The North-Carolina standard., 1845-05-21

Z Resolred further, That copy of these Reso-
I4ptions be sent TO their respective families, and
[also to the Raleigh Register and Standard with
tsequest for publication.
ErT RICHARD N. FORBES J.
3 RALPH P. BUXTON, Committee
]. J. B. BAFCHELOR.
l+IF9' For the North Carolina Standard.
The Origin and Progress Of Mathematics
! - Mol. /
The writer Of these essays approaches the subject
kwih feeling that he is INADEQUATE to the task but
thad though his diciion may be and ineIegaut his
tyle he at least clams,the merit of precision with
iregard TO facts and dates; and his purpose will be
4answereG il he can succeed in fixing, in the minds
of few only of the rising generation some ofthe
leading points of this history, concerning which
the mass of people are SO little informed His aim
ls 10 instruct, not to amuse to be useful rather
than entertaining. He will treat of pure mathe-
kmatcs exciusiVelY. !. ,...:t ...8 = s1sl
J The system Of counting must have existed in
the earliest ages and in order TO keep in remem-
brance any number of quantities il is said little
kballs were strung together and eachba represent
ing, Ter instance sheep or tree, and the whole
ofihe ball the flock or the grove After the inven-
tfon Of writing the ancenIs used letters to repre-
4 sent quantities. With the exception of the Chi
nese, all nations have agreed in distributing num-
peers tato periods containing ten quantities each;
Ibis may be attributed to the habit of childhood of
lcountng the fingers, then making a mark and
kcountng again when the number wished consists
fof more than ten, etc. The ancients distinguished
1.-THE different periods of tens by placed over
fthe letters according to the custom of the Greeks
OF by different combinations of them, as was the
.bpractlce OF the Romans. This method was very
complicated when any large number was concern
led, or even in small calculations
| Trathe is the root of calculation and conse-
4aently rude kind of arithmetic must have exist
I'D IN the earliest ages As one nation began to
trade with another arithmetic improved; and as
commerce advanced SO arithmetic must have ad-
ENanced, until II became science. Proelus saws
that by reason OF their commerce. the Phcenicians
+ were the inventors Of arithmetic but Plato states
fiat fhentor Hermes, the Egyptian GOO correspond
ing to the Mercury of The Greeks was the inven-
t9pr OF numbers; and Josephus states that Abraham
fearrled the science into Egypt. Be this as it NAV
\ rs certain that, in short time, the Egyptians
tgreatiy improved the science, and ii is said ex-
= ttainsd every thing by numbers. The Egyptians
iotigiaatrd geometry. Herodons SAYS that Sesos-
tina divided Egypt among all his subjects giving to
each certain quantity on condition of paying an
nuallY proportional tribute. If the allotment Of
agg one was diminished by the river he repaired to
4 The King and related what had befaen his land ;
the King then sent to the spot and caused the land
Ito be measured, that he mis- ght know what dimnu-
lion it had undergone, and, require tribute only
iinsproportion to- what remained. Here, adds He
7 Eqaoius, believe that geometry took its birth. .
4 The first Mathematician Of whom we read is
Thales, who was born at Miletus, B. G. GAO. After
heshad acquired the usual learning of his country
he travelled into ASIA, and from thence to Egypt
TO be Instructed IN the principles Of geometry and
natural philosophy. While in Egypt he spent a
tgre4t part Of his time with the Priests and taught
then TO determine the height of the pyramids from
the length of the shadows which they cast. PIu-
tarcA says that King Amasis was astoRished at
this instance Of his sagacity, proof shat the Egyp-
! tlans, had made but little progress in geometry
| II Isl stated that Thaes made use of the prnci-
pies Of geometry to determine the distance Of
tFsss711m 1he shore. He also ofound that all angles
I insesibed in senicircle are right angles fore
lhFz IFnFaa IL LII.
/ ed froinsihis theerem he was filled with delight
and expressed his gratitude to the muses. by sac
rifce. In the simple age in which he lived educa-
ton was not degraded TO the rank of trade, nor
did those who could succeed in nothing else think
themselves qualified to be instructors On the con-
tTary tn most costly. the most sacred places even
the temples of the gods, were deemed TO be honor
ed by being used as academies. The wisest of
the sages OF antiquity wereProHd of being teachers
Kings were delighted with the company of those
] who would now be stigmaIzed as schoomasters
Thaies. though descended from the Phenician
Kings did otdsdan to be an instructor OF youth.
| The next Mathematician Of note, of W hom we
read IS Pythagoras, only few, of whose discove-
Ties In Mathematics have been transmitted to US
but among those are the multiplication table and
the theorems that the sum of the three angles Of
any triangle is equal to two right angles and that
the square of the hypotheneuse of right angie
triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the
other two sides; discoveries which are enough to
immoftafize him in the eyes of the lover Of sci
ence even were ne mol Inc author OF his system OF
philosophy. He lived B. G. 59o He travelled in
search of knowledge into Phencia, Cappadocia
and Egypt. AT MileIus he met with Thales the
meeting was in the temple OF Apollo. How costa
tic must have been the delight of these sages of
antiquity, who were destined to live for ages per-
haps after their country should no longer be num-
| bered with the nations, thus to meet on common
! ground in the house of the sciences. No envy al
| loYed their cup of bliss. No! Envy among men of
learning was OF later date-it was the creature of
the art of printing; criticism conceived it.; hired
scribblers were its sponsors. Pythagoras though
then Numbered among the wise men was not a
shamed TO be taught by Thales. He afterwards re-
turned 10 Samos, but prophet is not without
honor save in his own country, the Inhabitants of
Samos rejected his Instructions and obliged him to
seek in Italy for more willing disciples. He open
ed school al Crotona and was soon attended BY
crowds of pupils from all parts of Greece and Italy
Pythagoras was prosecuted in his old age by bad
men, and it is said he killed in tumult raised
| by them against him. FRAiSKI I'm.
The New York prints are said to. be in full
/ chase hbout the rumor respecting Mr. 1Calhoun's
! going on special, mission to England The
Herald has article on it, with the head, Min
lister to EnglGmd-Peace or War ~ 1t says that
its previous article 's,has been cemmentea on by
the press with good deal of interest and particu
Elarly by The commercial journals of this city
No wonder, indeed, if the issue of' peace or aoar
were involved in the question. But we respect
fully advise the qaidnsnes of New York TO spare