A Treatise on Painting, by Leonardo da Vinci
1721
Senex and Taylor, London
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I335
The Memory is in no wise able to retain, nor even the Imagination to conceive, all the several Views and Aspects, of any Member of an Animal; be it of what kind soever. This may be demonstrated in the Instance of a Hand; for since every continued Quantity is divisible in infinitum, the Motion of the Eye [Tab. 2. Fig. I.] looking at the Hand, and descending from A to B being a continued quantity, may of consequence be divided into an Infinity of Parts: Now the Hand always changing its Figure and Aspect, as its Situation alters with regard to the Eye, it will be seen under as many different Aspects, as there are distinct Parts in the Motion; that is, the Aspects of the Hand are varied to infinity. And the Result wou'd be the same, if the Eye, instead of being lower'd from A to B, shou'd be rais'd from B to A; or if the Eye, were fixed, and the Hand, had its Motion.