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P H I L O S O P H I C A L * º
- --

T R A N S A CT I O N S, ºf
R O Y A. L S O C I E T Y

L O N D O N.

W. O. L. LXIX. For the Year 1779

P A R T I.

L O N D O N,
PRINTED BY J. NICHols, successor to M.R. Bowy ER 5
FOR LOCKYER DAVIS, PRINTER To THE ROYAL sociFTY.
MDCCLXXIX.
KONINKL.
Bibi,10THEEK
TE'S II ACE.
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 A D v E R T I S E M E N T.

Y HE Committee appointed by the Royal Sºciety to dire& the pub

lication of the Philºſºphical Tranſactions, take this opportunity to
- acquaint the Public, that it fully appears, as well from the council-books
and journals of the Society, as from repeated declarations, which have
been made in ſeveral former Tranſačiions, that the printing of them was
always, from time to time, the ſingle ačt of the reſpective Secretaries, till
the Forty-ſeventh Volume: the Society, as a body, never intereſting them
ſelves any further in their publication, than by occaſionally recommending
the revival of them to ſome of their Secretaries, when, from the particular
circumſtances of their affairs, the Tranſačions had happened for any
length of time to be intermitted. And this ſeems principally to have
been done with a view to ſatisfy the Public, that their uſual meetings
were then continued for the improvement of knowledge, and benefit of
mankind, the great ends of their firſt inſtitution by the Royal Charters,
and which they have ever ſince ſteadily purſued.
But the Society being of late years greatly inlarged, and their com
munications more numerous, it was thought adviſeable, that a Committee
of their members ſhould be appointed to reconſider the papers read be
fore them, and ſelečt out of them ſuch, as they ſhould judge moſt pro
per for publication in the future Tranſačiions; which was accordingly
done upon the 26th of March 1752. And the grounds of their choice
are, and will continue to be, the importance and ſingularity of the ſub-.
jećts, or the advantageous manner of treating them; without pretending
to anſwer for the certainty of the facts, or propriety of the reaſonings,
contained in the ſeveral papers ſo publiſhed, which muſt ſtill reſt on the .
credit or judgment of their reſpe&tive authors.
A 2. It
 -

I iv. 1
It is likewiſe neceſſary on this occaſion to remark, that it is an eſta
bliſhed rule of the Society, to which they will always adhere, never to
give their opinion, as a body, upon any ſubjećt, either of Nature or Art,
that comes before them. And therefore the thanks, which are fre
quently propoſed from the chair, to be given to the authors of ſuch pa
pers, as are read at their accuſtomed meetings, or to the perſons through
whoſe hands they receive them, are to be conſidered in no other light
than as a matter of civility, in return for the reſpect ſhewn to the Society
by thoſe communications. The like alſo is to be ſaid with regard to
the ſeveral projećts, inventions, and curioſities of various kinds, which
are often exhibited to the Society; the authors whereof, or thoſe who
exhibit them, frequently take the liberty to report, and even to certify
in the public news-papers, that they have met with the higheſt applauſe
and approbation. And therefore it is hoped, that no regard will here
after be paid to ſuch reports, and public notices; which in ſome inſtances
have been too lightly credited, to the diſhonour of the Society.
c O N T E N T S
O F

V O L. LXIX. P A R T I.

I. A.N. Account of the Cure of the St. Pitus's Dance by

Electricity. In a Letter from Anthony Fothergill,
F. R. S. M. D. at Northampton, to William Henly,
F. R. S. Communicated by Mr. Henly. 19. I
II. A Caſe in which the Head of the Os Humeri was ſawn
off, and yet the Motion of the Limb preſerved. By Mr.
Daniel Orred, of Cheſter, Surgeon. Communicated by
Thomas Percival, M. D. F. R. S. and A. S. and Mem
ber of the Royal Society of Phyſicians at Paris. p. 6
III. Experiments on ſome Mineral Subſtances. By Peter
Woulfe, F. R. S. Communicated at the Deſire of Wil
liam Hunter, F. R. S. and Phyſician extraordinary to
the 94een. p. I I
IV. Account of a Petrefacſion found on the Coaſt of Eaſt
Lothian. By Edward King, Eſq. F. R. S. P. 35
V. Account of Dr. Knight's Method of making artificial
Loadſtones. By Mr. Benjamin Wilſon, F. R. S. p. 51
WI.
vi C O N T E N T S.

VI. Account of an extraordinary Dropſical Caſe. By Mr.

John Latham, in a Letter to Mr. Warner, F. R. S.
P. 54.
VII. Problems concerning Interpolations. By Edward
Waring, M. D. F. R. S. and of the Inſtitute of Bononia,
Lucaſian Profeſſor of Mathematics in the Univerſity of
Cambridge. P. 59%
VIII. Diſquiſitio de fempore Periodico Coſmeta anni 177 o
obſervati. Autore J. A. Lexell, Academiaº Scientiarum
Petrop. Socio. Communicated by Nevil Maſkelyne,
D. D. F. R. S. and Aſtronomer Royal. p. 68
IX. On the General Reſolution of Algebraical Equations.
by Edward Waring, M. D. F. R. S. and of the Inſtitute
of Bononia, Lucaſian Profeſſor of Mathematics in the
Univerſity of Cambridge. p. 86
XI. Obſervations on the total (with Duration) and ammular
Eclipſe of the Sun, taken on the 24th of June, 1778,
on Board the Eſpagne, being the Admiral's Ship of the
Fleet of New Spain, in the Paſſage from the Azores
towards Cape St. Vincent's. By Don Antonio Ulloa,
F. R. S. Commander of the ſaid Squadron; com
Żmunicated by Samuel Horſley, LL.D. F. R. S. p. Io 5.
XII. Tentamen continens Theoriam Machinae ſublicarum.
Autore Thoma Bugge, Aſlronomo Regio, A/iron. et
Mathem. Prof. in Academia Havnienſi, e Societatibus.
Scient. Havnienſ. et Nidroſ. Communicated by Sir
John Pringle, Bart. F. R. S. p. I 2 o
XIII. Account of an Iconantidiptic Teleſcope, invented by
Mr. Jeaurat, of the Academy of Sciences of Paris. Com
5 7municated
 c o N T E N T S. vii

-municated by John Hyacinth de Magellans, F. R. S.

P. I 3o
XIV. Account of the Organs of Speech of the Orang
Outang. By Peter Camper, M. D. late Profeſſor of
Anatomy, &c. in the Univerſity of Groningen, and
F. R. S. in a Letter to Sir John Pringle, F. R. S.
P. I 39
XV. Account of the Effe.7s of Lightning on Board the
Atlas. By Allen Cooper, Eſq. Maſter of the Atlas Eaſt
India-man. In a Letter to Joſeph Banks, Iſa. P. R. S.
- p. I 60
XVI. Extračis of Three Letters from John Longfield,
M.D. at Corke in Ireland, to the Aſtronomer Royal, con
taining ſome Aſironomical Obſervations; together with
the Longitude of Corke, deduced from the ſaid Obſerva
tions, by the Aſtronomer Royal. p. I 63
XVII. The Latitude of Madraſs in the Eaſt Indies, deduced
from Obſervations made by William Stephens, Chief
Engineer. Communicated by John Call, Eſq. F. R. S.
p. 182
XVIII. Account of an Infant Muſician. By Charles
Burney, Dočor of Muſic and F. R. S. p. I 83
XIX. Account of the Method of cultivating the Sugar
Came. By Mr. Cazaud; communicated by Joſeph
Banks, Eſq. P. R. S. p. 2 of
XX. Account of the Free Martin. By John Hunter, Eſq.
F. R. S. p. 279
XXI. Meteorological journal kept at the Houſe of The
Royal Society, by Order of the Preſident and Council.
p. 2 QS
*...ſº
ra
 [ 59 1 . , *

* * * •* * * *
* , *-, t > -

- - -

- * * * -- - -
** *

VII. Problems concerning Interpolations. By Edward

Waring, M. D. F. R. S. and of the Inſtitute of Bononia,
Lucaſian Profeſſor of Mathematics in the Univerſity of
Cambridge. r

Read Jan. 9, R. BRIGGs was the firſt perſon, I believe,

1779. that invented a method of differences
for interpolating logarithms at ſmall intervals from each
other: his principles were followed by REGINALD and
Movton in France. Sir ISAAc NEwToN, from the ſame
principles, diſcovered a general and elegant ſolution of
the abovementioned problem: perhaps a ſtill more ele
gant one on ſome accounts has been ſince diſcovered by
Meſſ. Nichole and stirling. In the following theorems
the ſame problem is reſolved and rendered ſomewhat
more general, without having any recourſe to finding the
ſucceſſive differences.
- ºf
4

T H E O R. E. M. I.

Aſſume an equation a + b x+cz'4-da' . . . . x*-* =y,

in which the co-efficients a, b, c, d, e, &c. are invariable;
I 2 let
6o Dr. waki NG on Interpolations.
let &, 8, 7, 8, s, &c, denote n values of the unknown
quantity w, whoſe correſpondent values of y let be re
preſented by sº, sº, sº, sº, sº, &c. Then will the equa
tion a + b x+c x' + d x'+ ex"... x" | = y =
†3xxºxxºxx Ex *xs- *Exx-xxx-xx-x &c. & a
a–3x2−yx2-3x2− x &c. 6–2 x 3-yx 3–3x3-ºx &c.
x – c. xx-6xx – 3xx — X &c. 2–2 x x – 8 x x–y x x– x &c. 3
+: -T-T- x SY + =------- x S
7— a xy– 8 × y–ºxy- x &c. 3–2 x 3–3 x 3-yx 3–4 x &c.
x—a x x – 3 x x — y x x – 3 x &c.
x S“4 &c.
ºxºxºtºx &c. --
* * *
- - t - , -º- - - -
! . • , ; , * ** -

D E M O N S T R A T I O N.

Write & for x in the equation y =

-- " - - - --
x-8 x x-y x x – 3 × x – ex &c. sº-º-º-º-º-º: &e. x s?--
- - - - --

— — — . . — X - -

a—8x a-yx *— 3 × 2-ºx &c. 8–2 x8-yx 8–3 x 3–4 x &c.

&c.; and all the terms but the firſt in the reſulting equa
tion will vaniſh, for each of them contains in its nume
rator a factor x-a=&–2 =0; and the equation will be
come y= a -3x a-yx 2–3x a- x &c. x s” =s*. In the ſame
«-8 × 2-yx 2–3 x 2-s x &c. - r

manner, by writing 6, 7, 8, s, &c. ſucceſſively for & in

the given equation it may be proved, that when x is
equal to 6, 7, 8, e, &c. then will y become reſpectively
s", s”, sº, s', which was to be demonſtrated.
2. Aſſume y=ax'+bx'++cxr:#2,4-dwr:#3: ... wrºn-13
and when & becomes 2, 6, 7, 3, 5, &c, let y become re
-
-
- -- - - - - - - - ſpectively
 Dr. warrng on Interpolations, 6F

fpe&tively s”, sº, sº, s”, sº, &c.; then will y =

w" x x'—3'x x'— y x x'— 3' x x'— ,” x &c. S”
X
a" x a’— 3*.x a’— y'x a’– 3'x 2'-s' x &c.
* s J. 3. J. g .. ſ º
x"xx'—a’ x x”— y’x **- 3' x x * – s” x &c.
+ - ! . . a y × S3
8" x 3'-a' x 8"–7' x 8"– 3' x 8"– e’ x &c.
r f f i. f s 5. J. J.
x' x x’—a.” x x' – 8' x x' – 3' x x' — s” x &c.
+ - s x s” + &c.
y’x y’—a 'x'y'-3'x y’– 3'xy'— s” x &c.
This may be demonſtrated in the ſame manner as
the preceding theorem, by writing 2, 8, Y, 3, s, &c. ſuc
ceſſively for x.

P. R O B L E M.

Let there be n values 2, 6,7,8,9, &c. of the quantity w,

to which the n values s”, sº, sº, s”, sº, &c. of the quan
tity y correſpond; ſuppoſe theſe quantities to be found.
by any function X of the quantity w; let r, e, o, t, &c.
be values of the quantities w, to which s”, sº, sº, sº, &c.
values of the quantity y correſpond: for x ſubſtitute its
abovementioned values r, 6, o, t, &c. in the fundion X, -

and let the quantities reſulting be s”, sº, s”, s”, &c. not
equal to the preceding sº, sº, sº, sº, &c. reſpectively; to
find a quantity which added to the function X ſhall not
only give the true values of the quantity y correſponding
to the values 2, 6, 7, 8, 8, &c. of the quantity x, but alſo
- - - - CO1 -
62 Dr. wakING on Interpolations.
correſponding to the values ºr, º, ø, T, &c. of the above
mentioned quantity w.
Aſſume s”—sº-T", st—sº- tº, s”—sº-T', '-s' = T',
&c.; then the errors of the funètion X will be reſpec
tively T", T', t”, T', &c.; and the correóting quantity
ſought may be
- - - - - *

& – 2 × 3–3 x x — y x x – 3 x x – º X &c. * – 6 x x – 2 x x – t x &c.

- - -- - ---- X x Tw
r — a x T-3 x n — yx ºr – º x ºr—t x &c. * – 6 x ºr – a x r—r x &c.

*— 2 x x-8 x x-y x x – 3xx – x &c. x – w x x – c. x x – r x &c. f

6 – 2 x 8 – 8 x 3-7 x 6- 9 × 8 – x &c. x t=
— w x : – o X f – rx &c.
- X T

x – a x x – 3 x x–y x x – 3 x *- : x &c. x — ºr x x – 6 x x-r x &c.

x =- x Tº
a – 2 x 2-8 x 2-yx o – 3 x o – x &c. a — ºr x a -6 x a - r x &c.

x-ax x– 8 x x–y x x – 3x *- : x &c.

---------
x-rx x-ex a-ºx &c. T*
- - - -
x —-—------ x
r — a x t — 3x r—y x r—ºx r— x &c. r—r x - x --> x &c.
+ &c.
Aliter.

Let x – 2 x x – 8 x x − y x x – 3 x x-ex &c. x x-r

xx-6xx-axx-TX &c.–N; w—a x 7–8× T-7x T–3x T-s
x &c. & Féxº-axw-ºx &c.–II; 6–2 x 6-6-6-yx 6–3,
- -
-

6–ex &c. x 6–7 & 8–9 × 6–tº &c. = P; a-ax a- 8x a-yx

- - - - - -

a-3 x a-ex &c. x a-Tx a-ºxo-tz &c. =X; T-ax T-6x

- - - - -

t—yx T-6x t—ex &c. x 1-7 x 7-6 x 1-ox &c.-T,&c.; then

Tºr Te
may the correóting quantityy ſought
-
lought bbe N \;=== "-> *r---e.
Pxx-e

Tº T*
> X & –a
+
Tx x–7
+ &c.).
This
 Dr. waking on Interpolations. 63
This problem may be demonſtrated in the ſame man
ner as the preceding theorems, by writing for x in the
correóting quantity ſucceſſively its values 7, 6, a, r, &c.
2. For the correcting quantity ſought may be aſſumed
s º s f º s s º r s J J s
:... x'—a’ x x'— 6' x x' – Y’ xx'— 3' x &c. x x x x'— e' xx'— a
the quantity +tº+**H, g r --

*— «'x +' – 8' x 7'-y' x *— 3' x &c. x * x * – c’ x * – c’

t J. s s s J. r r f 3.
x x' – 'x &c. *— a x x'— 6' x 2" — y'x x'— 3' x &c. x x' x *-*.
x T" + - -:

x *-*'x &c. e’— 2'x 6'-3'x 6'-y'x 6'-3' x &c. x 6' x 6'-º'
f s J J.

*:::::::: **xrºr &c.

x t’— a'x e’— * x &c.

3. In general, let z be any quantity which is = o,

when x becomes either 2, 8, y, º, e, &c.; let z become
ſucceſſively A, B, C, D, &c. when x becomesºn, 6, o, t,
&c. reſpectively. When x either = 6, q, r, &c. let II = 0;
but if x=r, let II-p: in the ſame manner when x either
= 1, o, t, &c. let P=0; but when x=6 let P=r; and ſimi
larly, let x = 0 when x is either T, 6, 7, &c.; but when
w = a let x=s: and likewiſe, when x is either r, e, o, &c.
let T=0; but when x=1 let T=t: &c. then for the cor
- - Z, II

recting quantity ſought may be aſſumed x ; : T't

-
z - P
- f; : z -
- -
2 Gr
2
-
T
- T
- -

- #x+x+...+x+x tº #x+x tº &c.

T H E
64. Dr. warſ NG on Interpolations.

T H E O R. E. M.

Aſſume (m) quantities 2, 6, y, º, e, &c. then will the

ſum of all the (m) quantities of the following kind
a” g"
------
+ -

a – 3 × 2–y x 2–3 × 2–1 x &c. g-... x 3–5 x8–5x3-ºx &c.

+ _* 3"
T - "- + = =~—T
,-2xº~5xy-5xy-ſix &c. 2–2 × 2–3x2-y2 o-' x &c.

,m

s—a × s—6 x → x – 3 x &c. -

number leſs than n – 1 ; but if m = n – I, then will the

above mentioned ſum = 1. In general, the ſum of the
37 terms 2. (82?&c.--Éz. &c. +32. +y}, &c. --&c.) +

- 2–3x2−yx 2-3:2-ºx &c. * - - -

E"(2,3&c. 4-2 wi&c.--a 3.8 c +y}^.c.--&c.) + -

3-ax5-yx 3–3x3-ºx &c.

. . . ." (-52&c. * *g, *.*.*.*.*.*&c. &c.) + -

-

º 2-a Xy—8 xy-3Xy- &c.

- -

3” (agy &c. +.28 s &c. + a yº &c. + &c. +

**-------- --
- -
-
*.
3—a x3–8x3—yx 3—s x &c.

-
"(.8, &c. 4-axe 4-,2&c. 4 exisc. 4 &c.) +&c =o
- 3-c. x-6x-yx-3X &c. -
---->
if in be leſs than n, and m+r not equal to n-1, where r
is equal to the number of letters contained in each of the
contents above mentioned 878, &c. 87s, &c. 33s, &c.
70s, &c. &c. &c. reſpectively: but if m + r = n-1, then
will the above mentioned ſum = + 1 ; it will be + 1 if r
be an even number, otherwiſe – I.
4. D E M O N- .
 Dr. WARING on Interpolations. 65

D. E. M. O. N S T R A T I O N.

Suppoſe a + b x + cz + do,” +ex*+ &c. = s”,

a+b 3+ c 6°4 d6°4 e6++ &c. = sº,
a+by 4-cyº-dy"+ey*4 &c. =s',
a + b 34 c):#dº-e?"4 &c. =s',
a + b = + c = + de' + es' 4 &c. = sº, multiply
theſe equations into A, B, C, D, E, &c. unknown co-effi
cients to be inveſtigated, and there reſult
Ax s”-A a 4: A & 2 + A ca.’ + A dºz*-* A ex"--&c.
Bx sº-Ba-Bö 3+B c6+B d6'4-B e6++&c.
cx sº-ca 4-c by + c cº-c dy'4-cdy"+&c.
Dx sº-Da-D bº +D cº--D dé” +D d6++&c.
Ex S'- Ea-- E & e--Ece’ + Ede’ + Ees" + &c. &c. &c.
Now ſuppoſe As”--Bs°4 cs?--Ds’+Es' &c. =a+b×4-ca.”
+dv?--ex4+&c. and the correſpondent parts reſpectively
equal to each other; that is, a (A+B+C+D+E+ &c.) = a ;
b (A &4-B3+ cy+D 3+E s--&c.)=b &; A &’4-B 6°4-cy”--D 3°
+ Es’ + &c. =x"; A & 4 B 3 + c y + D 394 E s” &c. =x";
Azt+B 6'4-cy"+D34+E sº. &c. =x", &c.; But it follows
from Theorem I... that (if As"+Bs3+cs?-- Ds’+Es'--&c.
*

-3xxº~. xx-3xx-x&c.
=a+b×4 cº-dw'4 ex'+&c.) A = a±
-3x a-yx *-* x ... Tºx&c.”
Vol. LXIX. K. B-
66 Dr. waRING on Interpolations.
* -2 xx-xxx-xx-x&c. - x = xxx Téx Tºxº~ x &c.
- g-axg-ºx3-ºx 8-ºx &c.” “T yº. …H.H.H.,
- ...T., xx-Éxx-xx x = x &c. _x=2xx-5xx-xxx Ex&c.
D===H.H.H., E =======E,
&c.: ſubſtitute theſe values for A, B, C, D, E, &c. reſpec
tively in the preceding equations (A+B+C+D+E+&c.- 1,
a 24-b6+ cyt D 3+E+ &c. = x, A & 4 B 6’ 4 cy” + D 3°4.
Ea” &c. = x*, A &’4 B6°4 cy?--D 3°4 Ee'4 &c. = x', &c.)
*–8 x x-y x x –? x x-ax &c.
and there reſult the equations (I) 2-8 x 2-ºx -- 3 x 2-ºx &c.
*—a x x-y x x – 3 x x – ex&c. . x – a xx-6xx – 3 x x – X&c.
3–2 x 8-yx8–3 x 3–2 &c. y–2 xy-8 x y–3x y—ix&e. +&c. = 1;
• *-8: Y -y x x – 3xx — X&c. *-* x x-y x x – 3xx – x &c.
(2) & x a — 8 × 2–yx a-3 x 2–1 x &c. +6x 8–2 x 8-yx8-ºx 3–3 &c.
- -

x-axx-6xx-3Xx— X&c.
+ y x = -==---—
7. 7 — a Xy–8Xy – 32 y—six&c.
+ &c. = x;
*Texº~yx x-6xx-x& c. 2 ... *-*X*-YX*— 3xx-ix&c.
(3) &’x}=
2
##### .46°x -T
º~3x2–ºx&c.
a-6x2-yx 8-ax 8-yx6-ºx 5-ºx&c.
~~~xx-6xx-ºxx-x&c. 2 -

= x*;2 and in general,

ger
+7° x y-ºxy-3xy-3x y—s X&c.
- - - - -

mx
*—3xx-yxx-3Xx-X&c.
- ---
+3"x=#E^*= <=2&
FTETE
2–8× 2–yx 2–3X2–s X&c. 8-ax8-yx8— ºxg-ºx&c.

+y +xº
'y—axy-3 xy-ºxy-ºx&c.
3m x =t^*=f^x=z^*=X*.
3–2 × 3 – 8 x 3 – yx3- (x &c.
+&c.=x", whatever may be the values of the quantities
x; 2, 6, 7, 3, 5, &c.; reduce all theſe fraćtions into terms,
proceeding according to the dimenſions of the quantity
x, and it is evident, that the ſum of all the fraćtions mul
tiplied
 Dr. war ING on Interpolations. 67
tiplied into any dimenſion of x not equal to m will be
= o; but the ſum of all the fraćtions multiplied into wºn
will be = 1 : from this propoſition the theorem is eaſily
deduced. -

I have invented and demonſtrated from different prin

ciples to the preceding the firſt part of this theorem, a
particular caſe of which was publiſhed by me many years
ago.
From this theorem may eaſily be deduced ſeveral
others of a ſimilar nature.