B chapter.indd - Charles Babbage Institute - University of Minnesota

Erwin Tomash Library
Babbage, Charles Babbage, Charles
This paper is indicative of Babbage’s wide range of
interests and his willingness to apply his intellect to a
variety of topics. It is a short description of an anglemeasuring
device of his invention. Previous astronomical
angular measurement systems relied on a finely divided
scale that could be read by the aid of a magnifying glass.
Babbage proposes a system in which a telescope is
attached to one arm of a parallelogram; any shift of the
configuration of the parallelogram being magnified by
attachments to the other arms makes it easy to determine
the angle of shift. There is one small figure describing the
system that is to be found as part of the plate illustrating
the previous paper in the volume.
Illustrations available:
None
B 37
Babbage, Charles (1791–1871)
The ninth Bridgewater treatise, a fragment.
Year: 1837
Place: London
Publisher: John Murray
Edition: 1st
Language: English
Binding: original cloth boards
Pagination: pp. [4], xxii (iii misnumbered as i), 23–240, (103
misnumbered as 101),[2], 8
Collation: π 2 B–Q 8 R 1 χ 4
Size: 225x142 mm
Reference: Van S CBCP, #70; Babb CBLP, #71, #73; Ran
ODC, p. 405; MCK CBCW, v. 9
As modern science began to conflict with traditional
religious values, in 1829 the Earl of Bridgewater (Rev.
Francis Egerton, F.R.S.) left the Royal Society a bequest
of £8,000 to pay for the writing of several books on the
Power, Wisdom and Goodness of God, as manifested
in the Creation. Eight of these treatises were produced,
but none seems to have had lasting value. The most
successful treatise, titled Astronomy and general physics,
was written by William Whewell, a tutor of mathematics
at Cambridge. In it, Whewell condemned the growing
influence of scientists and mathematicians and described
them as mechanical philosophers without any authority
with regard to their view of the administration of the
Universe. In passing, Whewell singled out mechanized
analytical calculation for particular condemnation.
Babbage felt the need to respond and privately produced
this unofficial Ninth treatise. The work is curious in
that Babbage decided to leave large sections blank (or
perhaps removed them before publication)—hence the
term fragment in the title. Martin Campbell-Kelly (The
Works of Charles Babbage) reports that it had been
suggested that some may have been removed after
Babbage’s friends, upon reading the proofs, objected to
certain passages.
The work argues for example, that miracles can easily
occur without divine intervention and gives examples
relating to his calculating machines and mathematics
in general. The appendix contains a section on the
calculating engine.
For a modern discussion, see Topham, J., “Science and
popular education: The role of the Bridgewater treatises,”
British Journal for the History of Science, Vol. 25, 1992,
pp. 397–430.
Illustrations available:
Title page
B 38
Babbage, Charles (1791–1871)
The ninth Bridgewater treatise, a fragment.
Year: 1838
Place: London
Publisher: John Murray
Edition: 2nd
Language: English
Binding: original cloth boards
Pagination: pp. viii, xxii, 23–270, [14]
Collation: A 4 B–S 8 χ 6
Size: 223x140 mm
Reference: Van S CBCP, #70; Babb CBLP, #71, #73; Ran
ODC, p. 405; MCK CBCW, v. 9
B 37
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