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 is even more algebraic, is treated by itself, and is given somewhat more space than would have been allowed were it not for the present interest in the subject in connection with statistics.

The field of Geometry is naturally concerned chiefly with the rise of the modern branches. The amount of available material is such that in some cases merely a single important theorem or statement of purpose has been all that could be included. The topics range from the contributions of such sixteenth-century writers as Fermat, Desargues, Pascal, and Descartes, to a few of those who, in the nineteenth century, revived the study of the subject and developed various forms of modern geometry.

The majority of the selections thus far mentioned have been as non-technical as possible. In the field of Probability, however, it has been found necessary to take a step beyond the elementary bounds if the selections are to serve the purposes of those who have a special interest in the subject.

The fields of the Calculus, Function Theory, Quaternions, and the general range of Mathematics belong to a region so extensive as to permit of relatively limited attention. It is essential that certain early sources of the Calculus should be considered, and that some attention should be given to such important advances as relate to the commutative law in Quaternions and Ausdehnungslehre, but most readers in such special branches as are now the subject of research in our universities will have at hand the material relating to the origins of their particular subjects. The limits of this work would not, in any case, permit of an extensive offering of extracts from such sources.

It should be stated that all the translations in this work have been contributed without other reward than the satisfaction of assisting students and teachers in knowing the sources of certain phases of mathematics. Like the editor and the advisory committee, those who have prepared the articles have given their services gratuitously. Special mention should, however, be made of the unusual interest taken by a few who have devoted much time to assisting the editor and committee in the somewhat difficult labor of securing and assembling the material. Those to whom they are particularly indebted for assistance beyond the preparation of special articles are Professor Lao G. Simons, head of the department of mathematics in Hunter College, Professor Jekuthiel Ginsburg, of the Yeshiva College, Professor Vera Sanford of Western Reserve University, and Professor Helen M.