?

NAUTILUS.

_Pontefract on the Thames._--Permit me to ask, through the medium of your
useful publication, where Pontefract _on the Thames_ was situate in {57}
the fourteenth century? Several documents of Edw. II. are dated from Shene
(Richmond); in 1318, one from Mortelak; in 1322, one from Istelworth; and
several are dated _Pountfrcyt_, or _Pontem fractum super Thamis_. (See
Rymer's _Foedera_). It is very clear that this Pountfrcyt on the Thames
must have been at no great distance from Shene, Mortlake, and Isleworth,
also upon the Thames; and this is further corroborated by the dates
following, from the places alluded to, so closely.

<pointing hand> N.

June 14. 1850.

* * * * *

Replies.

ON THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE STUDY OF GEOMETRY IN LANCASHIRE.

The extensive study of geometry in Lancashire and the northern counties
generally is a fact which has forced itself upon the attention of several
observers; but none of these have attempted to assign any reasons for so
singular an occurrence. Indeed, the origin and progress of the study of any
particular branch of science, notwithstanding their attractive features,
have but rarely engaged the attention of those best qualified for the
undertaking. Fully satisfied with pursuing their ordinary courses of
investigation, they have scarcely ever stopped to inquire _who_ first
started the subject of their contemplations; nor have they evinced much
more assiduity to ascertain the _how_, the _when_, or in _what_ favoured
locality he had his existence: and hence the innumerable misappropriations
of particular discoveries, the unconscious traversing of already exhausted
fields of research, and many of the bickerings which have taken place
amongst the rival claimants for the honour of priority.

Mr. Halliwell's _Letters on the Progress of Science_ sufficiently show that
the study of geometry was almost a nonentity in England previously to the
commencement of the eighteenth century. Before this period Dr. Dee, the
celebrated author of the preliminary discourse to Billingsley's _Euclid_,
had indeed resided at Manchester (1595), but his residence here could
effect little in flavour of geometry, seeing, as is observed by a writer in
the _Penny Cyclopaedia_--

"The character of the lectures on Euclid was in those days extremely
different from that of our own time ... the propositions of Euclid
being then taken as so many peg