Montucla--who is accurate when he writes about what he has
seen--gives of these verses. He gives the date 1587; he places the verses
at the beginning instead of the end; he says the circle thanks its
quadrator affectionately; and he says the good and modest chevalier gives
all the glory to the patron saint of his order. All of little consequence,
as it happens; but writing at second-hand makes as complete mistakes about
more important matters.

{55}

BUNGUS ON THE MYSTERY OF NUMBER.

Petri Bungi Bergomatis Numerorum mysteria. Bergomi [Bergamo], 1591,
4to. Second Edition.

The first edition is said to be of 1585;[62] the third, Paris, 1618. Bungus
is not for my purpose on his own score, but those who gave the numbers
their mysterious characters: he is but a collector. He quotes or uses 402
authors, as we are informed by his list; this just beats Warburton,[63]
whom some eulogist or satirist, I forget which, holds up as having used 400
authors in some one work. Bungus goes through 1, 2, 3, etc., and gives the
account of everything remarkable in which each number occurs; his accounts
not being always mysterious. The numbers which have nothing to say for
themselves are omitted: thus there is a gap between 50 and 60. In treating
666, Bungus, a good Catholic, could not compliment the Pope with it, but he
fixes it on Martin Luther with a little forcing. If from A to I represent
1-10, from K to S 10-90, and from T to Z 100-500, we see:

M A R T I N L U T E R A
30 1 80 100 9 40 20 200 100 5 80 1

which gives 666. Again, in Hebrew, _Lulter_ does the same:

[Hebrew: R T L W L]
200 400 30 6 30

And thus two can play at any game. The second is better than the first: to
Latinize the surname and not the Christian {56} name is very unscholarlike.
The last number mentioned is a thousand millions; all greater numbers are
dismissed in half a page. Then follows an accurate distinction between
_number_ and _multitude_--a thing much wanted both in arithmetic and logic.

WHICH LEADS TO A STORY ABOUT THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

What may be the use of such a book as this? The last occasion on which it
was used was the following. Fifteen or sixteen years ago the Royal Society
determined to restrict the number of yearly admissions to fifteen men of
science, and noblemen _ad libitum_; the men of science being selected and
recommended by the Council, with