Mr. J. O. Halliweirs Note on the Boetian Contractions, 221 
which I have the honour to number so many scientific friends, 
could arise from no other motive than a desire that its author- 
ity and pre-eminent position in the scientific world might 
be permanent and undiminished, by allowing no analytical 
essays relating to physical problems to be ushered forth under 
its auspices, until, in all practicable cases, their accordance with 
the involved physical facts was ascertained. The notice of 
one such essay in my former paper was sufficient to show that 
such had not always been the case. Your correspondent 
prudently preferred leaning on his influence with you, to 
challenging me to the proof of my assertion. 
1 have also to ask at your hands an explanation of the 
editorial censure contained in your note. I fully bow to your 
claim of right to moderate any expressions in communications 
which may be sent to you for publication. The advantage of 
a review by an impartial editor is great to all parties in a con- 
troversy, who in their excitement and sensibility naturally see 
a poignancy in the expressions of their opponents which they 
do not suspect in their own. On the other hand, I maintain 
that it is an unheard of proceeding in an editor who has pub- 
lished a paper without remark or private notice to the author, 
to pronounce a censure such as is contained in your note; and 
I claim from you this admission, which I think you will allow 
to be due under the circumstances. 
I remain, dear Sir, yours truly, 
Queen’s College, February 4, 1840. Richard Potter. 
In inserting Mr. P’s letter, we have only to state that the Editor’s note 
was written in consequence of the remonstrance of the Member of the Cam- 
bridge Phil. Soc., and before the receipt of Prof. Forbes’s letter, with 
which it had no connection; and was indeed intended to have occupied a 
distinct place in the Number. 
We can assure Mr. Potter that his surmise respecting influence with us 
is unfounded ; and willingly express our regret, that from having over- 
looked some portions of his communication, they should have become the 
subjects of public instead of private discussion. — R. T. 
XL. Additional Note on the Authenticity of the disputed 
Passage in the treatise of Boetius de Geometria on Nume- 
rical Contractions. By J. O. Halliwell, Bsq.., F.R.S., 
F.S.A., FR.A.S., 4c. 
1 TRANSLATE the following extract from a letter which 
■*- I have recently received from M. Chasles, because the 
view which he takes of this question is new, and his support- 
ing arguments forcible: — ‘‘ In a passage found in some MS8. 
at the end of the second book of Boetius, the expression mensa 
geometricalia occurs ; and this calculus is mentioned as ha. 
