The Author's Preface to the Admirable Table of Logarithms

(241.) We have already mentioned what may, perhaps, appear paradoxical to some of our readers,—that the division of labour can be applied with equal success to mental as to mechanical operations, and that it ensures in both the same economy of time. A short account of its practical application, in the most extensive series of calculations ever executed, will offer an interesting illustration of this fact, whilst at the same time it will afford an occasion for shewing that the arrangements which ought to regulate the interior economy of a manufactory, are founded on principles of deeper root than may have been supposed, and are capable of being usefully employed in preparing the road to some of the sublimest investigations of the human mind. (242.) In the midst of that excitement which accompanied the Revolution of France and the succeeding wars, the ambition of the nation, unexhausted by its fatal passion for military renown, was at the same time directed to some of the nobler and more permanent triumphs which mark the era of a people's greatness,—and which receive the applause of posterity long after their conquests have been wrested from them, or even when their existence as a nation may be told only by the page of history. Amongst their enterprises of science, the French government was desirous of producing a series of mathematical tables, to facilitate the application of the decimal system which they had so recently adopted. They directed, therefore, their mathematicians to construct such tables, on the most extensive scale. Their most distinguished philosophers, responding fully to the call of their country, invented new methods for this laborious task; and a work, completely answering the large demands of the government, was produced in a remarkably short period of time. M. Prony, to whom the superintendence of this great undertaking was confided, in speaking of its commencement, observes: "Je m'y livrai avec toute l'ardeur dont j'étois capable, et je m'occupai d'abord du plan général de l'exécution. Toutes les conditions que j'avois à remplir nécessitoient l'emploi d'un grand nombre de calculateurs; et il me vint bientôt à la pensée d'appliquer à la confection de ces Tables la division du travail, dont les Arts de Commerce tirent un parti si avantageux pour réunir à la perfection de main-d'œuvre l'économie de la dépense et du temps." The circumstance which gave rise to this singular application of the principle of the division of labour is so interesting, that no apology is necessary for introducing it from a small pamphlet printed at Paris a few years since, when a proposition was made by the English to the French government, that the two countries should print these tables at their joint expense. (243.) The origin of the idea is related in the following extract:— > "C'est à un chapitre d'un ouvrage Anglais, justement célèbre, qu'est probablement due l'existence de l'ouvrage dont le gouvernement Britannique veut faire jouir le monde savant:—