Page:Halliwell Collection of Letters.djvu/18

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xiv

PREFACE.

graphy than the history of science; and yet we think that they will be acceptable to the lover of familiar history. Similar remarks may be made of others^[1].

In the appendix to Dr. Vaughan's "Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell" are printed several letters from Pell's MS. collections, a few of which we have found it necessary to reprint in this work. Unfortunately no references whatever are given to the places whence these letters are taken, and amidst the very numerous volumes which compose Pell's collections, it is no easy matter to find the deposit of any particular one. Owing to this arrangement, we have been quite unable, although we have spared no exertions, to find the original of a very curious letter which Dr. Vaughan has printed at p. 347. It is written by Dr. Pell, and dated Oct. 12th, 1642; and we are unwilling to neglect the opportunity of extracting the following passage:—

"I can hear of nothing of Vieta's in manuscript in England, but such pieces of his as are already printed, and were transcribed for the most part out of the printed books, because they could not be had for money. Here is also a manuscript of his notæ priores ad logisticen speciosam transcribed many years ago at Paris out of a written copy; but since that time, le Sieur de Beaugrand hath caused it to be printed in 24mo. at Paris,anno 1631, with a few notes of his own thereon. It

↑ We have neglected to say in the proper place (p. 31), that "a copie of the speache made by the mathematicall lecturer unto the worshipfull company present, at the house of the worshipfull Mr. Thomas Smith," was published at London in 1588, small 4to. From the title-page to his treatise on the Cross-staf, it appears that Hood was mathematical lecturer in 1596; but in his work on the Sector, published in 1598, this title is omitted. We also omitted to remark, that from MS. Harl. 7523. fol. 206, it appears that Pell in 1650 had a design of publishing commentaries on the works of Descartes.

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[1] We have neglected to say in the proper place (p. 31), that "a copie of the speache made by the mathematicall lecturer unto the worshipfull company present, at the house of the worshipfull Mr. Thomas Smith," was published at London in 1588, small 4to. From the title-page to his treatise on the Cross-staf, it appears that Hood was mathematical lecturer in 1596; but in his work on the Sector, published in 1598, this title is omitted. We also omitted to remark, that from MS. Harl. 7523. fol. 206, it appears that Pell in 1650 had a design of publishing commentaries on the works of Descartes.

[1]