Notes on Some Minor English Mathematical Serials

Abstract

While major mathematical problems were discussed already in the seventeenth century in such serial publications as the Philosophical Transactions (1665) and Acta Eruditorum (1682), it was not till the early part of the eighteenth century that serials containing elementary problems of wide appeal commenced to appear. The first of these seems to have been the Lady’s Diary, started in London in 1704, and “designed for the sole use of the female sex”. It had an immediate success, and continued to appear in various forms for 168 consecutive years. Of the second, Delights for the Ingenious, there were only eight numbers, in 1711. The third publication of the kind was possibly Kunstfrüchte 1. Sammlung (1723), a publication (I have not seen it) of the Hamburg mathematical society, founded thirty-three years before. The Jahrbriefe of this same society were published irregularly during the 140 years 1732-1871. For the fifth and sixth publications we come back to England, Miscellanece Curiosce (York, 1734-35) and Gentleman’s Diary, started in 1741 and continued for a century before its union with the Ladies’ Diary. Then followed five other English serials before Holland’s Mathematische Liefhebberye (Purmerende, 1754), issued annually for seventeen years. During the next 175 years the number of these minor publications became very large. It is my purpose to bring together brief notes on minor English serials and their editors of the past two and a quarter centuries, and to indicate where more information regarding them may be found. It will not be possible, within the limits of this article, to indicate more than very occasionally anything of the contents (often rich and varied) of such serials, many results appearing in their pages for the first time. Problems and their solutions usually occupied the greater part of the space, and most of the prominent English mathematicians of the time were contributors. While some may incline to frown upon such mathematical occupations, it may be recalled that “Sätze und Aufgaben” were to be found in such an exalted source as Crelle’s Journal, so recently as 1858.