Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 001.djvu/265

 and that the overflowing of the Nile always happens at a certain day.

In the Last, he alledges some Relations, serving to confirm his Opinion: which are too long here to insist upon.

DE PRINCIPIIS ET RATIOCINATIONE GEOMETRATUM; Contra Fastum Professorum Geometriæ; Authore Thoma Hobbes. It seems, that this Authour is angry with all Geometricians, but himself; yea he plainly saith in the dedication of his Book, that he invades the whole Nation of them; and unwilling, it seems, to be call'd to an account for doing so, He will acknowledge no judge of this Age, but is full of hopes, that posterity will pronounce for him. Mean while he ventures to advance this Dilemma; Eorum qui de iisdem rebus mecum aliquid ediderunt, aut solus insanio Ego, aut solus non insanio; tertium enim non est, nisi (quod dicet forte aliquis) insaniamus omnes. Doubtless, one of these will be granted him.

As to the Book it self, he professes, that he doth not write it against Geometry, but Geometers and that his design in it is, to shew, That there is no less uncertainty and falsity in the writings of Mathematicians, than there is in those of Naturalists, Moralists, &c. though he judges, that Physicks, Eticks, Politicks, if they were well demonstrated, would be as certain as the Mathematicks.

Attacking the Mathematical Principles as they are found in Books, and withall some Demonstrations, he takes to task Euclid himself, instead of all, as the Master of all Geometricians, and with him his best interpreter, Clavius, examining in the first place, the Principles of Euclid: Secondly, Declaring false, what is superstructed upon them, whether by Euclid or Clavius, or any Geometer whatsoever that hath made use of those or other (as he is pleased to entitle them) false Principles. Thirdly, Pretending, that he means so to combat all, both Principles and Demonstrations, undertaken by him, as that the will substitute better in their room, least he should seem to undermine the Science it-selfe. Rh