that man.—My public salary here is 520 florins, which I am almost
certain will be advanced to as many crowns upon my re-election, and
these I can greatly increase by receiving pupils, and from private
lectures, to any extent that I please. My public duty does not confine
me during more than 60 half hours in the year, and even that not so
strictly but that I may, on occasion of any business, contrive to get
some vacant days; the rest of my time is absolutely at my own disposal;
but because my private lectures and domestic pupils are a great
hindrance and interruption of my studies, I wish to live entirely exempt
from the former, and in great measure from the latter: for if I am to
return to my native country, I should wish the first object of his
Serene Highness to be, that leisure and opportunity should be given me
to complete my works without employing myself in lecturing.—And, in
short, I should wish to gain my bread from my writings, which I would
always dedicate to my Serene Master.—The works which I have to finish
are principally—two books on the system or structure of the Universe,
an immense work, full of philosophy, astronomy, and geometry; three
books on Local Motion, a science entirely new, no one, either ancient or
modern, having discovered any of the very many admirable accidents which
I demonstrate in natural and violent motions, so that I may with very
great reason call it a new science, and invented by me from its very
first principles; three books of Mechanics, two on the demonstration of
principles and one of problems; and although others have treated this
same matter, yet all that has been hitherto written, neither in
quantity, nor otherwise, is the quarter of what I am writing on it. I
have also different treatises on natural subjects; On sound and speech;
On light and colours; On the tide; On the composition of continuous
quantity; On the motions of animals;—And others besides. I have also
an idea of writing some books relating to the military art, giving not
only a model of a soldier, but teaching with very exact rules every
thing which it is his duty to know that depends upon mathematics; as the
knowledge of castrametation, drawing up battalions, fortifications,
assaults, planning, surveying, the knowledge of artillery, the use of
instruments, &c. I also wish to reprint the 'Use of my Geometrical
Compass,' which is dedicated to his highness, and which is no longer to
be met with; for this instrument has experienced such favour from the
public, that in fact no other instruments of this kind are now made, and
I know that up to this time several thousands of mine have been made.—I
say nothing as to the amount of my salary, feeling convinced that as I
am to live upon it, the graciousness of his highness would not deprive
me of any of those comforts, which, however, I feel the want of less
than many others; and therefore I say nothing more on the subject.
Finally, on the title and profession of my service, I should wish that
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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