Pinxit Virgilius Neptunum, pinxit Homerus,
Dum maris undisoni per vada flectit equos.
Mente quidem vates illum conspexit uterque,
Vincius est oculis, jureque vincit eos[i12].
In English thus:
Virgil and Homer, when they Neptune shew’d,
As he through boist’rous seas his steeds compell’d,
In the mind’s eye alone his figure view’d;
But Vinci saw him, and has both excell’d[i13].
To these must be added the following: A painting representing two horsemen engaged in fight, and struggling to tear a flag from each other: rage and fury are in this admirably expressed in the countenances of the two combatants; their air appears wild, and the drapery is thrown into an unusual though agreeable disorder. A Medusa’s head, and a picture of the Adoration of the Magi[i14]. In this last there are some fine heads, but both this and the Medusa’s head are said by Du Fresne to have been evidently unfinished.
The mind of Leonardo was however too active and capacious to be contented solely with the practical part of his art; nor could it submit to receive as principles, conclusions, though confirmed by experience, without first tracing them to their source, and investigating their causes, and the several circumstances on which they depended. For this purpose he determined to engage in a deep examination into the theory of his art; and the better to effect his intention, he resolved to call in to his aid the assistance of all such other branches of science as could in any degree promote this grand object.
Vasari has related[i15], that at a very early age he had, in the short time of a few months only that he applied to it, obtained a deep knowledge of arithmetic; and says, that in literature in general, he would have made great attainments, if he had not been too versatile to apply long to one subject. In music, he adds, he had made some progress; that he then determined to learn to play on the lyre; and that having an uncommonly fine voice, and an extraordinary promptitude of thought and expression, he became a celebrated improvisatore: but that his attention to these did not induce him to neglect painting and modelling in which last art he was so great a proficient, that in his youth he modelled in clay some heads of women laughing, and also some boys’ heads, which appeared to have come from the hand of a master. In architecture, he made many plans and designs for buildings, and, while he was yet young, proposed conveying the river Arno into the canal at Pisa[i16]. Of his skill in poetry the reader may judge from the following sonnet preserved by Lomazzo[i17], the only one now existing of his composition; and for the translation with which it is accompanied we are indebted to a lady.
SONNETTO MORALE.
Chi non può quel vuol, quel che può voglia,
Che quel che non si può folle è volere.
Adunque saggio è l’uomo da tenere,
Che da quel che non può suo voler toglia.
Però ch’ogni diletto nostro e doglia
Sta in sì e nò, saper, voler, potere,
Adunque quel sol può, che co ’l dovere
Ne trahe la ragion suor di sua soglia.
Ne sempre è da voler quel che l’uom puote,
Spesso par dolce quel che torna amaro,
Piansi gia quel ch’io volsi, poi ch’io l’ebbi.
Adunque tu, lettor di queste note,
S’a te vuoi esser buono e a ’gli altri caro,
Vogli sempre poter quel che tu debbi.
TRANSLATION.
A MORAL SONNET.
The man who cannot what he would attain,
Within his pow’r his wishes should restrain:
The wish of Folly o’er that bound aspires,
The wise man by it limits his desires.
Since all our joys so close on sorrows run,
We know not what to choose or what to shun;
Let all our wishes still our duty meet,
Nor banish Reason from her awful seat.
Nor is it always best for man to will
Ev’n what his pow’rs can reach; some latent ill
Beneath a fair appearance may delude
And make him rue what earnest he pursued.
Then, Reader, as you scan this simple page,
Let this one care your ev’ry thought engage,
(With self-esteem and gen’ral love ’t is fraught,)
Wish only pow’r to do just what you ought.
The course of study which Leonardo had thus undertaken, would, in its most limited extent by any one who should attempt it at this time, be found perhaps almost more than could be successfully accomplished; but yet his curiosity and unbounded thirst for information, induced him rather to enlarge than contract his plan. Accordingly we find, that to the study of geometry, sculpture, anatomy, he added those of architecture, mechanics, optics, hydrostatics, astronomy, and Nature in general, in all her operations[i18]; and the result of his observations and experiments, which were intended not only for present use, but as the basis and foundation of future discoveries, he determined, as he proceeded, to commit to writing. At what time he began these his collections, of which we shall have occasion to speak more particularly hereafter, is no where mentioned; but it is with certainty known, that by the month of April 1490, he had already completely filled two folio volumes[i19].
Notwithstanding Leonardo’s propensity and application to study, he was not inattentive to the graces of external accomplishments; he was very skilful in the management of an horse, rode gracefully, and when he afterwards arrived to a state of affluence, took particular pleasure in appearing in public well mounted and handsomely accoutred. He possessed great dexterity in the use of arms: for mien and grace he might contend with any gentleman of his time: his person was remarkably handsome, his behaviour so perfectly polite, and his conversation so charming, that his company was coveted by all who knew him; but the avocations to which this last circumstance subjected him, are one reason why so many of his works remain unfinished [i20].
With such advantages of mind and body as these, it was no wonder that his reputation should spread itself, as we find it soon did, over all Italy. The painting of the shield before mentioned, had already, as has been noticed, come into the possession of the Duke of Milan; and the subsequent accounts which he had from time to time heard of Leonardo’s abilities and talents, induced Lodovic Sforza, surnamed the Moor, then Duke of Milan, about, or a little before the year 1489[i21], to invite him to his court, and to settle on him a pension of five hundred crowns, a considerable sum at that time[i22].
Various are the reasons assigned for this invitation: Vasari[i23] attributes it to his skill in music, a science of which the Duke is said to have been fond; others have ascribed it to a design which the Duke entertained of erecting a brazen statue to the memory of his father [i24]; but others conceive it originated from the circumstance, that the Duke had not long before established at Milan an academy for the study of painting, sculpture, and architecture, and was desirous that Leonardo should take the conduct and direction of it[i25]. The second was, however, we find, the true motive; and we are further informed, that the invitation was accepted by Leonardo, that he went to Milan, and was already there in 1489[i26].
Among the collections of Leonardo still existing in manuscript, is a copy of a memorial presented by him to the Duke about 1490, of