Reevew of O. Gregory’s Treatise on Mechanics. 8% 
not one step is perceived by the mind; of the latter, we 
shall make some remarks before we close this review. - 
Though the author’s predilection for analytics, and ie 
struse theories, leads him far from that plain, and obvious 
course, which is adapted to the understanding of learners, 
there are nevertheless to be found some beautiful illustra- 
tions of principles, which serve to relieve the mind from the 
of the space divided by the square of the time, or in symbols, 
that F a= This, and the other fluxional formule in va- 
riable mesiie are all founded on the 39th proposition of the 
ist book of Newton’s Principia, which as much transcends 
all copies, and imitations of it, in elegance, asin the merit of 
originality. It may have been, however; considered as too 
abstruse for beginners. 
Other specimens of that kind of ithustheloin; which tends 
to illumine the mind of a student, and to advance the knowl- 
edge of the sciences, may be found in Art. 230, 251, 328, 
370, 498, 532, and 417. 1 would select these as Scaliger 
some odes of Horace as eae beautiful, and as 
forming a contrast to many ot 
The part of Chapter 2d, on ir descents down inclined 
planes, &c. is an old subject, and has been repeatedly de- 
monstrated, by thc» plainest principles of geometry, and 
F ase crn ee established on the most cer- 
foundat f human knowledge; yet our author in 
compliance vit his own taste, or the fashion for analytics, 
has thought fit to introduce a new set of demonstrations 
pending on algebra, and the properties of goniometrical lines, 
which are inferior in evidence to the propositions them- 
selves, which were to be demonstrated. : 
In Art. 277, we have the solution of the problem for find- 
ing the curve of swiftest descent; the solution given by the 
compiler is that of Thomas Simpson, but without any of the 
~~ lemmatic principles, which are absolutely neces- 
sary, for logical, and mathematical conclusions. We 
— se whole, therefore, as nites and nugatory, but 
as compensated in some degree by the fine illustrations, 
which follow. 
