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



kind service to that Gentleman, and tell him in answer to what he 

 wrote at the foot of the operation, that tho I should put him to no 

 further trouble with any Problems, I would render him any assistance 

 in my power in difficulties that may occur to him, but that I think he 

 is much or more capable to assist me than I am to do any service, in 

 the way he proposes, to him, especially now when I am so old, and 

 in a manner worn out*. I am glad to See a 3 d Volume of his repo- 

 sitory advertized, and doubt not it will give me equal pleasure, at 

 least, with the other two. If you are sending any books to this 

 town, I desire you may put up a copy for me, and of any other new 

 thing you may think will be agreeable. 



" Now, Sir, I must desire you will forgive me for doing a thing I 

 ought first to have asked your leave to do ; it is the advertising in 

 my proposals for printing the first Six, the 11th and 12th Books of 

 Euclid's Elements, which proposals are ready to be sent to London, 

 that Subscriptions are taken in at your Shop. I advertise them to be 

 taken nowhere else in London. The proposals and receipts are to 

 be sent to Mr. Ruat who will give you as many as you think proper 

 to take ; in the mean time I have enclosed one copy with this. After 

 you have read them I pray you may write me any directions or hints 

 with relation to my design which will be most gratefully acknow- 

 ledged by 



" Dear Sir, Your most humble and 



" obliged servant, 



" Rob: Simson. 



" If the books were printed I design they should be had at your shop 

 allowing the usual rate for your trouble and pains. I shall be glad 

 to hear from you with your first conveniency. 



" I have often wrote to Mr. Ruat to take a glass with you on my 

 Account, and hope that he has done it." 



This Mr. Ruat, who is often mentioned in Simson's letters, 

 appears to have been engaged somewhat in the business that 

 is now denominated a " commission-agency ;" but at the same 

 time he appears also to have been an intimate personal friend 

 of Dr. Simson's. He is described in the letters as a consider- 

 able traveller. It was probably through him that Simson 

 negotiated with Nourse the entire business, which is not de- 

 tailed in the letters, relative to paper, &c. for the quarto edi- 

 tion of the Euclid. This, at least seems to be implied by the 

 next letter. 



" Glasgow, 23 d Septr. 1755. 



" Sir, — I wrote to you when I sent a copy of the proposals for 

 printing the 8 Books of Euclid, and believe that you thought it 

 needless to write to me when you could advise me of anything that 

 was proper by means of Mr. Ruat. I designed that you should have 

 gotten as many of the receipts as you wanted as soon as they came 



• Dr. Simson was then in his sixty-eighth year, and the first edition of 

 the Euclid was not then published or even printed. 



