86 Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [sess. 
numerateurs des n inconnues du premier systeme par leurs 
coefficients, dans la derniere du nouveau systeme. Quant au 
numerateur il se forme toujours du denominateur en rempla 9 ant 
le coefficient de l’inconnue que l’on considere par le terme 
tout connu.” 
The method of proof is that known as “mathematical induction.” 
The details of it need not be given, as they correspond closely 
with what are to be found in Scherk’s paper of the year 1825, the 
main differences being that Ferussac uses no special determinant 
notation, and, while clear and simple, is not nearly so lengthy nor 
so laboriously logical. 
Terqukm (1846). 
[Notice sur l’elimination. Noun. Annates de Math., v. pp. 
153-162.] 
This is a continuation of Terquem’s paper of the year 1842. 
Just as the previous portion dealt with Cramer and Bezout, this 
deals with Fontaine (des Bertins), Vandermonde, and Laplace, 
explaining concisely and clearly their main contributions to the 
subject. 
The only portion of it calling for notice is that in which 
attention is drawn to the curious fact that Laplace makes no 
reference to Vandermonde’s paper read to the Academy in the 
preceding year. In regard to this Terquem’s remark is — 
“ II est extremement probable que Laplace n’a pas pris 
connaissance du memoire de son confrere : on sait, d’ailleurs, 
que les analystes fran§ais lisent peu les ouvrages les uns des 
autres. Ceci nous explique egalement comment la resolution 
de l’equation du onzieme degre a deux termes, la plus impor- 
tante decouverte de Vandermonde, soit restee ignoree jusqu’a 
ce qu’elle ait attire l’attention de Lagrange, apres la decouverte 
similaire de M. Gauss.” 
Not only, however, does this explanation not carry us far, but 
the question arises whether the point sought to be explained is 
really the point which stands most in need of explanation. 
