380 Foreign Literature and Science. 



ed by Messrs. Andrew and John M. Duncan. It is a reprint 

 of what has been known by the name of the "Jesuit's edi- 

 tion of the Principia," first pubhshed at Rome by two learn- 

 ed French ecclesiastics, Thomas Le Seur and Francis Jac- 

 quier; and embracing their celebrated commentary. The 

 objects of this commentary are, as explained by the authors 

 themselves, " to throw light upon such parts of the work 

 as are difficult or obscure ; fully to demonstrate those truths 

 which Newton has announced, but neglected the proof ; 

 and to bring into clearer view some of the less obvious 

 beauties that abound in the demonstrations." 



The authors of the commentary have enriched their work 

 with occasional treatises, taken from the writings of distin- 

 guished men, on various subjects, both mathematical and 

 physical; as, the tract on the Conic Sections — a concise, 

 but elegant specimen of geometrical reasoning, which ap- 

 pears to be the production of a professor at Geneva; and 

 the well-known essays of Bernoulli, Euler and M'Claurin, 

 on the motions that prevail in the waters of the globe. To 

 these are added dissertations on the general principles of 

 Mechanics, and the elements of the fluxionary calculus; 

 together with many of the observations, experiments and 

 reasonings of philosophers, both before and since the days 

 of Newton. Solutions also, of ingenious and useful prob- 

 lems often recur. 



Perhaps it is the chief fault of the work, that its authors 

 have too carefully attempted to explain every point that 

 seemed in the least degree obscure, and thus increased its 

 bulk, without adding proportionally^ to its value. The 

 present edition is published in the Latin, and comprises 

 four handsome octavo volumes. 



When the value of the Principia and the scarcity of for- 

 mer editions are considered, this must be deemed an impor- 

 tant addition to the list of new publications; and the influ- 

 ence which original works of this high character always ex- 

 ert upon the progress of useful science, renders it desirable 

 that, if introduced into this country, the work may meet 

 with encouragement equal to its merits. 

 "i 



2. Travels in America. — J. M. Duncan, A. B., of the 

 University Press, Glasgow, author of "A Sabbath among 

 the Tuscarora Indians," is preparing for publication an 



