OK LINES tN A CIRCLE. H^ 



cnce, toillbe equal Ip a fourth of the circumference." In this Explanatory 

 annunciation, which is an appendage to the main fubjed or firft Bo^weuVlettM? 

 propofition, and evidently not included in the prefatory apo- 

 logy, I fee nothing Hke a fufpicion of inaccuracy expretfed, 

 or even hinted at, and confequently can trace no mark of diffi^ 

 dcnctf now that I come to examine it again; on the contrary, 

 I repeat, that a fad is confidently afferted to exift, which has 

 been proved not to be a fa6i, both by myfelf and by Mr. 

 Gougli, to whofe teftimony probably the reader will pay (ome 

 deference, particularly as this gentleman has ingenioufly (hown 

 that another line in the circle polTefTes the identical property 

 erroneoufly attributed to the line B E, and that previoufly to 

 Mr. B.'s complaint being made public: to the reader^ there^ 

 fore, the falfenefs or juftice of my obfervation or '* refledion" 

 muft be referred; and it will anfwer the purpofe of both Mr. 

 B. and myfelf, if he will let the affair drop here ; for he will 

 then ftand a good chance oF being reputed what is his princi- 

 pal aim, a diffident writer, and I (liall ceafe to be, what fome 

 of your readers, befides Mr. B. may poffibly be difpofed to 

 think me, a caviller. 



I am. Sir, once more. 



An old correspondent. 

 May 17, 1805. 



P. S. The mathematical portion of your readers need not 

 ht informed, that the forgetfubiefs imputed to me, refpeding 

 the alTiimed approximation (ahRiluted for the exaSi ratio of the 

 diameter to the circumference of a circle, is a charge applying • 



with equal propriety to every mathematician who has deduced 

 calculations depending on the area of a circle: even Mr. 

 Gough, whofe mathematical fkill is juftly the admiration of 

 tlioufand^^, whom he has never feen, and is doomed never to 

 fee, has fomehow been obliged to be guilty of the fame want 

 of recollection, though his calculations may be confidered as 

 therefult of demonfiratire truth. 



It remains now for Mr. Bofwell to fhow the fcientillc world, 

 by -an example or two, how he applies his difcovery to prac- 

 tical meafurements, which it is prefuraed, will prove a com- 

 rtiunication of general Interef}. 



Vol. XL— June. IS05. I Defcrlption 



