numerical.

T.S.D.

Shooter's Hill, August 3.


_Achilles and the Tortoise._--Your correspondent will find references
in the article "Zeno (of Elea)" in the _Penny Cyclopædia_. For Gregory
St. Vincent's treatment of the problem, see his _Quadratara Circuli_,
Antwerp, 1647, folio, p. 101., or let it alone. I suspect that the
second is the better reference. Zeno's paradox is best stated, without
either Achilles or tortoise, as follows:--No one can go a mile; for he
must go over the first half, then over half the remaining half, then
over half the remaining quarter; and so on _for ever_. Many books of
logic, and many of algebra, give the answer to those who cannot find it.

M.

* * * * *

REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES

"_Barum_" and "_Sarum_" (Vol. ii., p. 21.)--The formation of the first
of these words has not yet been accounted for. I must premise my attempt
to supply an explanation by admitting that I was not aware it was in
common use as a contraction for Barnstaple. I think it will be found
that the contracted form of that name is more usually "Berdest,"
"Barnst". In trying further to contract the word, the two last letters
would be omitted, and it would then be "Barñ", with the circumflex