| RefNo | MS/81/13 |
| Previous numbers | MS 81.10 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter, from [James] Gregorie to John Collins, dated at St Andrews |
| Date | 15 February 1671 |
| Description | Confirms receipt of Collins' previous letters and reassures him of how sure the post is in Scotland.
Discusses extensively Collins' logarithmic reduction from his discourses, Gregorie laying out clearly why the method is "impossible". Discusses elliptical and hyperbolical series.
Gregorie had some knowledge of [Isaac] Newton's geometric and mechanic theses but thanks Collins for sending the series and sends his own response to it, developing the method for elliptical series. the passage is underline in red across two pages and quotations marks have been added in the margins.
Thanks Collins for encouraging him to publish his work but he has no inclination to do so except for some corrections and "little trifles".
Adds a postscriptum to be forwarded to [Isaac] Barrow suggesting additions to his paper "De Maximus et Minumus".
Annotated in Collins' hand in the margins of the first page "Additions to Mr Barrow's Paper De maximus et minimus" and "Series for finding the tang, or secant & other natural or logarithmical of any arch and consequently the arc of a log tangt or secant series for an elliptical or hyperbolical serie".
Different hand notes at the top ' No 26: p. 98' in reference to the inclusion of the passages referring to Newton in the printed 'Commercium Epistolicum' 1722 edition, page 98, paragraph XX. |
| Language | Latin |
| English |
| Extent | 4pp. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| AccessStatus | Open |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA8395 | Gregorie; James (1638 - 1675); mathematician | 1638 - 1675 |
| NA2898 | Collins; John (1625 - 1683); mathematician and scientific administrator | 1625 - 1683 |