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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Cours de Mathematiques''}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Cours de Mathematiques, a l'Usage des Gardes du Corps de la Marine''}}
<big>''Cours de Mathematiques, a l'Usage des Gardes du Corps de la Marine''</big>
===by Etienne Bézout===
===by Etienne Bézout===
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}}Étienne Bézout was born in 1730 in Nemours, France, to a family of magistrates.<ref>J. J. O'Connor and E. F. Robertson, “Étienne Bézout," <i>MacTutor History of Mathematics,</i> (University of St. Andrews, Scotland, February 2000).[https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Bezout.]</ref> In 1764, he was appointed examiner of the Gardes de la Marine, a position he would hold until his death in 1783.<ref>Monica Blanco Abellán, “The Mathematical Courses of Pedro Padilla and Étienne Bézout: Teaching Calculus in Eighteenth-Century Spain and France,” <i>Science & Education</i> 22, no.4 (2012), 776.</ref> One of his tasks was to write a textbook specifically teaching mathematics, which would later become <i>Cours de Mathematiques, a l'Usage des Gardes du Corps de la Marine.</i><ref>O'Connor and Robertson, "Etienne Bezout."</ref> Bézout was known as a savant who was well-regarded in mathematical research circles, a contributing factor to the wide circulation of <i>Cours</i>.<ref>Abellán, "The Mathematical Courses," 784</ref> He also made significant contributions to the field of elimination theory<ref>Judith Grabiner, "Bezout, Etienne" in <i>Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography,</i> vol. 2 (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008) 111–114.[https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/DSB/Bezout.pdf.]</ref> through his 1779 work <i>Théorie générale des équations algébraiques,</i> which expanded the symmetric functions of the roots of an algebraic equation. <ref>O'Connor and Robertson, "Etienne Bezout."</ref> <i>Théorie générale</i> also established what is today known as Bézout's theorem, which states that “the degree of the eliminand of a system a <i>n</i> algebraic equations in <i>n</i> unknowns, when each of the equations is generic of its degree, is the product of the degrees of the equations.”<ref>Erwan Penchèvre, “Etienne Bézout on elimination theory,” arXiv:1606.03711 (2016), 1.</ref>


Octavo. Precise edition unknown.  
<i>Cours de Mathématiques</i> was the first work for French military students that contained principles and applications of calculus, and it quickly became a best-seller both nationally and internationally.<ref>Abellán, "The Mathematical Course," 769-70.</ref> <i>Cours</i> was published in six volumes, each focusing on a different topic: (1) elements of arithmetic; (2) elements of geometry, plane and spherical trigonometry; (3) algebra its application to arithmetic and the geometry; (4) general principles of the mechanics along with the principles of calculus; (5) application of the general principles of mechanics; and (6) a treatise on navigation.<ref>Abellán, "The Mathematical Course," 776-7.</ref> When Bézout was appointed examiner of the artillery in 1768 after the death of Charles-Étienne Camus, he adapted the six volumes into four, specifically intended for artillery students.<ref>Abellán, "The Mathematical Courses," 777.</ref> The various editions of <i>Cours</i> would continue to be reprinted until 1822, circulating not just in French but also in English, Portuguese and Russian.<ref>Abellán, "The Mathematical Course," 777.</ref> One English version was intended specifically for students at Harvard.<ref>O'Connor and Robertson, "Etienne Bezout."</ref>


Pedagogically, <i>Cours</i> contained mandatory information on the basic principles of mathematics, and optional content for higher-level students as well.<ref>Abellán, "The Mathematical Courses," 777.</ref> It contained the study of sine, cosine, logarithmic, and exponential quantities.<ref>Abellán, "The Mathematical Courses," 778.</ref> When teaching calculus, Bézout used the <i>infiniment petits</i> method, or “the infinitely small increments of variable quantities,” an approach which became dominant amongst French engineers in the 1800s.<ref>Abellán, "The Mathematical Courses," 779.</ref>
==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
Listed in the [[Jefferson Inventory]] of [[Wythe's Library]] as "Mathematiques de Bezout. 3d. & 4th. vols. 8vo." and given by [[Thomas Jefferson]] to [[James Ogilvie]], the tutor of Jefferson's grandson [[Thomas Jefferson Randolph]]. The precise edition owned by Wythe is unknown. The [https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433 Brown Bibliography]<ref>Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012, rev. 2014) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433</ref> lists either the 1775 or 1781-1784 editions. [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe George Wythe's Library]<ref>''LibraryThing'', s.v. "[http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe Member: George Wythe]," accessed on January 28, 2015.</ref> on LibraryThing indicates "Precise edition unknown. Several quarto editions were published at Paris. Jefferson's copy was of the 1781 edition." As yet, the Wolf Law Library has been unable to procure a copy of ''Cours de Mathematiques''.
==See also==
*[[Account and History of the Tazewell Family]]
*[[Jefferson Inventory]]
*[[Wythe's Library]]
==References==
<references/>
__NOTOC__
[[Category:Etienne Bézout]]
[[Category:James Ogilvie's Books]]
[[Category:Mathematics and Engineering]]
[[Category:Mathematics and Engineering]]
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]
[[Category:Octavos]]

Latest revision as of 16:14, 24 October 2025

by Etienne Bézout

Cours de Mathematiques
Title not held by The Wolf Law Library
at the College of William & Mary.
  
Author Etienne Bézout
Editor
Translator
Published :
Date
Edition Precise edition unknown.
Language
Volumes volume set
Pages
Desc. 8vo

Étienne Bézout was born in 1730 in Nemours, France, to a family of magistrates.[1] In 1764, he was appointed examiner of the Gardes de la Marine, a position he would hold until his death in 1783.[2] One of his tasks was to write a textbook specifically teaching mathematics, which would later become Cours de Mathematiques, a l'Usage des Gardes du Corps de la Marine.[3] Bézout was known as a savant who was well-regarded in mathematical research circles, a contributing factor to the wide circulation of Cours.[4] He also made significant contributions to the field of elimination theory[5] through his 1779 work Théorie générale des équations algébraiques, which expanded the symmetric functions of the roots of an algebraic equation. [6] Théorie générale also established what is today known as Bézout's theorem, which states that “the degree of the eliminand of a system a n algebraic equations in n unknowns, when each of the equations is generic of its degree, is the product of the degrees of the equations.”[7]

Cours de Mathématiques was the first work for French military students that contained principles and applications of calculus, and it quickly became a best-seller both nationally and internationally.[8] Cours was published in six volumes, each focusing on a different topic: (1) elements of arithmetic; (2) elements of geometry, plane and spherical trigonometry; (3) algebra its application to arithmetic and the geometry; (4) general principles of the mechanics along with the principles of calculus; (5) application of the general principles of mechanics; and (6) a treatise on navigation.[9] When Bézout was appointed examiner of the artillery in 1768 after the death of Charles-Étienne Camus, he adapted the six volumes into four, specifically intended for artillery students.[10] The various editions of Cours would continue to be reprinted until 1822, circulating not just in French but also in English, Portuguese and Russian.[11] One English version was intended specifically for students at Harvard.[12]

Pedagogically, Cours contained mandatory information on the basic principles of mathematics, and optional content for higher-level students as well.[13] It contained the study of sine, cosine, logarithmic, and exponential quantities.[14] When teaching calculus, Bézout used the infiniment petits method, or “the infinitely small increments of variable quantities,” an approach which became dominant amongst French engineers in the 1800s.[15]

Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library

Listed in the Jefferson Inventory of Wythe's Library as "Mathematiques de Bezout. 3d. & 4th. vols. 8vo." and given by Thomas Jefferson to James Ogilvie, the tutor of Jefferson's grandson Thomas Jefferson Randolph. The precise edition owned by Wythe is unknown. The Brown Bibliography[16] lists either the 1775 or 1781-1784 editions. George Wythe's Library[17] on LibraryThing indicates "Precise edition unknown. Several quarto editions were published at Paris. Jefferson's copy was of the 1781 edition." As yet, the Wolf Law Library has been unable to procure a copy of Cours de Mathematiques.

See also

References

  1. ↑ J. J. O'Connor and E. F. Robertson, “Étienne Bézout," MacTutor History of Mathematics, (University of St. Andrews, Scotland, February 2000).[1]
  2. ↑ Monica Blanco Abellán, “The Mathematical Courses of Pedro Padilla and Étienne Bézout: Teaching Calculus in Eighteenth-Century Spain and France,” Science & Education 22, no.4 (2012), 776.
  3. ↑ O'Connor and Robertson, "Etienne Bezout."
  4. ↑ Abellán, "The Mathematical Courses," 784
  5. ↑ Judith Grabiner, "Bezout, Etienne" in Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography, vol. 2 (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008) 111–114.[2]
  6. ↑ O'Connor and Robertson, "Etienne Bezout."
  7. ↑ Erwan Penchèvre, “Etienne Bézout on elimination theory,” arXiv:1606.03711 (2016), 1.
  8. ↑ Abellán, "The Mathematical Course," 769-70.
  9. ↑ Abellán, "The Mathematical Course," 776-7.
  10. ↑ Abellán, "The Mathematical Courses," 777.
  11. ↑ Abellán, "The Mathematical Course," 777.
  12. ↑ O'Connor and Robertson, "Etienne Bezout."
  13. ↑ Abellán, "The Mathematical Courses," 777.
  14. ↑ Abellán, "The Mathematical Courses," 778.
  15. ↑ Abellán, "The Mathematical Courses," 779.
  16. ↑ Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012, rev. 2014) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433
  17. ↑ LibraryThing, s.v. "Member: George Wythe," accessed on January 28, 2015.
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