Page:The Whetstone of Witte.djvu/37

 portion interchaunged, compounde Proportion, parted Proportion, reuersed Proportion, and Proportion by equalitie. Yet I thinke better to procede for this tyme, to the other kindes of nomber, and to reserue the explication of proportions to their peculiare place.

Scholar. As you knowe the best order, so it shal be mete that you doe vse your owne iudgement therein.

HE nexte kinde of nombers are called Figuralle nombers: bicause thei doe, or maie represente some figure: And are euer considered in relation to those formes.

Some of them haue a comparison and relatiō to length onely, and therefore are named Linearie nombers: whiche name, although it maie bee referred moste aptly to suche numbers, as will make no other forme duely, yet maie it also be applied to any number abstract. Sith all soche numbers maie be considered as the sides of other figuralle numbers.

Secondly, numbers maie be considered, according to soche formes as thei make other in progression, or in multiplication: And those maie well be named Superficiall nombers, or Flatte nombers. Whereof there bee as many varieties, as there bee diuersities of figures in Geometrie. As numbers Triangulare, Quadrate, Cinkeangeled, Siseangeled, and so furthe. Also numbers circulare, diametralle, & like flattes, all whiche nombers haue bothe lengthe and breadthe: and thereof bee named superficiall nombers.