Preface.

governess of all mechanical arts. For through its planning, all kinds of necessary buildings are erected, such as city walls, towers, bastions, gates, churches, and city halls, and also all kinds of dwellings suitable for everyone's needs. Also, by the direction of architecture, all kinds of useful things necessary for human sustenance are made, such as various waterworks, many types of milling machinery, ships, wagons, and whatever else daily necessity requires. From this it is easy to see that one cannot do without this useful art in a well-ordered government, and that the more common and well-known the knowledge of this art is, the better and more profitable it would be for the entire city or country.

In view of this, it is found that the art of machination machine-building, which Vitruvius calls the third part of architecture, is of the greatest use in daily practice. For through a correct understanding of it, any large and heavy load can be moved, lifted, pulled, and brought wherever one desires with light and swift advantage. Through it, many strange, useful, and amusing waterworks can be made, and many kinds of milling machinery can be set up and built.