THE MATHEMATICIAN. Containing many Curious DISSERTATIONS ΟΝ ΤΗ Ε RISE, PROGRESS, and IMPROVEMENT OF GEOMETRY. ALSO, The chief Properties of the PARABOLA, Which together make A Compleat Treatife of CONIC SECTIONS. Together with A Collection of near Two Hundred CHOICE By a SOCIETY of GENTLEMEN. LONDON: Printed for JOHN WILCOX, in the Strand, THE Mathematician. ADISSERTATION upon the ORIGIN, PROGRESS, and IMPROVEMENT of GEOMETRY. MONG thofe Arguments produced against the Opinion of Ariftotle, to prove that the World was not eternal, but had a Beginning; that which is drawn from the late Invention of Arts and Sciences, feems to be of great Weight, and almoft conclufive; for not only thefe, but the neceffary Affairs of Life, fuch as Agriculture, Building of Houses, &c. had their Beginning within these 4000 Years, or the Compass of History. What Soil firft produced each Science is not quite clear, for the fame Difcoveries have appeared in different Parts of the World, without B 425552 their |