458-1468.)

1458.

Giacomo came to live with me on St.-Mary

Magdalen's[*1] day, 1490, aged 10 years. The

second day I had two shirts cut out for him,

a pair of hose, and a jerkin, and when I put

aside some money to pay for these things

he stole 4 _lire_

the money out of the purse; and I could never

make him confess, though I was quite certain

of the fact.--Thief, liar, obstinate, glutton.

The day after, I went to sup with Giacomo

Andrea, and the said Giacomo supped

for two and did mischief for four; for he

brake 3 cruets, spilled the wine, and after

this came to sup where I....

Item: on the 7th day of September he

stole a silver point of the value of 22 soldi

from Marco [Footnote 6: _Marco_, probably Leonardo's pupil Marco d'Oggionno;

1470 is supposed to be the date of his

birth and 1540 of his death.

_Che stava con meco._ We may infer from this that

he left the master shortly after this, his term of

study having perhaps expired.] who was living with me, 4 _lire_

this being of silver; and he took it from his

studio, and when the said Marco had searched

for it a long while he found it hidden

in the said Giacomo's box 4 _lire_.

[Footnote: _Il di della Maddalena._ July 22.]

Item: on the 26th January following,

I, being in the house of Messer Galeazzo

da San Severino [Footnote 9: Galeazza. See No. 718 note.], was arranging the festival for his jousting,

and certain footmen having undressed to try on some costumes of wild men for the said festival, Giacomo

went to the purse of one of them which lay

on the bed with other clothes, 2 lire 4 S,

and took out such money as was in it.

Item: when I was in the same house,

Maestro Agostino da Pavia gave to me a

Turkish hide to have 2 lire.

a pair of short boots made of it; this

Giacomo stole it of me within a month and

sold it to a cobbler for 20 soldi, with

which money, by his own confession, he

bought anise comfits.

Item: again, on the 2nd April, Giovan

Antonio [Footnote 16:Giovan Antonio, probably Beltraffio, 1467 to 1516.] having left a silver point on a

drawing of his, Giacomo stole it, and this

was of the value of 24 soldi 1 lira 4 S.

The first year-

A cloak, 2 lire,

6 shirts, 4 lire,

3 jerkins, 6 lire,

4 pairs of hose, 7 lire 8 soldi,

1 lined doublet, 5 lire,

24 pairs of shoes, 6 lire 5 soldi,

A cap, l lira,

laces, 1 lira.

[Footnote: Leonardo here gives a detailed account not only of the loss he and others incurred through Giacomo

but of the wild tricks of the youth, and we may

therefore assume that the note was not made merely

as a record for his own use, but as a report to be

forwarded to the lad's father or other responsible

guardian.]

S.K.M. III. Ia]

1459.

On the last day but one of September;

Thursday the 27th day of September

Maestro Tommaso came back and worked for

himself until the last day but one of February.

On the 18th day of March, 1493, Giulio, a

German, came to live with me,--Lucia, Piero,

Leonardo.

On the 6th day of October.

1460.

1493.

On the 1st day of November we settled

accounts. Giulio had to pay 4 months;

and Maestro Tommaso 9 months; Maestro

Tommaso afterwards made 6 candlesticks,

10 days' work; Giulio some fire-tongs

15 days work. Then he worked for himself

till the 27th May, and worked for me at a

lever till the 18th July; then for himself till

the 7th of August, and for one day, on the

fifteenth, for a lady. Then again for me at

2 locks until the 20th of August.

1461.

On the 23rd day of August, 12 lire from

Pulisona. On the 14th of March 1494, Galeazzo

came to live with me, agreeing to

pay 5 lire a month for his cost paying on

the l4th day of each month.

His father gave me 2 Rhenish florins.

On the l4th of July, I had from Galeazze

2 Rhenish florins.

1462.

On the l5th day of September Giulio began

the lock of my studio 1494.

1463.

Saturday morning the 3rd of August 1504

Jacopo the German came to live with me

in the house, and agreed with me that I should

charge him a carlino a day.

1464.

1511.

On the 26th of September Antonio broke

his leg; he must rest 40 days.

[Footnote: This note refers possibly to Beltraffio.]

1465.

I left Milan for Rome on the 24th day of

September, 1513, with Giovanni [*2], Francesco

di Melzi [*3], Salai, Lorenzo and il Fanfoia.

1466.

On the 3rd day of January.

Benedetto carne on the 17th of October;

he stayed with me two months and 13 days

of last year [*4], in which time he earned

38 lire, 18 soldi and 8 dinari; he had of

this 26 lire and 8 soldi, and there remains

to be paid for the past year 12 lire 10 soldi.

Giodatti (?) came on the 8th day of September,

at 4 soldi a month, and stayed with

me 3 months and 24 days, and earned 59 lire

14 soldi and 8 dinari; he has had 43 lire,

4 soldi, there remains to pay 16 lire, 10 soldi

and 8 dinari.

Benedetto, 24 grossoni.

1467.

Gian Maria 4,

Benedetto 4,

Gian Pietro [*5] 3,

Salai 3,

Bartolomeo 3,

Gherardo 4.

*1465. 2. _Giovan;_ it is not likely that Leonardo

should have called Giovan' Antonio Beltraffio at one

time Giovanni, as in this note and another time Antonio,

as in No. 1464 while in No. 1458 l. 16 we find

_Giovan'Antonio_, and in No. 1436, l.6 _Beltraffio_. Possibly

the Giovanni here spoken of is Leonardo's less

known pupil Giovan Pietrino (see No. 1467, 5).

2. 3. _Francesco de' Melzi_ is often mentioned, see

Nos. 1350.

3. _Salai_. See No. 1519 note.

4. _Lorenzo_. See No. 1351, l. 10 (p. 408). Amoretti

gives the following note in _Mem. Stor. XXIII:_ 1505.

_Martedi-sera a di 14 d'aprile. Venne Lorenzo a stare

con mecho: disse essere d'eta d'anni 17 .. a di 15 del

detto aprile ebbi scudi 25 d'oro dal chamerlingo di Santa

Maria nuova._ This, he asserts is derived from a MS.

marked S, in quarto. This MS. seems to have

vanished and left no trace behind; Amoretti himself

had not seen it, but copied from a selection of

extracts made by Oltrocchi before the Leonardo

MSS. were conveyed to Paris on the responsibility

of the first French Republic. Lorenzo, by this, must

have been born in 1487. The sculptor Lorenzetto

was born in 1490. Amoretti has been led by the

above passage to make the following absurd observations:

_Cotesto Lorenzo, che poi gli fu sempre compagno, almeno

sin che stette in Italia, sarebb' egli Lorenzo Lotto

bergamasco? Sappiamo essere stato questo valente dipintore

uno de' bravi scolari del Vinci_ (?).

_Il Fafoia_, perhaps a nickname. Cesare da Sesto,

Leonardo's pupil, seems to have been in Rome in these

years, as we learn from a drawing by him in the Louvre.

1466. This seems to be an account for two assistants.

The name of the second is scarcely legible.

The year is not given. The note is nevertheless of

chronological value. The first line tells us the date

when the note was registered, January 3d, and the*

C.A.F. 279a; 855a]

1468.

Salai, 20 lire,

Bonifacio, 2 lire,

Bartolomeo, 4 lire,

Arrigo [Harry], 15 lire.

C.A. 207a; 609a]

Quotations

and notes on

books and

authors

(1469--1508).

1469.

Book on Arithmetic [Footnote 1: "La nobel opera de arithmethica ne la qual se tracta

tute cosse amercantia pertinente facta & compilata per

Piero borgi da Veniesia", in-40. In fine: "Nela inclita

cita di Venetia a corni. 2 augusto. 1484. fu imposto fine

ala presente opera." Segn. a--p. quaderni. V'ha pero

un' altra opera simile di Filippo Calandro, 1491. E da

consultarsi su quest' ultimo, Federici: Memorie Trevigiane,

Fiore di virtu: pag. 73. "Libricciuolo composto di bello stile

verso il 1320 e piu volte impresso nel secolo XV (ristampato

poi anche piu tardi). Gli accademici della Crusca lo

ammettono nella serie dei testi di lingua. Vedasi Gamba,

Razzolini, Panzer, Brunet, Lechi, ecc. (G. D'A.)] 'Flowers of Virtue',

Pliny, [Footnote 2: "Historia naturale di C. Plinio Secondo, tradocta di

lingua latina in fiorentina per Christophoro Laudino &

Opus Nicolai Jansonis gallici imp. anno salutis

M. CCCC.LXXVI.Venetiis" in-fol.-Diogene Laertio.

Incomincia: "El libro de la vita de philosophi etc.:

Impressum Venetiis" per Bernardinum Celerium de Luere,

1480", in-40(G. D'A.).] 'Lives of the Philosophers',

The Bible, [Footnote 3:"La Bibia volgare historiata (per Nicolo di Mallermi) Venecia ... M.CCCC.LXXI in kalende di

Augusto (per Vindelino de Spira)" 2 vol. in-fol. a 2 col.

di 50 lin,; od altra ediz. della stessa versione del

Mallermi, Venetia 1471, e sempre: "Venecia per Gabriel de

Piero 1477," in-fol.; 2 vol.; Ottavio Scotto da Modoetia

1481," "Venetia 1487 per Joan Rosso Vercellese," "1490

Giovanni Ragazo di Monteferato a instantia di Luchanthonio

di Giunta, ecc."--Lapidario Teofrasto? Mandebille: "Le

grand lapidaire," versioneitaliana ms.?... Giorgio Agricola

non puo essere, perche nato nel 1494, forse Alberto Magno:

de mineralibus. * Potrebbe essere una traduzione del poema

latino (Liber lapidum seu de gemmis) di Marbordio Veterio

di Rennes (morto nel II23 da lui stesso tradotto in

francese dal greco di Evao re d'Arabia celebre medico che

l'aveva composto per l'imperatore Tiberio. Marbodio scrisse

il suo prima per Filippo Augusto re di Francia. Vi sono

anche traduzioni in prosa. "Il lapidario o la forza e la

virtu delle pietre preziose, delle Erbe e degli Animali."

(G. D'A.)] 'Lapidary',

'On warfare' [Footnote 4:Il Vegezio?... Il Frontino?,.. Il Cornazzano?...

Noi crediamo piuttosto il Valturio. Questo libro doveva

essere uno de'favoriti di Leonardo poiche libro di scienza e d'arte nel tempo stesso.]'Epistles of Filelfo',

[Footnote: The late Marchese Girolamo d'Adda published

a highly valuable and interesting disquisition on this

passage under the title: Leonardo da Vinci e la sua

Libreria, note di un bibliofilo (Milano 1873. Ed. di soli

75 esemplari; privately printed). In the autumn of

1880 the Marchese d'Adda showed me a considerable mass of additional notes prepared for a second

edition. This, as he then intended, was to come

out after the publication of this work of mine. After

the much regretted death of the elder Marchese, his

son, the Marchese Gioachino d'Adda was so liberal

as to place these MS. materials at my disposal for

the present work, through the kind intervention of

Signor Gustavo Frizzoni. The following passages,

with the initials G. d'A. are prints from the valuable

notes in that publication, the MS. additions I have

marked*. I did not however think myself justified

in reproducing here the acute and interesting

observations on the contents of most of the rare books

here enumerated.]

****below must belong to previous page's footnotes***

observations that follow refer to events of the previous month 'of last year' (dell' anno passato). Leonardo

cannot therefore have written thus in Florence where

the year was, at that period, calculated as beginning

in the month of March (see Vol. I, No. 4, note 2).

He must then have been in Milan. What is more

important is that we thus learn how to date the

beginning of the year in all the notes written at

Milan. This clears up Uzielli's doubts: A Milano

facevasi cominciar l'anno ab incarnatione, cioe il 25

Marzo e a nativitate, cioe il 25 Decembre. Ci sembra

probabile che Leonardo dovesse prescegliere lo stile che era in uso a Firenze. (Ricerche, p. 84, note.)

1467. 5. See No. 1465, 2.

****Above must belong to previous page's footnotes***

The first decade, [5] 'On the preservation of health',

The third decade, [6] Ciecho d'Ascoli,

The fourth decade, [7] Albertus Magnus,

Guido, [8] New treatise on rhetorics,

Piero Crescentio, [9] Cibaldone,

'Quadriregio', [10] AEsop,

*** IGNORE FOOTNOTES FOR THIS PAGE - Project Manager *** Donato, [Footnote 11:

"_Donatus latine & italice: Impressum Venetiis impensis

Johannis Baptistae de Sessa anno_ 1499, _in_-4°*".--

"El Psalterio de David in lingua volgare (da Malermi

Venetia nel M.CCCC.LXXVI," in-fol. s. n._ (G. D'A.)]

Psalms,

Justinus, [Footnote 12:

Compare No. 1210, 48.--_La versione di Girolamo

Squarzafico: "Il libro di Justino posto diligentemente in

materna lingua. Venetia ale spesse (sic) di Johane de Colonia

& Johane Gheretze_ ... l477," _in-fol._--"_Marsilii Ficini, Theologia

platonica, sive de animarum immortalitate, Florentine,

per Ant. Misconimum_ 1482," _in-fol., ovvero qualche versione

italiana di questo stesso libro, ms._ (G. D'A.)]

'On the immortality of

the soul,

Guido [Footnote 13:

_Forse "la Historia Trojana Guidonis" od il "manipulus"

di "Guido da Monterocherii" ma piu probabilmente

"Guido d'Arezzo" il di cui libro: "Micrologus, seu disciplina

artis musicae" poteva da Leonardo aversi ms.; di

questi ne esistono in molto biblioteche, e fu poi impresso

nel 1784 dal Gerbert._

_Molte sono le edizione dei sonetti di Burchiello Fiorentino,

impresse nel secolo XV. La prima e piu rara e

recercata: "Incominciano li sonetti, ecc. (per Christoforo

Arnaldo)", in_-4°* _senza numeri, richiami o segnature, del_

1475, _e fors' anche del_ 1472, _secondo Morelli e Dibdin, ecc._

(G. D'A.)]

Burchiello,

'Doctrinale' [Footnote 14:

_Versione italiana det "Doctrinal de Sapience"

di Guy de Roy, e foris'anche l'originale in lingua

francese.--_

_Di Pulci Luigi, benche nell' edizione:_ "_Florentiae_ 1479"

_in_-4°* si dica: "Il Driadeo composto in rima octava per

Lucio Pulcro" Altre ediz, del secolo XV, "Florentie Miscomini_

1481, _in_-40*, _Firenze, apud S. Jacob, de Ripoli,_ 1483,"

_in_-4°* _e "Antoni de Francesco,_ 1487," _in_-4°* _e Francesco

di Jacopo_ 1489,_in_-4°* _ed altre ancora di Venezia e senza

alcuna nota ecc._ (G. D'A.)]

Driadeo,

Morgante [Footnote 15:

_Una delle edizioni del Morgante impresse nel secolo

XV, ecc.--_

_Quale delle opere di Francesco Petrarca, sarebbe malagevole

l'indovinare, ma probabilmente il Canzoniere._

(G. D'A.)]

Petrarch.

John de Mandeville [Footnote 16:

_Sono i viaggi del cavaliere_ "_Mandeville_" _gentiluomo

inglese. Scrisse il suo libro in lingua francese.

Fu stampato replicatamente nel secolo XV in francese, in

inglese ed in italiano * ed in tedesco; del secolo XV ne

annoverano forse piu di 27 edizioni, di cui ne conosciamo_

8 _in francese, quattro in latino, sei in tedesco e molte altre

in volgare._ (G. D'A.)]

'On honest recreation' [Footnote 17:

_Il Platina (Bartolomeo Sacchi) la versione italiana_

"_de la honesta voluptate, & valetudine (& de li obsonnii)

Venetia (senza nome di tipografo)_ 1487," _piccolo in_-4°*

_gotico._ (G. D'A.)--Compare No. 844, 21.]

Manganello, [Footnote 18:

_Il Manganello: Satira eccessivamente vivace contro

le donne ad imitazione della Sesta di Giovenale. Manganello

non e soltanto il titolo del libricino, sua ben anche

il nome dell'autore ch'era un_ "_milanese_". _Di questo libercolo

rarissimo, che sembra impresso a Venezia dallo

Zoppino (Nicolo d'Aristotile detto il), senza data, ma dei

primissimi anni del secolo XVI, e forse piu antico, come

vedremo in appresso, non se ne conoscono fra biblioteche

pubbliche e private che due soli esemplari in Europa._

(G. D'A.)]

The Chronicle of Isidoro, [Footnote 19:

"_Cronica desidero_", _sembra si deggia leggere piuttosto_

"_cronico disidoro_"_; ed in questo caso s'intenderebbe la_

"_cronica d'Isidoro_" _tanto in voga a quel tempo_ "_Comenza

la Cronica di Sancto Isidoro menore con alchune additione

cavate del testo & istorie de la Bibia & del libro di Paulo

Oroso .... Impresso in Ascoli in casa del reverendo

misser Pascale ..... per mano di Guglielmo de Linis

de Alamania M.CCCC.LXXVII_" _in_-40* _di_ 157 _ff. E il

primo libro impresso ad Ascoli e l'edizione principe di

questa cronica in oggi assai rara. Non lo e meno l'edizione

di Cividal del Friuli_, 1480, _e quella ben anche di

Aquila_, 1482, _sempre in-_40. _Vedasi Panzer, Hain, Brunet

e P. Dechamps._ (G. D'A.)]

The Epistles of Ovid, [Footnote 20:

"_Le pistole di Ovidio tradotte in prosa. Napoli

Sixt. Riessinger_", _in_-40*, _oppure:_ "_Epistole volgarizzate_

1489," _in_-40* _a due col._ "_impresse ne la cita (sic) di Bressa

per pre: Baptista de Farfengo,_" _(in ottave) o:_ "_El libro

dele Epistole di Ovidio in rima volgare per messere Dominico

de Monticelli toschano. Brescia Farfengo_," _in_-4°*

_got. (in rima volgare)_, 1491, _ed anche la versione di Luca

Pulci. Firenze, Mischomini_, 1481, _in_-4°*. (G. D'A.) ]

Epistles of Filelfo, [Footnote 21: See l. 4.]

Sphere, [Footnote 22: "_Jo: de Sacrobusto_,"

_o_ "_Goro Dati_," _o_ "_Tolosano da

Colle_" _di cui molteplici edizioni del secolo XV._ (G. D'A.)]

*_nello da Streno,_ 1497, _in_-4°*, _ecc., o piu probabilmente:

"Aesopi" vita & fabula' latine cum versione italica &

allegoriis Fr. Tuppi impressae, Napoli,_ 1483," _in-fol., rara

edizione ornata di belle vignette incise in legno. Questo

Esopo e anche libro di novelle. Nel Catalogo Cicognara

abbiamo una minuta descrizione di questo rarissimo volume._ (G. D'A.)

The Jests of Poggio [Footnote 23:

_Tre edizioni delle facezie del Poggio abbiamo in

lingua italiana della fine del secolo XV, tutte senza data._

"_Facetie de Poggio fiorentino traducte de latino in vulgare

ornatissimo,_" _in_-4°*, _segn. a--e in caratteri romani; l'altra:

"_Facetie traducte de latino in vulgare,_" _in_-4°*, _caratteri

gotici, ecc._ (G. D'A.)

]

Chiromancy, [Footnote 24:

*"_Die Kunst Cyromantia etc, in tedesco._ 26 _ff. di

testo e figure il tutte eseguito su tavole di legno verso la

fine del secolo XV da Giorgio Schapff_". _Dibdin, Heinecken,

Sotheby e Chatto ne diedero una lunga descrizione; i primi

tre accompagnati da fac-simili. La data_ 1448 _che si legge

alla fine del titolo si riferisce al periodo della composizione

del testo, non a quello della stampa del volume benche

tabellario. Altri molti libri di Chiromanzia si conoscono di

quel tempo e sarebbe opera vana il citarli tutti._ (G. D'A.)]

Formulary of letters, [Footnote 25:

_Miniatore Bartolomeo._ "_Formulario de epistole vulgare

missive e responsive, & altri fiori de ornali parlamenti

al principe Hercule d'Esti ecc. composto ecc. Bologna

per Ugo di Rugerii,_" _in_-4°*, _del secolo XV, Altra

edizione di "Venetia Bernardino di Novara_, 1487" _e _"_Milano

per Joanne Angelo Scinzenzeler_ 1500," _in_-4°*. (G. D'A.)

Five books out of this list are noted by Leonardo

in another MS. (Tr. 3): _donato,--lapidario,--plinio,

--abacho,--morgante._

]

1470.

Nonius Marcellus, Festus Pompeius, Marcus Varro.

[Footnote: Nonius Marcellus and Sextus Pompeius Festus

were Roman grammarians of about the fourth century

A. D. Early publications of the works of Marcellus

are: _De proprietate sermonis, Romae_ (about 1470),

and 1471 (place of publication unknown). _Compendiosa

doctrina, ad filium, de proprietate sermonum._ Venice,

1476. BRUNET, _Manuel du libraire_ (IV, p. 97)

notes: _Le texte de cet ancien grammairien a ete reimprime

plusieurs fois a la fin du XVe siecle, avec ceux de Pomponius

Festus et de Terentius Varro. La plus ancienne

edition qui reunisse ces trois auteurs est celle de Parme_,

1480 ... _Celles de Venise_, 1483, 1490, 1498, _et de

Milan_, 1500, _toutes in-fol,, ont peli de valeur._]

1471.

Map of Elephanta in India which Antonello

Merciaio has from maestro Maffeo;--there for

seven years the earth rises and for seven

years it sinks;--Enquire at the stationers

about Vitruvius.

1472.

See 'On Ships' Messer Battista, and Frontinus

'On Acqueducts' [Footnote 2: 2. _Vitruvius de Arch., et Frontinus de Aquedoctibus._

Florence, l5l3.--This is the earliest edition of

Frontinus.--The note referring to this author thus

suggests a solution of the problem of the date of

the Leicester Manuscript.].

[Footnote: Compare No. 1113, 25.]

1473.

Anaxagoras: Every thing proceeds from

every thing, and every thing becomes every

thing, and every thing can be turned into

every thing else, because that which exists in

the elements is composed of those elements.

**Wrong text!

1474-

The Archimedes belonging to the Bishop

of Padua.

1475-

Archimedes gave the quadrature of a poly-

gonal figure, but not of the circle. Hence

Archimedes never squared any figure with

curved sides. He squared the circle minus

the smallest portion that the intellect can

conceive, that is the smallest point visible.

1476.

If any man could have discovered the

utmost powers of the cannon, in all its

various forms and have given such a secret

to the Romans, with what rapidity would

they have conquered every country and have

vanquished every army, and what reward could

have been great enough for such a service!

Archimedes indeed, although he had greatly

damaged the Romans in the siege of Syra-

cuse, nevertheless did not fail of being offered

great rewards from these very Romans; and

when Syracuse was taken, diligent search was

made for Archimedes; and he being found

dead greater lamentation was made for him

by the Senate and people of Rome than if

they had lost all their army; and they

did not fail to honour him with burial and

with a statue. At their head was Marcus

Marcellus. And after the second destruction

of Syracuse, the sepulchre of Archimedes was

found again by Cato[25], in the ruins of a

temple. So Cato had the temple restored and

the sepulchre he so highly honoured....

Whence it is written that Cato said that he

was not so proud of any thing he had done

as of having paid such honour to Archimedes.

1474. See No. 1421, 1. 3, 6 and Vol. I, No. 343.

1475. Compare No. 1504.

1476. Where Leonardo found the statement that

Cato had found and restored the tomb of Archi-

medes, I do not know. It is a merit that Cicero

claims as his own (Tusc. V, 23) and certainly with

a full right to it. None of Archimedes' biographers

-not even the diligent Mazzucchelli, mentions any

version in which Cato is named. It is evidently a

slip of the memory on Leonardo's part. Besides,

according to the passage in Cicero, the grave was

not found 'nelle mine ffun tempio'-which is highly

improbable as relating to a Greek-but in an open

spot (H. MULLER-STROBING).--See too, as to Archi-

medes, No. 1417.

Leonardo says somewhere in MS. C.A.: Archi-

tronito e una macchina di fino rame, invenzlon d* Archi-

mede (see 'Saggiol, p. 20).

I.2 82b]

1477.

Aristotle, Book 3 of the Physics, and

Albertus Magnus, and Thomas Aquinas and

the others on the rebound of bodies, in

the 7th on Physics, on heaven and earth.

M. 62a]

1478.

Aristotle says that if a force can move

a body a given distance in a given time, the

same force will move half the same body

twice as far in the same time.

C. A. 284b; 865b]

1479.

Aristotle in Book 3 of the Ethics: Man

merits praise or blame solely in such mat-

ters as lie within his option to do or not

to do.

C.A. 121a; 375a]

1480.

Aristotle says that every body tends to

maintain its nature.

K.2 3b]

1481.

On the increase of the Nile, a small book

by Aristotle.

[Footnote: _De inundatione Nili_, is quoted here and

by others as a work of Aristotle. The Greek

original is lost, but a Latin version of the beginning

exists (Arist. Opp. IV p. 213 ed. Did. Par.).

In his quotations from Aristotle Leonardo possibly

refers to one of the following editions: _Aristotelis libri IV

de coelo et mundo; de anima libri III; libri VIII physi-

corum; libri de generatione et corruptione; de sensu et

sensato... omnia latine, interprete Averroe, Venetiis 1483_

(first Latin edition). There is also a separate edition

of _Liber de coelo et mundo_, dated 1473.]

W.A. IV.151b]

1482.

Avicenna will have it that soul gives birth

to soul as body to body, and each member

to itself.

[Footnote: Avicenna, see too No. 1421, 1. 2.]

F. o"]

1483.

Avicenna on liquids.

Br.M. 71b]

1484.

Roger Bacon, done in print.

[Footnote:The earliest printed edition known to Brunet

of the works of Roger Bacon, is a French translation, which appeared about fourty years after Leonardo's

death.]

C.A. 139b; 419b]

1485.

Cleomedes the philosopher.

[Footnote: Cleomede. A Greek mathematician of the

IVth century B. C. We have a Cyclic theory of

Meteorica by him. His works were not published before

Leonardo's death.]

Tr. 4]

1486.

CORNELIUS CELSUS.

The highest good is wisdom, the chief

evil is suffering in the body. Because, as

we are composed of two things, that is soul

and body, of which the first is the better,

the body is the inferior; wisdom belongs

to the better part, and the chief evil belongs

to the worse part and is the worst of all.

As the best thing of all in the soul is

wisdom, so the worst in the body is suf-

fering. Therefore just as bodily pain is the

chief evil, wisdom is the chief good of the

soul, that is with the wise man; and nothing

else can be compared with it.

[Footnote: Aulus Cornelius Celsus, a Roman physician,

known as the Roman Hippocrates, probably contemporary with Augustus. Only his eight Books 'De

Medicina", are preserved. The earliest editions are:

Cornelius Celsus, de medicina libr. VIII., Milan 1481

Venice 1493 and 1497.]

Tr. 57]

1487.

Demetrius was wont to say that there was

no difference between the speech and words

of the foolish and ignorant, and the noises

and rumblings of the wind in an inflated

stomach. Nor did he say so without reason,

for he saw no difference between the parts

whence the noise issued; whether their lower

parts or their mouth, since one and the

other were of equal use and importance.

[Footnote: Compare Vol. I, No. 10.]

S.K.M. III.93a]

1488.

Maestro Stefano Caponi, a physician, lives

at the piscina, and has Euclid De Ponderibus.

K.2 2a]

1489.

5th Book of Euclid. First definition: a