Page:The Analyst; or, a Discourse Addressed to an Infidel Mathematician.djvu/23

Rh VIII. It mut indeed be acknowledged, the modern Mathematicians do not conider thee Points as Myteries, but as clearly conceived and matered by their comprehenive Minds. They cruple not to ay, that by the help of thee new Analytics they can penetrate into Infinity it elf: That they can even extend their Views beyond Infinity: that their Art comprehends not only Infinite, but Infinite of Infinite (as they expres it) or an Infinity of Infinites. But, notwithtanding all thee Aertions and Pretenions, it may be jutly quetioned whether, as other Men in other Inquiries are often deceived by Words or Terms, o they likewie are not wonderfully deceived and deluded by their own peculiar Signs, Symbols, or Species. Nothing is eaier than to devie Expreions or Notations for Fluxions and Infiniteimals of the firt, econd, third, fourth and ubequent Orders, proceeding in the ame regular form without end or limit $$\dot x. \ddot x. \dot{\ddot{x}}. \ddot{\ddot{x}}.$$ &c. or ''dx. ddx. dddx. ddddx &c.'' Thee Expreions indeed are clear and ditinct, and the Mind finds no difficulty in conceiving them to be continued beyond any aignable Bounds. But