Page images
PDF
EPUB

play a shrewdness and perspicacity of observation, accompanied with certain anecdotes, which afford a pleasant relief to the dryer parts of the narrative, and tend to impress the subject more strongly on the mind.

As it appeared, therefore, that this performance contained a clear and well digesteddetail of the subject, within a moderate compass, it was judged, that in it's present dress, it could not but prove acceptable to the british student, who proposes to devote himself to mathematical pursuits; since, if he should bę desirous, in the prosecution of his inquiries, to take a general survey of the rise and progress of these sciences, and by these means to make comparisons and draw conclusions for himself, he would seek in vain for the necessary information in any english work.

But, as the author has given an account in his Preface of the plan and design of the undertaking, it remains only to observe, that he alone must be considered as responsible for the opinions he maintains, with respect to certain discoveries, and other points, which, involving some of the highest claims of genius and invention, have given occasion to many violent disputes, both of a personal and even of a national cast. The only addition that has been

been made, is the annexed biographical table of the most eminent mathematicians of ancient and modern times, exclusive of those now living; which it was conceived would make a proper appendage to a work of this kind; especially as it will be found to contain a far more complete list of the most respectable names than any that has hitherto been published. For the rest, nothing more has been here undertaken, than to give to the public a correct and faithful translation of the original work, which it is hoped will be found to possess sufficient merit, to entitle it to their ap probation.

Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, Feb. 21, 1803.

J. BONNYCASTLE,

THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

SEVERAL authors have written detached parts of the history of mathematics, without any regard to proportion, either in prefaces to their own works, or in separate tracts; but Montucla is the only person, who has attempted the whole of the subject, in a method adapted to the nature and extent of each particular branch. His History of Mathematics first made it's appearance in 1758, and gave an account of the progress of the sciences comprised under this term, from their origin to the commencement of the last century. In 1798 it was reprinted with considerable additions, but still confined to the same period. The author had collected materials for bringing it down to the present day; but they were not prepared for the press at the time of his death, which happened in 1799. His manuscripts, revised, corrected, and enlarged with the necessary additions, have lately been printed; but I know nothing more of them, than what is said in the periodical publica

tions.

The

The work of Montucla has received from the learned the applause it justly merits. It contains an immense number of interesting rescarches, chiefly respecting ancient mathematics; yet it must be owned, it has not passed without various criticisms. Generally speaking, it is somewhat defective in method and style; it is also disfigured by mixing together matters that do not coalesce; and would be improved by the suppression of certain pleasantries, which do not accord with the gravity of the subject. It is besides, adapted only to professed mathematicians; for though it is true, that treatises on almost every part of the mathematics are to be found in it, yet, as these treatises do not succeed each other in a classical and elementary order, they are capable of being understood only by readers who are already acquainted with the fundamental principles of them. And it is to be wished, that Montucla had entered a little more into the spirit of the authors, whose discoveries he records for instance, we have to regret, that, in speaking of the conic sections, he has neither given us a tolerable abstract of the Conics of Appollonius, nor sufficiently made known the method of this ancient geometrician; a

subject

subject highly interesting to the admirers of elegant synthesis.

Whether these criticisms be just, or not, Montucla will ever enjoy the honour of having produced a very learned and useful work, of a kind so much the more rare, because those who are enamoured of the mathematics, have usually more inclination to enrich them with their own discoveries, than to relate those of others. We ought therefore to allow him all the merit due to such a sacrifice.

My object is not to give a minute history of the mathematical sciences; but to consider, in each of them, only the leading branches, and the chief consequences that flowed from them. Having always felt a curiosity, during the course of my studies, to trace all the knowledge I acquired to it's origin, and filled with a profound veneration for those to whom we are indebted for it, I began about thirty years ago, to write down from time to time such reflections, as this disposition produced. The first fruit of this was a sketch, which I prefixed in 1784 to the mathematical part of the Encyclopédie méthodique. This sketch received some applause; though it was very imperfect, both from the narrow limits to which I was confined, and from some irregu larities

a

« PreviousContinue »