John Sidney Hawkins
The author of the new life of Leonardo da Vinci prefixed to the treatise.
Core Belief
"Historical truth should be based on verifiable evidence and rigorous research."
Worldview
Hawkins sees history as a process of uncovering and interpreting the past, with the goal of understanding the lives and achievements of great figures like da Vinci. He believes in the importance of preserving historical records and making them accessible to scholars and the public.
Personality
Hawkins is presented as a scholarly and diligent researcher, committed to uncovering authentic information about da Vinci's life. He is meticulous in his approach, relying on primary sources and memoranda rather than conjecture. He conveys a sense of admiration for da Vinci's intellect and versatility.
In Their Own Words
"Fortunately for this undertaking, the manuscript collections of Leonardo da Vinci, which have lately passed from Italy into France, have, since their removal thither, been carefully inspected, and an abstract of their contents published in a quarto pamphlet...From this pamphlet a great deal of original intelligence respecting the Author has been obtained, which, derived as it is from his own information, could not possibly be founded on better evidence."
"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."
"Although the King's motive to this invitation, which seems to have been a wish to profit by the pencil of Leonardo, was completely disappointed by his ill state of health...yet the French people in general, and the King in particular, are expressly said to have been as favourable to him as those of Rome had been injurious, and he was received by the King in the most affectionate manner."
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