On the kinds of motion: temporal, mental, of species and of sound
A classification of motions into material and spiritual, visible and invisible
Leonardo classifies motion into several natures: temporal (which embraces all others), that of the life of things, mental, that of the species of things spreading through air by straight lines in indivisible time, and that of sounds, odours and tastes. He then reduces them to two natures, material and spiritual, or visible and invisible, noting that some invisible motions are material, like the motion of Saturn or of multiplied wheels, and that the motion of images through air is the fastest. Of the senses he will treat only hearing, since it works with time in noises, thunder and voices, and closes by mentioning the influences of the planets and of God and the motion from white to red among colours. Small mechanical sketches at upper right remain untranscribed.
On this page
The five natures of motion
Motion is of several natures: the temporal, dealing only with time and embracing all others; that of the life of things; the mental, residing in animate bodies; that of the species of things, spreading through air by straight lines in indivisible time; and that of sounds, odours and tastes, called sensual as against the corporeal motion to be treated.
Material and spiritual, visible and invisible
Reduced to two natures, one is material and the other spiritual, or one visible and the other invisible; yet among the invisible are many material motions. The motion of likenesses through air is the fastest, made very long in the same time as very short, and lost by distance as the air thickens.
The motion of Saturn and planetary influences
Among invisible material motions Leonardo names the motion of Saturn, and he closes by remarking that one may also speak of the influences of the planets and of God.
Mechanical sketches at upper right (untranscribed)
The upper right of the sheet carries small pen sketches of mechanical apparatus, including a suspended device. These drawings are not covered by the transcribed text, which cites 'multiplied wheels' only as an example of invisible material motion.
