diff --git a/src/element.js b/src/element.js
index 9c25d11..6e4a36d 100644
--- a/src/element.js
+++ b/src/element.js
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ Snap.plugin(function (Snap, Element, Paper, glob, Fragment) {
      o }
     \*/
     elproto.getBBox = function (isWithoutTransform) {
+        if (this.type == "tspan") {
+            return Snap._.box(this.node.getClientRects().item(0));
+        }
         if (!Snap.Matrix || !Snap.path) {
             return this.node.getBBox();
         }
diff --git a/src/matrix.js b/src/matrix.js
index 1b95144..1058d36 100644
--- a/src/matrix.js
+++ b/src/matrix.js
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2013 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.
-// 
+//
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 // You may obtain a copy of the License at
-// 
+//
 // http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-// 
+//
 // Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 // distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 // WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
@@ -58,30 +58,48 @@ Snap.plugin(function (Snap, Element, Paper, glob, Fragment) {
          - matrix (object) @Matrix
         \*/
         matrixproto.add = function (a, b, c, d, e, f) {
-            var out = [[], [], []],
-                m = [[this.a, this.c, this.e], [this.b, this.d, this.f], [0, 0, 1]],
-                matrix = [[a, c, e], [b, d, f], [0, 0, 1]],
-                x, y, z, res;
-
             if (a && a instanceof Matrix) {
-                matrix = [[a.a, a.c, a.e], [a.b, a.d, a.f], [0, 0, 1]];
+                return this.add(a.a, a.b, a.c, a.d, a.e, a.f);
             }
+            var aNew = a * this.a + b * this.c,
+                bNew = a * this.b + b * this.d;
+            this.e += e * this.a + f * this.c;
+            this.f += e * this.b + f * this.d;
+            this.c = c * this.a + d * this.c;
+            this.d = c * this.b + d * this.d;
 
-            for (x = 0; x < 3; x++) {
-                for (y = 0; y < 3; y++) {
-                    res = 0;
-                    for (z = 0; z < 3; z++) {
-                        res += m[x][z] * matrix[z][y];
-                    }
-                    out[x][y] = res;
-                }
+            this.a = aNew;
+            this.b = bNew;
+            return this;
+        };
+        /*\
+         * Matrix.multLeft
+         [ method ]
+         **
+         * Multiplies a passed affine transform to the left: M * this.
+         - a (number)
+         - b (number)
+         - c (number)
+         - d (number)
+         - e (number)
+         - f (number)
+         * or
+         - matrix (object) @Matrix
+        \*/
+        Matrix.prototype.multLeft = function (a, b, c, d, e, f) {
+            if (a && a instanceof Matrix) {
+                return this.multLeft(a.a, a.b, a.c, a.d, a.e, a.f);
             }
-            this.a = out[0][0];
-            this.b = out[1][0];
-            this.c = out[0][1];
-            this.d = out[1][1];
-            this.e = out[0][2];
-            this.f = out[1][2];
+            var aNew = a * this.a + c * this.b,
+                cNew = a * this.c + c * this.d,
+                eNew = a * this.e + c * this.f + e;
+            this.b = b * this.a + d * this.b;
+            this.d = b * this.c + d * this.d;
+            this.f = b * this.e + d * this.f + f;
+
+            this.a = aNew;
+            this.c = cNew;
+            this.e = eNew;
             return this;
         };
         /*\
@@ -115,7 +133,9 @@ Snap.plugin(function (Snap, Element, Paper, glob, Fragment) {
          - y (number) vertical offset distance
         \*/
         matrixproto.translate = function (x, y) {
-            return this.add(1, 0, 0, 1, x, y);
+            this.e += tx * this.a + ty * this.c;
+            this.f += tx * this.b + ty * this.d;
+            return this;
         };
         /*\
          * Matrix.scale
@@ -129,10 +149,13 @@ Snap.plugin(function (Snap, Element, Paper, glob, Fragment) {
          * Default cx, cy is the middle point of the element.
         \*/
         matrixproto.scale = function (x, y, cx, cy) {
-            y == null && (y = x);
-            (cx || cy) && this.add(1, 0, 0, 1, cx, cy);
-            this.add(x, 0, 0, y, 0, 0);
-            (cx || cy) && this.add(1, 0, 0, 1, -cx, -cy);
+            sy == null && (sy = sx);
+            (tx || ty) && this.translate(tx, ty);
+            this.a *= sx;
+            this.b *= sx;
+            this.c *= sy;
+            this.d *= sy;
+            (tx || ty) && this.translate(-tx, -ty);
             return this;
         };
         /*\
@@ -307,7 +330,7 @@ Snap.plugin(function (Snap, Element, Paper, glob, Fragment) {
                 s.scalex = +s.scalex.toFixed(4);
                 s.scaley = +s.scaley.toFixed(4);
                 s.rotate = +s.rotate.toFixed(4);
-                return  (s.dx || s.dy ? "t" + [+s.dx.toFixed(4), +s.dy.toFixed(4)] : E) + 
+                return  (s.dx || s.dy ? "t" + [+s.dx.toFixed(4), +s.dy.toFixed(4)] : E) +
                         (s.scalex != 1 || s.scaley != 1 ? "s" + [s.scalex, s.scaley, 0, 0] : E) +
                         (s.rotate ? "r" + [+s.rotate.toFixed(4), 0, 0] : E);
             } else {
@@ -343,4 +366,4 @@ Snap.plugin(function (Snap, Element, Paper, glob, Fragment) {
     Snap.matrix = function (a, b, c, d, e, f) {
         return new Matrix(a, b, c, d, e, f);
     };
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});