Cum ergo talia ingenia ab naturali sollertia non passim cunctis gentibus sed paucis viris habere concedatur, officium vero architecti omnibus eruditionibus debeat esse exercitatum, et ratio propter amplitudinem rei permittat non iuxta necessitatem summas sed etiam mediocris scientias habere disciplinarum, peto, Caesar, et a te et ab is, qui ea volumina sunt lecturi, ut, si quid parum ad regulam artis grammaticae fuerit explicatum, ignoscatur.
Yet it is not granted to nations as a whole, but only to few individuals, to have such genius owing to their natural endowment. At the same time the architect in his work ought to be practised in all accomplishments. Yet reason, in view of the scope of the matter, does not permit us, as need demands, to have a complete, but only a moderate, knowledge of the various subjects involved. Hence I beg your Highness and the other readers of these volumes to pardon any explanation that too little agrees with the rules of the literary art.
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