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On The Advantages To Be Derived From The Study Of The Mathematics.
sential , be inimical to morality ? Certainly not . On the contrary , the Mathematical Sciences must ever be the friends of true religion , inasmuch as they calm the passions , restrain the impetuosity of the imagination , and purge the mind from error and prejudice . Having briefly endeavoured to shew how essentially the Mathematics contribute toward the acquirement of sound and vigorous
a constitution of mind , I shall next proceed to shew their general , and then their more immediate practical importance towards the benefit of social life . Every production of nature is in number , weight , and measure , and these are the objects of mathematical pursuit ; in order , thereforeto consider themwe should know ArithmeticGeometryand
, , , , Statics . If we consider the degree of knowled ge we have now acquired , Ot the distances , courses , periods , order and proportions of die several great bodies of the universe , we shall have cause to admire the sagacity arid persevering industry of Mathematicians , and the power of numbers and geometry .
Unassisted by this Ltter science , how insufficient would be our enquiries about li ght ! But those versed in this science have discovered the two remarkable properties of light , the reflection and refraction of its beams , and hence has been derived the noble science of Optics : they h- ve also demonstrated the causes of several appearances , arising from the inflexion of its ravs , both on the heavenl y bodies and in other henomena
p , as the parrhtelia , the iris , & c . 01 ^ air and water we know little , but " what is owing to Geometry and Mechanics . The two chief properties of air , its gravity and elastic force , were discovered by mechanical experiments . Here , also , Mathematicians consi ' er the different pressures , resistances ! and celerities of solids in fluids , whence they explain many of those appearances of nature unintelli g ible to persons who are ignorant of
geometry . _ If we consider Motion , the great instrument of the action of bodies upon each other , its theory is entirely owing to Geometricians , who have demonstrated its laws , both in inflexible and elastic bodies , shewn how to measure its quantity , hew to compound and resolve the several forces by which bodies ' are agitated , and to determine the lines winch those
compound forces oblige them to describe . Hence , by combining motion with gravity , whose law is invariable , a great variety of useful knowledge is obtained in considering the several motions that happen upon the earth , as the free descent of heavy bodies , the curves of projectiles , the theory of pendulums , & c . " The utility of the Mathematics in several other arts and sciences
_ is equally plain ; for example , Chronology and Geography are indispensable preparatives to t :-e reading of " history ;— without a knoivie . ige of rise first , histoiy is only a confused mass of facts ;—the sir tiiations , customs , laws , and manners of nations , are the obicc's o f tne other .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Advantages To Be Derived From The Study Of The Mathematics.
sential , be inimical to morality ? Certainly not . On the contrary , the Mathematical Sciences must ever be the friends of true religion , inasmuch as they calm the passions , restrain the impetuosity of the imagination , and purge the mind from error and prejudice . Having briefly endeavoured to shew how essentially the Mathematics contribute toward the acquirement of sound and vigorous
a constitution of mind , I shall next proceed to shew their general , and then their more immediate practical importance towards the benefit of social life . Every production of nature is in number , weight , and measure , and these are the objects of mathematical pursuit ; in order , thereforeto consider themwe should know ArithmeticGeometryand
, , , , Statics . If we consider the degree of knowled ge we have now acquired , Ot the distances , courses , periods , order and proportions of die several great bodies of the universe , we shall have cause to admire the sagacity arid persevering industry of Mathematicians , and the power of numbers and geometry .
Unassisted by this Ltter science , how insufficient would be our enquiries about li ght ! But those versed in this science have discovered the two remarkable properties of light , the reflection and refraction of its beams , and hence has been derived the noble science of Optics : they h- ve also demonstrated the causes of several appearances , arising from the inflexion of its ravs , both on the heavenl y bodies and in other henomena
p , as the parrhtelia , the iris , & c . 01 ^ air and water we know little , but " what is owing to Geometry and Mechanics . The two chief properties of air , its gravity and elastic force , were discovered by mechanical experiments . Here , also , Mathematicians consi ' er the different pressures , resistances ! and celerities of solids in fluids , whence they explain many of those appearances of nature unintelli g ible to persons who are ignorant of
geometry . _ If we consider Motion , the great instrument of the action of bodies upon each other , its theory is entirely owing to Geometricians , who have demonstrated its laws , both in inflexible and elastic bodies , shewn how to measure its quantity , hew to compound and resolve the several forces by which bodies ' are agitated , and to determine the lines winch those
compound forces oblige them to describe . Hence , by combining motion with gravity , whose law is invariable , a great variety of useful knowledge is obtained in considering the several motions that happen upon the earth , as the free descent of heavy bodies , the curves of projectiles , the theory of pendulums , & c . " The utility of the Mathematics in several other arts and sciences
_ is equally plain ; for example , Chronology and Geography are indispensable preparatives to t :-e reading of " history ;— without a knoivie . ige of rise first , histoiy is only a confused mass of facts ;—the sir tiiations , customs , laws , and manners of nations , are the obicc's o f tne other .