My History of Mathematics course included a passage from a book by Robert Recorde, a Welsh Mathematician who was active in the mid 1500′s, most notable for introducing the = symbol. The book in particular was The Pathway to Knowledge, with the passage entitled The Commodities of Geometry. I’ve done what I can to translate it from Old English to English where necessary, but I think it’s really quite nice.
Since merchants by ships, their riches do win,
I may with good right at their seat begin,
the ships on the sea with sail and with ore,
were first found, and still, with geometrical law.
Their compass, their cargo, their pulleys, their anchors,
were found by the skill of witty geometers.
To set forth the capstan and each other part,
would make a great show of geometry’s art.
Carpenters, carvers, joiners and masons,
painters and limners with such occupations,
embroiderers, goldsmiths, if they be cunning,
must give to geometry thanks for their learning.
The cart and the plow, those who do make,
is by good Geometry, and so in the wake
of tailors and shoemakers, in all shapes and fashion,
their work is not praised, if it lacks proportion.
So weavers, by geometry, have their foundation,
their loom is a frame of strange imagination.
The wheel that does spin, the stone that does grind,
the mill that is driven by water or wind,
all works of geometry, strange in their trade,
few could devise if they were unmade,
and all that is wrought by weight or by measure,
without proof of geometry could never be sure.
Clocks that were made, the time to decide,
the wittiest invention that ever was spied,
now they are common, they are disregarded,
the arts man condemned, the work unrewarded.
But if they were scarce, and one for a show,
made by geometry, then men should know,
that never was art so wonderfully witty,
so needful to man, as is good geometry.
The first finding out of every good art,
seemed then to men so godly a part,
that no recompense might satisfy the finder,
but to make him a god and honour him forever.
So Ceres and Pallas, and Mercury also,
Aeolus and Neptune, and many other more,
were honoured as gods because they did teach,
first tilling and weaving and eloquent speech,
Or winds to observe, the seas to sail over,
they were called gods for their good endeavour.
Then were men more thankful in that golden age,
this iron world now ungrateful in rage,
Will yield the reward for trouble and pain,
with slanderous reproach and spiteful disdain.
yet though other men unthankful will be,
observers have cause to make much of me,
And so have all Lords, that lands do possess:
but tenanted I fear will like me the less.
yet I do not wrong but measure all truly,
and yield the full right of every man justly,
Proportions and geometry has no man oppressed,
if any be wronged, I wish it redressed.
In explanation of some of the terms used:
A capstan is a type of winch on a ship
A limner was a specialist painter.
Ceres, Pallas, Mercury, Aeolus & Neptune are all Greek gods.
Tilling is an agricultural process.
I’m unclear on the context of those tenanted liking him less. The original line reads But Tennaunted I feare will like me the lesse.
Go Maths!
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