university-of-aberdeen-faculty

"Deid sall ye ligg, and ne'er a memorie sall onie hain, or ae regret for ye, sin that ye haena roses o Pierie. In Hades' howff a gangrel ghaist ye'll flee, amang derk ghaists stravaigan sichtlesslie."

"Caller rain frae abune reeshles amang the epple-trees: the leaves are soughan wi the breeze, and sleep faas drappan doun."

"Minnie, I canna caa my wheel, or spin the oo or twine the tweel. It's luve a laddie whammles me. Ech, the wanchancie glamarie."

"are marshalled in the service of satire against powerful individuals and s, to degrade and belittle them; excreta are not on the whole used as images of celebration and festivity ..."

"... most sociologists who would want to talk about wine for one reason or another probably have some personal interest in it. Why spend so much time building up a for something you cannot stand, or which—if you are an alcohol-abstainer—you are opposed to on moral or some other grounds? After all, if you publicly present yourself as an analyst of wine, you are publicly associating yourself with it, and audiences will read you as linked to wine in some way. (The hostile reception to wine talks I have given, by students who seemed to be of a religious fundamentalist persuasion, is a case in point.)"

"If someone was to ask us to describe our , we might be hard pressed to find anything to talk about that we might say was at all interesting, because daily life suggests routine, and routine by definition involves things that are not out of the ordinary."

"He made... calculations relating to the provision, now established by law, for the children and widows of the Scotch clergy, and of the professors in the Universities, entitling them to certain annuities and sums upon the voluntary annual payment of a certain sum by the incumbent. In contriving and adjusting this wise and useful scheme he bestowed a great deal of labour, and contributed not a little towards bringing it to perfection."

"In his life-time..., he had frequent opportunities of serving his friends and his country by his great skill."

"Whatever difficulty occurred concerning the constructing or perfecting of machines, the working of mines, the improving of manufactures, the conveying of water, or the execution of any public work, he was always ready to resolve it."

"He was employed to terminate some disputes of consequence that had arisen at Glasgow concerning the gauging of vessels; and for that purpose, presented to the commissioners of the excise two elaborate memorials, with their demonstrations, containing rules by which the officers now act."

"In 1740, he... shared the prize of the... [Royal] Academy with ... D. Bernoulli and Euler, for resolving the problem relating to the motion of the tides from the theory of gravity... He bad only ten days to draw up this paper in, and could not... transcribe a fair copy; so ... the Paris edition... is incorrect. He afterwards revised the whole, and inserted it in his Treatise of Fluxions."

"Since his death... two... volumes have appeared; his Algebra, and his Account of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophical Discoveries."

"The Algebra, though not finished by himself, is... excellent in its kind; containing, in no large volume, a complete elementary treatise of that science, as far as it has hitherto beea carried; besides some neat analytical papers on curve lines."

"His Account of Newton's Philosophy was occasioned in the following manner:---Sir Isaac dying in the beginning of 1728, his nephew, Mr. Conduitt, proposed to publish an Account of his Life, and desired Mr. Maclaurin's assistance. The latter, out of gratitude to his great benefactor, cheerfully undertook, and soon finished, the History of the Progress which Philosophy had made before Newton's time; and this was the first draught of the work in hand, which, not going forward on account of Mr. Conduitt's death, was returned to Mr. Maclaurin. To this he afterwards made great additions, and left; it in the state in which y it now appears."

"His main design seems to have been to explain only those parts off Newton's Philosophy which have been controverted: and this is supposed to be the reason why his grand discoveries concerning light and colours, are but transiently and generally touched upon; for it is known, that whenever the experiments, on which his doctrine of light and colours is foimded, had been repeated with due care, this doctrine had not been contested; while his accounting for the celestial motions, and the other great appearances of nature, from gravity, had been misunderstood, and even attempted to be ridiculed."

"A LETTER published in the year 1734, under the title of ' first gave occasion to the ensuing Treatise; and several reasons concurred to induce me to write on this subject at so great a length. The Author of that Piece had represented the as founded on false Reasoning, and full of Mysteries. His Objections seemed to have been occasioned in a great measure, by the concise manner in which the Elements of this Method have been usually described; and their having been so much misunderstood by a person of his abilities, appeared to me a sufficient proof that a fuller Account of the Grounds of them was requisite."

"Though there can be no comparison made betwixt the extent or usefulness of the antient and modern Discoveries in Geometry, yet it seems to be generally allowed that the Antients took greater care, and were more successfull in preserving the Character of its Evidence entire."

"This determined me, immediately after that Piece came to my hands, and before I knew any thing of what was intended by others in answer to it, to attempt to deduce those Elements after the manner of the Antients, from a few unexceptionable principles, by Demonstrations of the strictest form."

"I perceived that some Rules were defective or inaccurate; that the Resolution of several Problems which had been deduced in a mysterious manner, by second and third s, could be completed with greater evidence, and less danger of error, by first Fluxions only; and that other problems had been resolved by Approximations, when an accurate Solution could be obtained with the same or greater facility."

"These, with other observations concerning this method, and its application, led me on gradually to compose a Treatise of a much greater extent than I intended, or would have engaged in, if I had been aware of it when I began this Work, because my attendance in the University could allow one to bestow but a small part of my time in carrying it on."

"And as this has been the occasion of my delay in publishing... I hope it will serve for an apology, if some mistakes have escaped me in treating of such a variety of subjects, in a manner different from that in which they have usually been explained."

"[T]he Defense of the , and of the great Inventor, was not neglected."

"Besides an answer to '... the Author concealed his real name... a second, by the same hand, in Defense of the first, a Discourse by Mr. Robins, a Treatise of Sir Isaac Newton, with a Commentary by Mr. Colson, and several other Pieces, were published on this Subject."

"After I saw that so much had been written upon it to no good purpose, I was rather induced to delay the publication of this Treatise, til I could finish my design."

"I accommodated my Definition of the Variation of Curvature in Chap. xi. to Sir Isaac Newtons, to prevent mistakes, as I have observed in Article 386, but made no material alteration in any thing else."

"The greatest part of the first Book was printed in 1737: but it could not have been so useful to the Reader without the second; and I... recommend... to peruse the first Chapters of the second Book, before the five last of the first; there being a few passages... that will be better understood by... [having] some knowledge of the principal Rules of the Method of Computation... in the second Book."

"In explaining the Notion of & , I have followed Sir Isaac Newton in the first Book, imagining that there can be no difficulty in conceiving Velocity wherever there is Motion; nor do I think that I have departed from his Sense in the second Book; and in both I have endeavoured to avoid several expressions, which, though convenient, might be liable to exceptions, and, perhaps, occasion disputes. I have always represented Fluxions of all... Orders by finite Quantities, the Supposition of an infinitely little Magnitude being too bold a Postulatum for such a Science as Geometry."

"But, because the Method of Infinitesimals is much in use, and is valued for its conciseness, I thought it was requisite to account explicitly for the truth, and perfect accuracy of the conclusions that are derived from it; the rather, that it does not seem to be a very proper reason that is assigned by Authors, when they determine what is called the Difference (but more accurately the ) of a Quantity, and tell us, That they reject certain Parts of the Element, because they become infinitely less than the other parts; not only because a proof of this nature may leave some doubt as to the accuracy of the conclusion, but because it may be demonstrated that those parts ought to be neglected by them at any rate, or that it would be an error to retain them."

"If an Accountant, that pretends to a scrupulous exactness, should tell us that he had neglected certain Articles, because he found them to be of small importance, and it should appear that they ought not to have been taken into consideration by him on that occasion, but belong to a different account, we should approve his conclusions as accurate, but not his reason. This method, however, may be considered as an easy and ready way of distinguishing what Parts of an Element are to be rejected, and which are to be retained, in determining the precise Fluxion of a Quantity, or the rate according to which it increases or decreases."

"Several Treatises have appeared while this was in the press, wherein some of the same Problems have been considered, though generally in a different manner. I have had occasion to mention most of them in the last Chapter of the second Book; but had not there an opportunity to take notice, that the Problem in 480 has been considered by Mr. Euler in his Mechanics."

"In most of the instances wherein my conclusions did not agree with those given by other Authors, I have not mentioned their names."

"If, upon the whole, the Evidence of this method be represented to the satisfaction of the Reader, some of the abstruse parts illustrated, or any improvements of this useful Art be proposed, I shall be under no great concern, though exceptions may be made to some modes of Expression, or to such Passages of this Treatise as are not essential to the principal design."

"GEOMETRY is valued for its extensive usefulness, but has been most admired for its evidence; mathematical demonstration being such as has been always supposed to put an end to dispute, leaving no place for doubt or cavil. It acquired this character by the great care of the old writers, who admitted no principles but a few self-evident truths, and no demonstrations but such as were accurately deduced from them."

"The science being now vastly enlarged, and applied with success to philosophy and the arts, it is of greater importance than ever that its evidence be preserved perfect."

"But it has been objected on several occasions, that the modern improvements have been established for the most part upon new and exceptionable maxims, of too abstruse a nature to deserve a place amongst the plain principles of the ancient geometry: and some have proceeded so far as to impute false reasoning to those authors who have contributed most to the late discoveries, and have at the same time been most cautious in their manner of describing them."

"In the method of indivisibles, lines were conceived to be made up of points, surfaces of lines,and solids of surfaces; and such suppositions have been employed by several ingenious men for proving the old theorems, and discovering new ones, in a brief and easy manner. But as this doctrine was inconsistent with the strict principles of geometry, so it soon appeared that there was some danger of its leading them into false conclusions: therefore others, in the place of indivisible, substituted infinitely small divisible elements, of which they supposed all magnitudes to be formed; and thus endeavoured to retain, and improve, the advantages that were derived from the former method for the advancement of geometry."

"After these came to be relished, an infinite scale of infinites and s (ascending and descending always by infinite steps) was imagined and proposed to be received into geometry, as of the greatest use for penetrating into its abstruse parts. Some have argued for quantities more than infinite; and others for a kind of quantities that are said to be neither finite nor infinite, but of an intermediate and indeterminate nature."

"This way of considering what is called the sublime part of geometry has so far prevailed, that it is generally known by no less a title than the Science, Arithmetic, or Geometry of infinites. These terms imply something lofty, but mysterious; the contemplation of which may be suspected to amaze and perplex, rather than satisfy or enlighten the understanding... and while it seems greatly to elevate geometry, may possibly lessen its true and real excellency, which chiefly consists in its perspicuity and perfect evidence; for we may be apt to rest in an obscure and imperfect knowledge of so abstruse a doctrine... instead of seeking for that clear and full view we ought to have of geometrical truth; and to this we may ascribe the inclination... of late for introducing mysteries into a science wherein there ought to be none."

"There were some, however, who disliked the... use of infinites and infinitesimals in geometry. Of this number was Sir Isaac Newton (whose caution was almost as distinguishing a part of his character as his invention), especially after he saw that this liberty was growing to so great a height. In demonstrating the grounds of the method of fluxion, he avoided them, establishing it in a way more agreeable to the strictness of geometry."

"He considered magnitudes as generated by a or motion, and showed how the velocities of the generating motions were to be compared together. There was nothing in this doctrine but what seemed to be natural and agreeable to the antient geometry. But what he has given us on this subject being very short, his conciseness maybe supposed to have given some occasion to the objections which have been raised against his method."

"When the certainty of any part of geometry is brought into question, the most effectual way to set the truth in a full light, and to prevent disputes, is to deduce it from s or first principles of unexceptionable evidence, by demonstrations of the strictest kind, after the manner of the antient geometricians. This is our design in the following treatise; wherein we do not propose to alter Sir Isaac Newtons notion of a , but to explain and demonstrate his method, by deducing it at length from a few self-evident truths, in that strict manner: and, in treating of it, to abstract from all principles and postulates that may require the imagining any other quantities but such as may be easily conceived to have a real existence."

"We shall not consider any part of space or time as indivisible, or infinitely little; but we shall consider a point as a term or limit of a line, and a moment as a term or limit of time: nor shall we resolve curve lines, or curvilineal spaces, into rectilineal elements of any kind."

"In delivering the principles of this method, we apprehend it is better to avoid such suppositions: but after these are demonstrated, short and concise ways of speaking, though less accurate, may be permitted, when there is no hazard of our introducing any uncertainty or obscurity into the science from the use of them, or of involving it in disputes."

"The method of demonstration, which was invented by the author of fluxions, is accurate and elegant; but we propose to begin with one that is somewhat different; which, being less removed from that of the antients, may make the transition to his method more easy to beginners (for whom chiefly this treatise is intended), and may obviate some objections that have been made to it."

"[C]onsider the steps by which the antients were able... from the mensuration of right-lined figures, to judge of such as were bounded by curve lines; for as they did not allow themselves to resolve curvilineal figures into rectilineal elements, it is worth examin[ing] by what art they could make a transition from the one to the other: and as they... finish their demonstrations in the most perfect manner... by following their example... in demonstrating a method so much more general than their's, we may best guard against exceptions and cavils, and vary less from the old foundations of geometry."

"They found, that similar triangles are to each other in the duplicate ratio of their homologous sides; and, by resolving similar polygons into similar triangles, the same proposition was extended to these polygons also. But when they came to compare curvilineal figures, that cannot be resolved into rectilineal parts, this method failed."

"Circles are the only curvilineal plane figures considered in the elements of geometry. If they could have allowed... these as similar polygons of an infinite number of sides (as some have done who pretend to abridge their demonstrations), after proving that any similar polygons inscribed in circles are in the duplicate ratio of the diameters, they would have immediately extended this to the circles themselves and would have considered the second proposition of the twelfth book of the Elements as an easy corollary from the first. But there is ground to think that they would not have admitted a demonstration of this kind. It was a fundamental principle with them, that the difference of any two unequal quantities, by which the greater exceeds the lesser, may be added to itself till it shall exceed any proposed finite quantity of the same kind: and that they founded their propositions concerning curvilineal figures upon this principle... is evident from the demonstrations, and from the express declaration of Archimedes, who acknowledges it to be the foundation...[of] his own discoveries, and cites it as assumed by the antients in demonstrating all their propositions of this kind. But this principle seems to be inconsistent with... admitting... an infinitely little quantity or difference, which, added to itself any number of times, is never supposed to become equal to any finite quantity whatsoever."

"They proceeded therefore in another manner, less direct indeed, but perfectly evident. They found, that the inscribed similar polygons, by increasing the number of their sides, continually approached to the areas of the circles; so that the decreasing differences betwixt each circle and its inscribed polygon, by still further and further divisions of the circular arches which the sides of the polygons subtend, could become less than any quantity that can be assigned: and that all this while the similar polygons observed the same constant invariable proportion to each other, viz. that of the squares of the diameters of the circles. Upon this they founded a demonstration, that the proportion of the circles themselves could be no other than that same invariable ratio of the similar inscribed polygons; of which we shall give a brief abstract, that it may appear in what manner they were able... to form a demonstration of the proportions of curvilineal figures, from what they had already discovered of rectilineal ones. And that the general reasoning by which they demonstrated all their theorems of this kind may more easily appear, we shall represent the circles and polygons by right lines, in the same manner as all magnitudes are expressed in the fifth book of the Elements."

"But to return to Kepler, his great sagacity, and continual meditation on the planetary motions, suggested to him some views of the true principles from which these motions flow. In his preface to the commentaries concerning the planet Mars, he speaks of gravity as of a power that was mutual betwixt bodies, and tells us that the earth and moon tend towards each other, and would meet in a point so many times nearer to the earth than to the moon, as the earth is greater than the moon, if their motions did not hinder it. He adds that the tides arise from the gravity of the waters towards the moon. But not having just enough notions of the laws of motion, he does not seem to have been able to make the best use of these thoughts; nor does he appear to have adhered to them steadily, since in his epitome of astronomy, published eleven years after, he proposes a physical account of the planetary motions, derived from different principles."

"He [Kepler] supposes, in that treatise [epitome of astronomy], that the motion of the sun on his axis is preserved by some inherent vital principle; that a certain virtue, or immaterial image of the sun, is diffused with his rays into the ambient spaces, and, revolving with the body of the sun on his axis, takes hold of the planets and carries them along with it in the same direction; as a load-stone turned round in the neighborhood of a magnetic needle makes it turn round at the same time. The planet, according to him, by its inertia endeavors to continue in its place, and the action of the sun's image and this inertia are in a perpetual struggle. He adds, that this action of the sun, like to his light, decreases as the distance increases; and therefore moves the same planet with greater celerity when nearer the sun, than at a greater distance. To account for the planet's approaching towards the sun as it descends from the aphelium to the perihelium, and receding from the sun while it ascends to the aphelium again, he supposes that the sun attracts one part of each planet, and repels the opposite part; and that the part which is attracted is turned towards the sun in the descent, and that the other part is towards the sun in the ascent. By suppositions of this kind he endeavored to account for all the other varieties of the celestial motions."