"Montucla then proceeds to give a specimen of the fragment of Byrgius taken from M. Kastner, and concludes... We must remark at the same time, that it would be unjust to conclude, from the work printed in 1620, that Byrge had invented Logarithms before Neper; for the work of Neper appeared in 1614, and it is the priority of dates of works which determines at the bar of public opinion the anteriority of the invention. How then does Bramer from that date, 1620, arrive at the conclusion, that his brother-in-law had made the discovery long before Napier? It is well known, that the date of an invention requiring much calculation is necessarily anterior to that of publication, and Neper is equally entitled to the assumption, that his invention existed in his head for several years before he published it; and besides, in a court of law itself, Byrge would lose his suit, for, according to the strictest administration of justice, a date of publication anterior by six years must be held to have afforded an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the discovery, and disguising it under another form. Let us be contented, therefore, with associating at a distance, and to a certain extent only, Byrge with the honour of that ingenious invention; but the glory must always belong to Neper.""