A reply to a critical and monthly reviewer, in which is inserted Euler's demonstration of the binomial theorem / by Abram Robertson.

  • Robertson, Abram, 1751-1826.
Date:
1808
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A reply to a critical and monthly reviewer, in which is inserted Euler's demonstration of the binomial theorem / by Abram Robertson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    19/42 (page 17)
    ON THE PRECESSION OF THE EQUINOXES, AS the account, in the Monthly Review, of my paper on the Preceffion of the Equinoxes may have been per- ufed by fome who have not feen the paper itfelf, or who have feen and not examined it, I think it proper, firft of all, to fubmit the whole of the introductory part of the paper to their confideration. Perhaps the folution of no other problem, in natural philofopby, has fo often baffled the attempts of mathema- ticians, as that of determining the preceffion of the equi- noxes, by the theory of gravity. The phenomenon itfelf was obferved about one hundred and fifty years before the Chriftian aera, but Sir Ifaac Newton was the firft who endeavoured to eflimate its magnitude by the true prin- ciples of motion, combined with the attractive influence of the fun and moon on the fpheroidal figure of the earth. It has always been allowed, by thofe competent to judge, that his inveftigations relating to the fubjeft evince the fame tranfcendent abilities as are difplayed in the other parts of his immortal work, The mathematical principles of Natural Philosophy: but for more than half a century paft it has been juftly aflerted, that he made a miftake in his procefs, which rendered his conclufions erroneous. : “ Since the dete&ion of this error, fome of the moft eminent mathematicians in Europe have attempted folu- tions of the problem. Their fuccefs has been various * but their inveftigations may be arranged under three gel neral heads. Under the firft of thefe may be placed fuch as lead to a wrong conclufion, in confequence of a mif- toke committed in fome part of the proceedings. c fecond