498 Mr. T. S. Davies on Geometry and Geometers. 



1792) states that these criticisms of Dr. Simson's gave him 

 "some trouble and vexation," — though on what ground, except 

 his own sensitive nature under prostrated health and its con- 

 sequent depression of spirits, it would be hard to tell. The 

 man who could maintain his temper under the offensive 

 ribaldry of the notorious Robert Heath, could not on any 

 other supposition than this, feel wounded vety deeply by the 

 plain, though, it must be confessed, somewhat contemptuous 

 language of Simson, in those notes. Dr. Hutton further says, 

 that Dr. Simson again replied in the notes to his next edition 

 of Euclid (Life of Simpson, p. xi.). Also Dr. Trail (Life of 

 Simson, p. 31), remarks that "some animadversions were 

 made on this edition (1756) chiefly by those whose works had 

 been criticised in the Doctor's notes; and to some of these, 

 in a second edition, replies and explanations were made." 

 These, of course, Simpson never read, as the edition referred 

 to was not actually published till 1762, whilst Simpson died 

 the year before, and had been some months prior to this in a 

 state that precluded reading and study of every kind. Nor 

 is there in the notes at the end of the second edition of his 

 Geometry anything to induce a belief that he wrote them 

 under any irritable feelings ; and we have his distinct aver- 

 ment, at p. 263 (1 quote from the fourth edition, which seems 

 to be paged precisely as the previous two), that he was igno- 

 rant of the existence of Dr. Simson's Euclid till the middle of 

 November 1759, and his own work is dated March 3 of the 

 following year, when he was in a most enfeebled condition. 

 This was indeed his last connexion with the press, if we ex- 

 cept his preparation of the Ladies' Diary for the following 

 year; in which, however, there is reason to believe that he 

 was greatly assisted by his friend and successor, Edward Rol- 

 hnson. 



I have collated with some care the one hundred and five 

 notes given by Dr. Simson in the first and second editions of 

 his Euclid. There are but few variations in the greater part 

 of them ; and even these m.erely verbal, or of the most casual 

 kind. As regards our present purpose, it is enough to state 

 that in the 8vo edition Simpson is referred to four times, and 

 in the ^to only twice; and that these two notes are alike in 

 both those editions. They are upon i. 22, 24? and 25, and 

 xi. 1; the second and fourth of these ^rst appearing in the 

 8vo edition. 



Dr. Simson, however, wrote a more expanded series of cri- 

 ticisms on Mr. Simpson's notes, a copy of which (in Nourse's 

 hand) is amongst the papers I formerly described. An exact 

 transcript of the original it evidently is; and a memorandum 



