ess.

In the _Fourth_ and _Fifth_, the Author undertakes to prove, that all those
strange effects cannot be attributed to Rain or Snow, {253} and that the
overflowing of the _Nile_ always happens at a certain day.

In the _Last_, he alledges some Relations, serving to confirm his Opinion;
Which are too long here to insist upon.

_DE PRINCIPIIS ET RATIOCINATIONE GEOMETRARUM, Contra Fastum Professorum
Geometriae;_ Authore _Thoma Hobbes_. It seems, that this Author is angry
with all Geometricians, but himself; yea he plainly saith in the dedication
of his Book, that _he invades the whole Nation of them_; and unwilling, it
seems, to be call'd to an account for doing so; He will acknowledge no
judge of _this_ Age; but is full of hopes, that posterity will pronounce
for him. Mean while he ventures to advance this _Dilemma_; _Eorum qui de
iisdem rebus mecum aliquid ediderunt, aut solus insanio Ego, aut solus non
insanio; tertium enim non est, nisi (quod dicet forte aliquis) insaniamus
omnes._ Doubtless, one of these will be granted him.

As to the Book it self, he professes, that he doth not write it against
_Geometry_, but _Geometers_; and that his design in it is, to shew, That
there is no less uncertainty and falsity in the writings of
_Mathematicians_, than there is in those of _Naturalists_, _Moralists_,
&c., though he judges, that _Physicks_, _Ethicks_, _Politicks_, if they
were well demonstrated, would be as certain as the _Mathematicks_.

Attacking the Mathematical Principles as they are found in Books, and
withall some Demonstrations, he takes to task _Euclid_ himself, instead of
all, as the Master of all Geometricians, and with him his best interpreter,
_Clavius_, examining in the _First_ place, the _Principles_ of _Euclid_:
_Secondly_, Declaring false, what is superstructed upon them, whether by
_Euclid_, or _Clavius_, or any _Geometer_ whatsoever that hath made use of
those or other (as he is pleased to entitle them) _false_ Principles.
_Thirdly_, Pretending, that he means so to combat all, both Principles and
Demonstrations, undertaken by him, as that he will substitute better in
their room, least he should seem to undermine the Science it selfe. {254}

The particulars, which he undertakes to reform, are,

_Punctum._
_Linea._
_Terminus._
_Linea Recta._
_Superficies._
_Superficiei Termini._
_Superficies Plana,_
_Angulus_ (Where he is large upon the _Angulus Contactus._)
_Petitio pri