300 William Rowan Hamilton. 
quired to determine the relation which one line in space bears to 
another line.* The combination of these four elements, then, 
ion the em of Sir William Hamilton; and as handled 
and developed by him, these combinations unquestionably form 
a ealculus of amazing generality, grasp and power. As an en- 
gine of investigation, in the general problem of combined rota- 
com- 
pleteness or in facility. ey remind one of the tentacles of 
some gigantic polype ramifying out into immensity, and bring- 
ing aad with them the spoils of space.* 
_Itis et premature to anticipate on which of his meee 
Dynamical Theorems. As yet, sare a the former calculus can 
applied by other philosophers to new lines of investi ation ; 
nevertheless, it can scarcely j supposed that the persistent and 
conscientious labor of such a man for twenty-two successive 
years can fail to be full of the seeds of thought, and one day be 
found to admit and to invite important applications. It must 
however be ss caer eta (partly perhaps on account of its com- 
parative novelty, and partly on neigh: of the metaphysical at- 
mosphere which surrounds it), the method is neither easy nor 
ce to any but bas ablest ma most daring of the analysts 
ong us; many who has essayed to bend this bow has 
pechetiy said to himself what Antinous said to his boon com- 
panions :— 
* Thou wast not born to bend 
The unpliant hea. or to direct the shaft.” 
and poi i and 28 e symbol (x) is the ratio of the lengths of 
ernion. Such is th 
the F . 
life ; indeed it = ses to have been fatally i rt to 6 Ta health. a on “all but 
shed when ted of the author arrest —— its entire completion. The 
Boss ef Trity College, Da, have marked their of the value of this book 
by. ein ged the aoa its publleation. 
ie With this simi ee Sed hs genes hws 
memoir 
