Page:A short history of astronomy(1898).djvu/16

viii no longer be explained or concealed. For example, no modern astronomer as such need be concerned with the Greek scheme of epicycles, but the history of its invention, of its gradual perfection as fresh observations were obtained, of its subsequent failure to stand more stringent tests, and of its final abandonment in favour of a more satisfactory theory, is, I think, a valuable and interesting object-lesson in scientific method. I have at any rate written this book with that conviction, and have decided very largely from that point of view what to omit and what to include.

The book makes no claim to be an original contribution to the subject; it is written largely from second-hand sources, of which, however, many are not very accessible to the general reader. Particulars of the authorities which have been used are given in an appendix.

It remains gratefully to acknowledge the help that I have received in my work. Mr. W. W. Rouse Ball, Tutor of Trinity College, whose great knowledge of the history of mathematics—a subject very closely connected with astronomy—has made his criticisms of special value, has been kind enough to read the proofs, and has thereby saved me from several errors; he has also given me valuable information with regard to portraits of astronomers. Miss H. M. Johnson has undertaken the laborious and tedious task of reading the whole book in manuscript as well as in proof, and of verifying the cross-references. Miss F. Hardcastle, of Girton College, has also read the proofs, and verified most of the numerical calculations, as well as the cross-references. To both I am indebted for the detection of a large number of obscurities in expression, as well as of clerical and other errors and of misprints. Miss Johnson has also saved me much time by making the Index of Names, and Miss Hardcastle has rendered me