Diagram in papers for Commercium Epistolicum
Date
9 April 1672
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p17
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 310mm
width (page): 200mm
width (page): 200mm
Subject
Description
This diagram is part of James Gregorie's solution to Kepler's problem: to divide a semicircle AHC, whose centre is B, by a line DG through a given point D on the diameter, in a given ratio of p to q. This was posed to Gregorie by John Collins in his letter to Gregorie of 23 February 1672. Gregorie sent his solution back to Collins in a letter dated 9 April 1672. Collins never published Gregorie's solution, but transmitted it to Leibniz in a letter (via Oldenburg) dated 26 July 1676.
This volume contains the letters and papers of John Collins (1625-1683), which came into the possession of William Jones (1675-1749), who used them in Commercium Epistolicum, designed to prove Isaac Newton’s priority over Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in the invention of fluxions.
The original letters were sealed up at the order of the Royal Society's council (25 October 1714) and stored in an iron chest. Further letters used in the 1722 edition of Commercium Epistolicum must have been added and stored with the original papers. These were ordered on 13 September 1737 to be ‘taken out of the Iron Chest’ and entrusted to Jones, who was asked to paste them into a guard-book in one volume (CMO/2/252, CMO/3/73).
This volume contains the letters and papers of John Collins (1625-1683), which came into the possession of William Jones (1675-1749), who used them in Commercium Epistolicum, designed to prove Isaac Newton’s priority over Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in the invention of fluxions.
The original letters were sealed up at the order of the Royal Society's council (25 October 1714) and stored in an iron chest. Further letters used in the 1722 edition of Commercium Epistolicum must have been added and stored with the original papers. These were ordered on 13 September 1737 to be ‘taken out of the Iron Chest’ and entrusted to Jones, who was asked to paste them into a guard-book in one volume (CMO/2/252, CMO/3/73).
Transcription
Paper headed, 'About Keplers Probleme'
Endorsed 'No. 46: p. 127, 128 Commerc. Epist. Edit. 1722. Extracts from Mr Gregories Letters To be sent to Monsr Leibnitz to peruse who is desired to returne the same to you.'
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Endorsed 'No. 46: p. 127, 128 Commerc. Epist. Edit. 1722. Extracts from Mr Gregories Letters To be sent to Monsr Leibnitz to peruse who is desired to returne the same to you.'
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
Extract (without the diagram) printed in Commercium Epistolicum D. Johannis Collins, et aliorum De analysi promota (London: Typis Pearsonianis, 1712), pp. 46-47; Commercium epistolicum D. Johannis Collins, et aliorum de analysi promota (London: J. Tonson & J. Watts, 1722), pp. 127-28.
Related fellows
James Gregorie (1638 - 1675, Scottish) , Mathematician
John Collins (1625 - 1683, British) , Mathematician, Mathematician
John Collins (1625 - 1683, British) , Mathematician, Mathematician
Associated place