A compleat treatise on perspective, in theory and practice; on the true principles of Dr. Brook Taylor. Made clear, in theory, by various moveable schemes, and diagrams; and reduced to practice ... Containing diagrams, views, and original designs, in architecture, &c. ... All originals; / invented, delineated, and, great part, engraved by the author, Thomas Malton.

  • Thomas Malton
Date:
1778
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A compleat treatise on perspective, in theory and practice; on the true principles of Dr. Brook Taylor. Made clear, in theory, by various moveable schemes, and diagrams; and reduced to practice ... Containing diagrams, views, and original designs, in architecture, &c. ... All originals; / invented, delineated, and, great part, engraved by the author, Thomas Malton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The Theorem being underftood, let him, at lead, go through one Example in each, as he proceeds; his Ideas will not only be (Lengthened, but he will, poffibly, fee the truth of the Premifes. Then, the Corollaries, Scholia, &c. are but fo many eafy, ufeful, and practical Leffons, deduced from the Theorems, which will be found of the greateft ufe in Pradice ; and, if the Theorem be clearly conceived, the Corol¬ laries will be fo too. The fourteenth Theorem has no affinity with, or dependance on the foregoing ; it contains the whole Theory of pradifiug without Vanijfhing Lines; an ingenious method, but feldom pradifed ; nor, indeed, is it To generally applicable to practice. . The fifth Sjdion contains fo much of the Theory of curvilinear Perfpedive, as is really ufeful in Practice ; or neceliary to be known, by any Artift, whatever. The fixth is a refutation offeverai capital Errors and abfurd Opinions, which many Perfons entertain of Perfpedive ; and which are, there, clearly and fairly ftatcd, and (hewn to have no real exiftence. The third Book is a copious Tre3tife on ufeful pradical Perfpedive, containing Leffons and Examples in every neceffary Cafe, that can occur in Pradice ; (hewing alfo its dependance on the Theory, in brief Demonftrations, where it is neceffary. The Method, in which I have treated this ufeful part of Perfpedive, is fuch, as I prefume w'ni fufficiently recommend it. The Book is divided into twelve Sedions, each treating on a diftinct fubjed from the foregoing ; begining with the moft Ample and firft Principles or Elements, and going on, from the moft Ample, to the molt complex Objeds, in a regular, progreffive fucceffion. After the neceliary Preliminaries and Elements, in the three firft Sedions; the third (liewing alfo how to find Vanifhing Lines, and Vanifhing Points, in general, the firft requifite in Pradice ; in the fourth is contained all the pradical elementary Problems in Brook Taylor’s Effay, which are, of themfelves, a complete Syftem of prafticil Perfpedive. Thefe Elements, of the following Work, being well under- ftood, w ill be found of great Utility; which has induced me to perfed fuch as the Author of them had left very imperfed; and fome, particularly his 21ft and 22d Figures, are greatly defedive; we are neverthelefs infinitely obliged to him, for giving them to the World, fuch as they are. To underftand this Sedion clearly, and be enabled to apply the Problems it con¬ tains, in all Cafes, pradically (which, it muft be obferved, is the foundation of the whole) a tolerable (hare of geometrical knowledge is requifite ; without which, it is impofiible to turn them to that general ufe, in Pradice, in which' they are fo uni- verfally applicable ; inafmuch that, it may be truly faid, he who can comprehend them, perfedly, and apply them in all Cafes, generally, underftands Perlpedive, thoroughly ; but, being fuperficially looked over and not well digefted, they will be found of little ufe.' This confideration, perhaps, has induced fome Perfons to imagine, and affirm, that the whole ot Perfpedive may be compnfed in a very fmall Compafs. But, 1 muft make free to tell them, they are under a miftake; for, notwithftanding the Principles are few and general, yet, to know how to apply the Rules, in all Cafes that may occur in Pradice, cannot be fo foon acquired ; if fo, how comes it, that they are no greater Proficients ? Or, can they imagine, that, amongft the number of able Men, who have wrote on the Subjed, none fhould hit on that much wifhed-for Expe¬ dient ? Either they muft acknowledge that their own faculties are not fo acute as others (which is paying a forry Compliment to their Underftandings) or they muft fuppofe that there is more in it than they at firft imagined. ’Tis true, the whole of Pradical Perfpedive is comprifed in this and the foregoing Sedions; yet, how few would be able to apply thole Problems, though clearly underftood, in delineating a regular piece of Architedure, is but too obvious to enlarge on ; without previous, pradical Leflons, diverfified varioufly, to familiarize them. For which reafon, it is neceliary to (hew their application, in various Examples, which I have not been b fparing
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