On the History of Gunter's Scale and the Slide Rule during the Seventeenth Century
Florian Cajori
Florian Cajori
On the History of Gunter's Scale and the Slide Rule during the Seventeenth Century
I.В INTRODUCTION
In my history of the slide rule[1 - F. Cajori, History of the Logarithmic Slide Rule and Allied Instruments, New York, 1909, pp. 7-14, also Addenda i-vi.], and my article on its invention[2 - F. Cajori, “On the Invention of the Slide Rule,” in Colorado College Publication, Engineering Series Vol. 1, 1910. An abstract of this is given in Nature (London), Vol. 82, 1909, p. 267.] it is shewn that William Oughtred and not Edmund Wingate is the inventor, that Oughtred’s circular rule was described in print in 1632, his rectilinear rule in 1633. Richard Delamain is referred to as having tried to appropriate the invention to himself[3 - F. Cajori, History etc., p. 14.] and as having written a scurrilous pamphlet against Oughtred. All our information about Delamain was taken from De Morgan,[4 - Art. “Slide Rule” in the Penny Cyclopaedia and in the English Cyclopaedia [Arts and Sciences].] who, however, gives no evidence of having read any of Delamain’s writings on the slide rule. Through Dr. Arthur Hutchinson of Pembroke College, Cambridge, I learned that Delamain’s writings on the slide rule were available. In this article will be given: First, some details of the changes introduced during the seventeenth century in the design of Gunter’s scale by Edmund Wingate, Milbourn, Thomas Brown, John Brown and William Leybourn; second, an account of Delamain’s book of 1630 on the slide rule which antedates Oughtred’s first publication (though Oughtred’s date of invention is earlier than the date of Delamain’s alleged invention) and of Delamain’s later designs of slide rules; third, an account of the controversy between Delamain and Oughtred; fourth, an account of a later book on the slide rule written by William Oughtred, and of other seventeenth century books on the slide rule.
II. INNOVATIONS IN GUNTER’S SCALE
Changes introduced by Wingate
We begin with Anthony Wood’s account of Wingate’s introduction of Gunter’s scale into France.[5 - Anthony Wood, Athenae oxonienses (Ed. P. Bliss), London, Vol. III, 1817, p. 423.]
In 1624 he transported into France the rule of proportion, having a little before been invented by Edm. Gunter of Gresham Coll. and communicated it to most of the chiefest mathematicians then residing in Paris: who apprehending the great benefit that might accrue thereby, importun’d him to express the use thereof in the French tongue. Which being performed accordingly, he was advised by monsieur Alleawne the King’s chief engineer to dedicate his book to monsieur the King’s only brother, since duke of Orleans. Nevertheless the said work coming forth as an abortive (the publishing thereof being somewhat hastened, by reason an advocate of Dijon in Burgundy began to print some uses thereof, which Wingate had in a friendly way communicated to him) especially in regard Gunter himself had learnedly explained its use in a far larger volume.[6 - The full title of the book which Wingate published on this subject in Paris is as follows:L’Vsage | de la | Reigle de | Proportion | en l’Arithmetique & | Geometrie. | Par Edmond Vvingate, | Gentil-homme Anglois. |Εἂν ἧς φιλεμαθὴς, ἕση ἥση πολυμαθὴς.In tenui, sed nõ tenuis vsusve, laborne. |A Paris, | Chez Melchior Mondiere, | demeurant en l’Isle du Palais, | à la | ruë de Harlay aux deux Viperes. | M. DC. XXIV. | Auec Priuilege du Roy. |Back of the title page is the announcement:Notez que la Reigle de Proportion en toutes façons se vend à Paris chez Melchior Tauernier, Graueur & Imprimeur du Roy pour les Tailles douces, demeurant en l’Isle du Palais sur le Quay qui regarde la Megisserie à l’Espic d’or.]
Gunter’s scale, which Wingate calls the “rule of proportion,” contained, as described in the French edition of 1624, four