Page:On the Difficulty of Correct Description of Books - De Morgan (1902).djvu/20

 who is not worth alluding to on this point) who really thought anew on the subject, so as to produce fresh arguments either for or against. Nevertheless, it appears, though we cannot find it mentioned by any historian, that Regiomontanus had seriously considered the subject. One of the greatest preservers of his writings was John Schoner, of Carlstadt (1477-1547). In the collection of Schoner's works, first (11) published in 1551, Nuremberg, folio, is an Opusculum Geographicum, the first chapter of which is a disputatio of Regiomontanus on the subject of the earth's rest or motion. In this short discussion, while deciding the question against the earth's motion, on grounds resembling those of Ptolemy, he cites, as from the ancients, the comparison of the earth to meat roasting on a spit, and of the sun to the fire which cooks it; as also the argument that it is the business of the mutton, which wants heat, to turn round before the fire, and not of the fire to turn round the mutton. To what old writer he refers, we cannot tell, as we cannot find this simile in any of the passages which have been quoted from classic authors. We mention the discussion in which it occurs to point out that it would not be a very easy matter to ascertain whether Copernicus (who died in 1543) could or could not have seen it. [11] According to the preface, the date of composition of this ''Opusc. Geogr''. is 1533; from which Lalande says it was printed in 1533; but we can find no notice of any impression previous to that in the collected works of 1551. Weidler says this collection contains some things which had not been previously published: but this can only mean that he had not found them.

The third of the books in our list is a quarto printed at Leyden in 1649, the title of which tells us that it is the Geometry of Descartes, first printed in French in 1637, and now rendered into Latin with notes, &c., by Francis Schooten. This is then cer-