'I had read some little of Laplace when I saw you; & I continue to advance with a diminishing velocity. I turned aside into Leslie's conics - & went thro' it, in search of two propositions, which when in your geometrical vein, you will find little difficulty in demonstrating'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book
'It is a considerable time since I saw Leslie's review of La Place'[s] essay on chances - and remarked with considerable surprise - the bold avowall of his sentiments on Hume's doctrine - "The Christian Instructor" attacks him with considerable asperity - and, I think, success. Hume's essays, I have not read - and therefore cannot condemn - The evidence of testimony, too, no doubt has its limits - But as far as I can judge, all that is urged either by La Place or His reviewer - does not at all affect Christianity.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Serial / periodical
'With regard to the division of the circle into 360 parts,- I think it cannot be done by elementary Geometry - at least if M. Gauss is right - who (Leslie tells us) has demonstrated that a polygon can be inscribed in a circle - directly - by means of circles and straight lines - only - when the number of its sides is a prime number and can be denoted by 2n + 1.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book
