(Hoy 
numbers : So that thffe numbers are ftill more known than thofe. 
lines, Teeing they do better exprefs and reprefenc chem to the Un- 
d^rftanding. As Qeg.) this number /^20 is much more known, than 
theHypothenuraof aright angle of which the fides are 2 and 4 • 
for/cisat leaft known, ihat f2o is about 4^ ; and if you will know; 
i r more precifely, you may, by the rules of the Approximation of 
Roots. But you k^m not the bignefs of the Line that fuftains a 
right angle, though you fee or pha;jcjf it. 
He obferves further,that rhe Analytical (which is the principal) 
part of Jlgehra^ is inc€)mparably more fertil for thedifcovery of 
Truchs,rhan Figures, and that without it 'tis in a manner impofli- 
ble to refol ve an in6nity of Problems. Yor, frith he^ how can any 
man imagine that long concatenation of embaraffing Lines and Fi- 
gures, where you ought to feediftinflly fomany different propor- 
tions and refpefls, before you know what it is that the refolution 
fought fordo h immediately depend upon. 
Now, as to Che Order which our Author hath obferved in thofe 
Elements, they are divided into two Parts.The firfi^ cwz\x\m%five 
books, explains and dcmonftrates hoth the Supputation with ISfum- 
bres^ which is otherwife^all'd Arithmeticky and that of Sj>mhols or 
Letters,which is called Jlgebra, The other ^ in/f»r books more, ex- 
plicates and treats fundamenrally o[t\\Q Analytical pd^n^ teacliing 
torefolve Queflions, and to difcover the General Truths of the 
Mathematicks ; that is tofay,thofe which regard Quantities gene- 
rally taken, yet without fuppofing other knowledge than what is 
granted ; but making ufe of thofe Operations only that are efta- 
blifli't in thefirfl: part. 
. In the jirjl book of all, the Author Chews, that an Unit and Num- 
bers are the fole Idea's, by which we can regulate the meafure of 
Quantities, and exaftly determine what is knowable of chem. And 
after he hath explained the fundamental Idea's that fervc us to com- 
pare quantities amongfi: themfelves; he teaches in the fequel of 
this book the four firft Operations that are made by Numbers, or 
Entire quantities, which areconfideredas Proportions, whereof 
the firft term only is expreffed, and the fecond, which is al waies m 
Unit, underftood. 
The fecond book is of the fame Operations upon FraSticns yV^hich 
are Proportions of quantities,of which every term is exprefled. 
The /^/W is of Powers and their Refolutions , whereof all the 
Rules are included in one only Problem, by means of a Table that 
^eprefems in an Epitome allthofeRules with their Demonftra- 
tiODj 
