Prefatory apprehension

Robert Recorde’s 1557 book is noted for being the first to introduce the equals sign =, and is titled:

The Whetstone of Witte: whiche is the seconde parte of Arithmeteke: containing the extraction of rootes; the cossike practise, with the rule of equation; and the workes of Surde Nombers.

Its title page (see http://www.maa.org/publications/periodicals/convergence/mathematical-treasures-robert-recordes-whetstone-of-witte, see also the full book at https://archive.org/stream/TheWhetstoneOfWitte#page/n0/mode/2up) contains this verse:

Original spelling Though many ſtones doe beare greate price, The whetſtone is for exerſice As neadefull, and in woorke as ſtraunge: Dulle thinges and harde it will ſo chaunge, And make them ſharpe, to right good vſe: All arteſmen knowe, thei can not chuſe, But uſe his helpe: yet as men ſee, Noe ſharpeneſſe ſemeth in it to bee. The grounde of artes did brede this ſtone: His vſe is greate, and moare then one. Here if you lift your wittes to whette, Moche ſharpeneſſe thereby ſhall you gette. Dulle wittes hereby doe greately mende, Sharpe wittes are fined to their fulle ende. Now proue, and praiſe, as you doe finde, And to your ſelf be not vnkinde.

Modern spelling Though many stones do bear great price, The whetstone is for exercise As needful, and in work as strange: Dull things and hard it will so change And make them sharp, to right good use: All artsmen know they cannot choose But use his help; yet as men see, No sharpness seemeth in it to be. The ground of arts did breed this stone; His use is great, and more than one. Here if you lift your wits to whet, Much sharpness thereby shall you get. Dull wits hereby do greatly mend, Sharp wits are fined to their full end. Now prove and praise as you do find, And to yourself be not unkind.

Apparently the full title contains a pun (see http://www.pballew.net/arithm17.html): “the cossike practise” in the title refers to algebra, as the Latin cosa apparently meaning “a thing” was used to stand for an unknown, abbreviated to cos — but the Latin word cos itself means a grindstone.

The author again reminds readers not to blame his book, at the end of his preface:

To the curiouſe ſcanner. If you ought finde, as ſome men maie, That you can mende, I ſhall you praie, To take ſome paine ſo grace maie ſende, This worke to growe to perfecte ende. But if you mende not that you blame, I winne the praiſe, and you the ſhame. Therfore be wiſe, and learne before, Sith ſlaunder hurtes it ſelf moſte ſore.

Authors are either anxious about how their book is received, or make sure to be pointedly uncaring.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in a mostly forgettable volume of poetry (Songs of the Road, 1911), begins:

If it were not for the hillocks
   You’d think little of the hills;
The rivers would seem tiny
   If it were not for the rills.
If you never saw the brushwood
   You would under-rate the trees;
And so you see the purpose
   Of such little rhymes as these.

Kālidāsa of course begins his Raghuvaṃśa with a grand disclaimer:

kva sūryaprabhavo vaṃśaḥ kva cālpaviṣayā matiḥ /
titīrṣur dustaram mohād uḍupenāsmi sāgaram // Ragh_1.2 //

mandaḥ kaviyaśaḥ prārthī gamiṣyāmy upahāsyatām /
prāṃśulabhye phale lobhād udbāhur iva vāmanaḥ // Ragh_1.3 //

atha vā kṛtavāgdvāre vaṃśe ‘smin pūrvasūribhiḥ /
maṇau vajrasamutkīrṇe sūtrasyevāsti me gatiḥ // Ragh_1.4 //

But the most nonchalant I’ve seen, thanks to Dr. Ganesh, is this gīti by Śrīkṛṣṇa Brahmatantra Yatīndra of the Parakāla Maṭha, Mysore:

nindatu vā nandatu vā
mandamanīṣā niśamya kṛtim etām
harṣaṃ vā marṣaṃ vā
sarṣapamātram api naiva vindema

Screw you guys. :-)

Advertisement