THE Utility of a Work of this kind will appear evident in reflecting that a multitude of valuable Tracts, both Mathe⯑matical and Philoſophical, are interſperſed among voluminous collections and expenſive publications, and are otherwiſe inacceſſi⯑ble to the generality of readers.
To collect and preſerve ſuch Tracts, to compreſs them into a ſmall compaſs, and to arrange them in a convenient form, are the objects of the Editors of the Publication which is now offered to the Patronage and Encouragement of the Scientific World.
It is not intended to confine the ſelection to Engliſh Works, but occaſionally to tranſlate thoſe in other languages which appear to deſerve places in this Collection.
The Editors propoſe to publiſh a Volume annually; or oftener, if it be found neceſſary and they meet with ſufficient encourage⯑ment; to contain portions of ſeveral valuable tracts, each paged ſeparately, ſo that, when complete, they may be bound in diſtinct volumes, or in any manner the purchaſer may think proper. A part of each volume will alſo be reſerved for the inſertion of ſhorter extracts and original Communications, which in time will form a valuable miſcellaneous volume.
Having briefly ſtated the OUTLINES of their PLAN, the Editors preſume to think that the execution of it will be attended with conſiderable ſervice to the Public and to Science. And in order to render it as perfect as poſſible, they will thankfully receive any Hints for its Improvement, addreſſed (Poſt-paid) to Mr. Glen⯑dinning, Bookſeller, No. 25, Hatton-Garden, London; Mr. T. Bulmer, Sunderland; Mr. Richard Kay, Aberford, York; Mr. Wm. Wallace, Perth Academy; Mr. John Henry Swale, Cheſ⯑ter; Mr. John Lowry, Birimingham; or Mr. N. Boſworth, Peterborough.
The Firſt Volume is now in the Preſs and will ſoon appear: thoſe Gentlemen who wiſh to encourage the Work will pleaſe to ſignify their intention, by applying to their reſpective Bookſellers for the Work.
PRINTED BY W. GLENDINNING, NO. 25, HATTON-GARDEN.
[] November 1, 1799.
This Day is Publiſhed. No. VIII. (To be publiſhed Half-yearly) PRICE TWO SHILLINGS AND SIX-PENCE, OF THE MATHEMATICAL and PHILOSOPHICAL REPOSITORY:
By T. LEYBOURN.
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.
LONDON: Printed for the EDITOR; and Sold by Mr. GLEDINNING, Bookſeller, Hatton-garden; Mr. O. GRE⯑GORY. Bookſeller, Cambridge; and Mr. BULMER, Sunder⯑land; of whom may be had any of the former Numbers; or by applying to any of the Bookſellers.
The Editor is ſorry to be again under the neceſſity of apologiſing for the late appearance of his Publication, He is confident, however, of having his apology accepted when he aſſures his [2]readers that the delay was occaſioned by circumſtances which he was unable to prevent, and that meaſures have been taken which it is hoped will enſure the regular appearance of each Number in future. One of theſe is, a determination to prepare the copy for the preſs immediately after the limited time is expired, without waiting for any further Communications. While, therefore, the Editor returns his moſt grateful thanks to his kind contributors for their aſſiſtance and ſupport, he begs leave to intreat that they will ſend their favours early; and he truſts the ſmalleſt reflection will convince them of the propriety of the reſtriction he has adopted.
The Editor has not continued Mr. Wallace's Paper on PORISMS, becauſe it is intended for inſertion in "A Collection of Mathe⯑matical and Philoſophical Tracts and Selections"; Propoſals for publiſhing which, accompany this Number.
It is intended, in each ſucceeding Number, to inſert accounts of new Mathematical and Philoſophical Publications, and ſhort bio⯑graphical Notices of eminent Mathematicians and Philoſophers, recently deceaſed. Impartial and authentic Communications for theſe articles will always be thankfully received.
The Editor will be much obliged to thoſe Gentlemen who favour him with new queſtions, as much as poſſible to compoſe ſuch as will be of real utility in the various branches, and will generally admit of neat, accurate, and ſatisfactory anſwers; he has alſo to requeſt that ſuch of his correſpondents as ſend him ſolutions, will be at the trouble to work them throughout, and give the reſult as well as the method of ſolution. This would undoubtedly give more ſatisfaction to the readers of the Repoſitory, and at the ſame time add to the reputation of its ingenious contributors.
The Gentleman who ſuppoſes himſelf alluded to in one of the Replies to Mr. Jogglebelly's Eſſay on Negroes, would have had his letter inſerted, had he not deſcended to ſuch low and vulgar language as would have diſgraced the Repoſitory. It is hoped he will, on reconſidering his letter, acquieſce in this opinion, and that he will alſo, on further delibration, think the Editor has acted with propriety in not publiſhing his very violent remarks on an Individual, whom he can aſſure him, he has, in this caſe, unjuſtly accuſed. To the firſt of theſe objections the Letter of L. M. on the ſame ſubject, is alſo liable, and on that account is inadmiſſible. The Editor wiſhes by all means to encourage fair and liberal diſ⯑cuſſion, but he can never conſent to make his work the vehicle of ſcurrility and abuſe inſtead of argument and candour.
Librus, of Walton, is informed, in anſwer to his enquiry con⯑cerning Mr. Gregory's "Leſſons, Aſtronomical and Philoſophical," that the Editor has not been able to procure him a copy, but he has ſince heard that a new Edition of that uſeful performance, enlarged and improved, is juſt publiſhed by Mr. CONDER, No. 30, Buck⯑erſbury, London.
[3]Mr. Keith's Trigonometry is now in the Preſs and will ſoon appear.
A Silver Medal will be determined by Lot, as before, among three of the beſt anſwerers to each of the Prize Queſtions.
On account of the late appearance of this Number is is propoſed to delay the publication of Number IX. until the firſt of May, 1800, and to extend the time for receiving Communications to the 15th of January. All letters received after that time will poſitively be too late for inſertion in that Number.
Number X. will be ready on the firſt of November, 1800, and all letters intended for its uſe muſt come to hand by the 15th of July, or they will be too late.
New Editions of Numbers I. and II. will be publiſhed ſpeedily.
Communications, Poſt-paid, addreſſed either to Mr. Glendin⯑ning, No. 25, Hatton-Garden; Mr. O. Gregory, Cambridge; Mr. T. Bulmer, Sunderland; or Mr. N. Boſworth, Peterborough, will be thankfully received, and duly forwarded to the Editor.
PRINTED BY W. GLENDINNING, NO. 25, HATTON-GARDEN.