MATHEMATICS

Ghyka, who was grew up and was educated in France, settled in London after the Second World War, and is considered one of the most significant members of the Romanian diaspora. His main preoccupation was with geometry and mathematical aesthetics, and his publications on the subject were influential: the ‘first epiphany’ of theatre director Peter Brook ‘came while reading a book by the Romanian prince Matila Ghika while staying with Salvador Dalí in Spain’ (Guardian, 17 January 2010).

Langford trained as an industrial chemist and was a member of Royal Chemical Society. In later life he turned to mathematics, and published thirty articles in the Mathematical Gazette. One of these (‘Problem’) appeared in 1958 and concerned what came to be known as the Langford Sequence. Its significance is discussed by Martin Gardner, in his ‘Mathematical Magic Show’ (1978). Both items aged and creased, with closed tears, but with text complete and legible. Both are addressed to ‘Dear Sir Richard’ and signed ‘C Dudley Langford’. ONE: 3pp, 12mo. On two leaves.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice for postage and with an unobtrusive crease to one corner (not near signature). Reads: ‘Sir / A meeting of the Standard Commission will be held at Sir John Lubbock’s Bank, St. Mildred’s Court, Mansion house Street, on Thursday Feb 11, at 11 o’clock in the forenoon, when your attendance is particularly requested. / I am, Sir, / Your obedient servant / G B Airy’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On one side of 12 x 8 cm card. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Evidently removed from album, part of one of whose leaves is laid down on the reverse. Reads: ‘University of Edinh. / Mathematicks / by / John Playfair / Class 1. Novr. 1803 / For Mr William Fraser’.

A. List of plates in 'Vol.Ist', Holograph MS., one page, 4to, small stain, sl.chipped, text complete, addressed to a Richard Murphy of Derby on verso, text columnising No. of Plate, Title/subject, page number; B. List of plates in 'Vol.2nd', Holograph MS., 2pp. fol., bifolium, folded, aged but good condition, columns as List Vol.I. Note: a. This Index doesn't seem to have been published (the text on Google Books and the British Library copy have no such index); b. I haven't checked all the plates, but one reveals the engraver of the plates as 'Multow & Russell' (Plate XXXI); c.

In addition to acting as editor of the works of his colleague James Clerk Maxwell, Niven was the teacher of one of the greatest mathematicians and philosophers of the twentieth century, Alfred North Whitehead. The item is from the papers of the presumed recipient, Mrs Evelyn Julia Allan of the Chelsea Red Cross. 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Signed ‘W. D. Niven’ and addressed to ‘Dear Mrs Allen’. He was pleased to receive her letter, ‘reminding me of old times’, but he had not forgotten her, as he has ‘sometimes heard Dr. J. M Bruce speak about you & your family’.

Clipped Subscription to letter, including signature, small closed tear (no loss of text), verson shows signs of having been glued onto (perhaps) an album page, writing clear.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. Since 2017 she has been depicted on the Scottish ten pound note. On 2.5 x 8.5 cm slip of paper, cut from letter. In good condition, lightly aged. Laid down on 4 x 9.5 cm piece of paper. Reads 'Yours truly | Mary Somerville'.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Lee and his wife held regular festivals of 'Peace and Temperance' in the grounds at Hartwell, and he writes that he hopes Ransome has received the prospectus of the festival which he sent him. He and his wife would be pleased were Ransome to attend, and he offers him 'a Bed in our house, or to secure one for you in Aylesbury'. In a postscript he states: 'If you cannot come or your Brother; I hope that you will send some delegate, or MP. to represent Ipswich at our peaceful Congress'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Neatly and closely written. At the end of the letter Lee names the recipient as 'Miss May | Carr Street | Ipswich'. (She was the daughter of Quaker astronomer Charles May, a partner in the firm of civil engineers Ransomes and May.) Lee begins by stating that he and his wife 'are anxious to come to Ipswich on tuesday the first of July in order to attend the meeting of the British Association of Science'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter begins with a reference to 'Mrs Baker's death'. Pearson and his wife 'had not realised the gravity of her illness', as they had recently seen her 'so well and fresh in spirit'. He wishes he had been able to accept Peirce's suggestion of 'putting me up for tonight' in order to be 'present tomorrow', but he is 'overdone and had work till 6 o'clock arranged for today, so that to come down by the night train tonight & track back tomorrow night have been more than I could safely attempt'.

One page, 8vo, laid down on larger stiff paper, corner cut off with no obvious loss of text, good condition. Neatly written biography of Milner beneath the letter. "Mr Wood & myself request you very particualrly, upon the receipt of this note to come down to Cambridge immediately. Your [words inked out] assistance will very much facilitate a business we have now in hand. We hope you are in London, because the business does not admit of delay. Unless you are here to go to work with us on Friday, & on Saturday morning, it will be quiote too late. We have a meeting on Saturday in the afternoon.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Folded twice. After thanking him for sending 'the card with Shelley's philosophic verse', he continues: 'I am sorry that you have so sad a memory connected with 1883 - the year gets with me sadder for the loss of friends and with hopes dashed too'. Nevertheless he looks forward, and hopes 'for pleasure in useful work for both of us'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Writing in the year before his elevation to the bishopric, Goodwin writes: 'I do not know whether you dabble at all in Algebra; if you do, you may like to have the mathematical investigation of the problem of the blind-gaoler, which I inclose - It exhibits distinctly the limits of the problem & shews how others of the same kind might be constructed'.

LETTER: 8pp., 12mo. On two bifoliums. In good condition, lightly aged, and tipped-in onto the half-title of Item Two below.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. The note reads: 'Dear Sir, | All the Catalogues at my disposal have long since been distributed. | Yours faithfully | P. Le Neve Foster | Secy'.

16 Autograph Letters Signed, 10 Autograph Cards Signed and one Typed Letter Signed. The letters total 32pp. The collection is in fair condition, on aged and worn paper. The correspondence deals exclusively with mathematical questions raised in the Mathematical Gazette, with the writers providing mathematical calculations and demonstrations. From six individuals, as follows. ONE: T.A.A. Broadbent [ Thomas Arthur Alan Broadbent ] (1903-1973) of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich: 4 ALsS and 3 ACsS. TWO: G.A. Garreau [ Gabriel Armand Garreau ]: 2 ALsS and one TLS. THREE: C.

See W. J. Langford's glowing obituary of Neville (described as 'the greatest of them all' from a pedagogical point of view) in the Mathematical Gazette, May 1964. 2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. He begins by reassuring Harington that his books are 'safely here', but continues: 'I fear that every book I possess on numerical equations is on duty for the time being in the computing department of one of the RAF establishments.' He does not know of 'any book which gives an account of the processes actually used nowadays.

Five letters and a postcard, two letters 8vo (total 4pp.), three 4to (total 17 pages), fold marks, good condition. LETTER ONE (6pp., 4to,, 10 Feb.) He starts, "You've done it!!! | I told you that one of your ideas would bear fruit one of these days, and it was a mistaken statement, at least one I think is mistaken, that set me off on a new track which led to success.

[1] + 22pp., 8vo. On 23 leaves stapled together. In fair condition, aged and worn. The covering page, with title 'THE DISESTABLISHMENT OF SCIENCE | J. Bronowski', carries a synopsis of Bronowski's argument: 'Scientists have a duty to act as the conscience of society by always speaking the truth. They can do that only if they dissociate themselves from the apparatus of state.' Inscription on covering page: 'Eric Roll | - in the hope that you can help me with the unfinished, financial ideas at the end - | Jacob Bronowski 1 Dec 70'.

7pp., 12mo. On two bifoliums. In good condition. A long and detailed letter, asking, '[i]n accordance with a resolution of the Wts. & Measures Committee', for Harington's opinion on a point of law, in relation to the charging of fees by inspectors, with reference to 'the provisions of the Acts of 1878 and 1889' and the 'decision in Rex v. Roberts'. Towards the conclusion Anthony states: 'The Wts.

4to: x + 379 pp. Frontispiece and plates. Tight copy on aged paper, in worn binding. Annotated throughout, with the endpapers and almost every page of the first 146 in particular crammed with notes by Branford in pencil and pen. On the front free endpaper Branford writes 'Finished (fairly thoroughly) on Feb. 26th 1934', and on the title-page, 'B. B. Sep. 3d. 1943'. On the same page he has added to the title 'and many notes (additional to those in text) on his intimate & great friend James Clerk Maxwell [...] the notes being taken from his Life by Campbell & Garnett'.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper, with slight damage to a few words along one edge due to removal from album. On his return to Eastbourne he has 'found a note announcing the Commission under the Great Seal for appointing Commissioners to inquire into the best mode of preventing the forgery of Bank Notes', and requiring his attendance the following day.

1p., 16mo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and stained paper. In the light of an invitation from Ransome's wife, he proposes to 'drive to Stoke' in the early afternoon of the following day with his daughter Annet ('who has now relieved Hilda'), hoping that it 'will suit Mrs. Ransome's and your convenience'.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with central spike hole. Addressed on reverse to 'Mr Nourse | Bookseller | in the Strand.' He is sending '10 Copies of Geometry', and asks him to send 'the Book of Algebra and Mr. Walmsley's Book by the Bearers'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly aged-paper, with small piece torn from second leaf. Addressed, with postmark, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Robt. Woodhouse Esqr. A.M. | Plumian Professor of Astronomy & Experimental Philosophy, | Cambridge'. He writes: 'I have just made out the following demonstration of the Binomial Theorem, & as it is very short, & quite elementary, I shall be extremely obliged if you will condescent [sic] to honour me with your opinion of it before I make it public.' A full two pages of calculations, in a smallish hand, follow.

1p., 8vo. In poor condition, on aged paper, with wear to extremities causing loss to text, including most of the signature, and with spike hole. Describing arrangements, with reference to 'my good friend Mr Clow', to pay the recipient 'the 49£ 7s for the paper', via 'Mr William Drummond who is to be found at Messrs Bayne and Adams York Street St James's'.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on aged paper discoloured at the corners, neatly placed in a paper windowpane mount. He asked 'Mr Foulis to pack up Fifty four English Euclids Small paper, for as they had been put up in three bundles of 18 books in each, he thought it should be left to pack up these bundles as they were rather than break one of them to take out four books'. The books have been sent to 'Borroustonness', i.e. Bo'ness (Burrowstounness), Falkirk, and Foulis has given him a receipt from 'Richard G the Master of the Neptune aboard which Ship they are <?> directed to you'.

1p., 4to. On aged paper, with some discoloration and chipping to extremities. He has been hindered by an 'unexpected interruption' from sending, via 'Richd. Scrivener', 'Stewarts Quadrature of Curves', but Scrivener will bring it 'the next time he goes to London'. The middle paragraph concerns 'Langhorne's sermons', which he asks to be sent 'by Coach'. He ends by asking the recipient - if he has received 'the silver medal for me from Mr. Glendinning, in Hatton Garden', to 'wrap it up, & put it into one of the Books'.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with central spike hole. Addressed on reverse 'For Mr: Wilks, printer, in Chancery Lane'. Having received a letter from 'Dr: Mackay' he gives instructions regarding copies of the fifth volume of the book, 'which he proposes to be sent to Newcastle and Inverness, and other places in Scotland'. If Wilks has not received copies from the bindery, he should 'take the said six copies back from Mr: Maseres's chambers'. He also asks for a copy to be sent to Dr Aikin.