n, to seme broken. Thynges,
farre of, to seeme nere: and nere, to seme farre of. Small thinges, to
seme great: and great, to seme small. One man, to seme an Army. Or a man
to be curstly affrayed of his owne shaddow. Yea, so much, to feare,
that, if you, being (alone) nere a certaine glasse, and proffer, with
dagger or sword, to foyne at the glasse, you shall suddenly be moued to
giue backe (in maner) by reason of an Image,

[-> A marueilous Glasse.]

appearing in the ayre, betwene you & the glasse, with like hand, sword
or dagger, & with like quicknes, foyning at your very eye, likewise as
you do at the Glasse. Straunge, this is, to heare of: but more
meruailous to behold, then these my wordes can signifie. And
neuerthelesse by demonstration Opticall, the order and cause therof, is
certified: euen so, as the effect is consequent. Yea, thus much more,
dare I take vpon me, toward the satisfying of the noble courrage, that
longeth ardently for the wisedome of Causes Naturall: as to let him
vnderstand, that, in London, he may with his owne eyes, haue profe of
that, which I haue sayd herein. A Gentleman, (which, for his good
seruice, done to his Countrey, is famous and honorable:

[S. W. P.]

and for skill in the Mathematicall Sciences, and Languages, is the Od
man of this land. &c.) euen he, is hable: and (I am sure) will, very
willingly, let the Glasse, and profe be sene: and so I (here) request
him: for the encrease of wisedome, in the honorable: and for the
stopping of the mouthes malicious: and repressing the arrogancy of the
ignorant. Ye may easily gesse, what I meane. This Art of _Perspectiue_,
is of that excellency, and may be led, to the certifying, and executing
of such thinges, as no man would easily beleue: without Actuall profe
perceiued. I speake nothing of _Naturall Philosophie_, which, without
_Perspectiue_, can not be fully vnderstanded, nor perfectly atteined
vnto. Nor, of _Astronomie_: which, without _Perspectiue_, can not well
be grounded: Nor _Astrologie_, naturally Verified, and auouched. That
part hereof, which dealeth with Glasses (which name, Glasse, is a
generall name, in this Arte, for any thing, from which, a Beame
reboundeth) is called _Catoptrike_: and hath so many vses, both
merueilous, and proffitable: that, both, it would hold me to long, to
note therin the principall conclusions, all ready knowne: And also
(perchaunce) some thinges, might lacke due credite with you: And I,
therb