losopher, excited immediate attention, despite the unusual gener-
ality and intentional obscurity of its style. It was studied with in-
terest. From 1638, copies of a commentary by an unknown
author were in circulation among friends, and from 1639, the
Notae Breves (printed 1649) in which the simpler single items
of the Geometrie were demonstrated in scholastic form by the
jurist, Fl. Debeaune ( 1601-52), was likewise circulated.

It was with the appearance of Fr. van Schooten ( 1615-1660)
that Cartesian mathematics first penetrated into wider circles.
As the son and successor of a highly respected university teacher
at Leyden, van Schooten had received a first rate professional
education.

From 1635 on, van Schooten was in personal contact with
Descartes. During a journey to France, Ireland and England for
the purpose of study, he became acquainted with the greatest
authorities in mathematics at the universities of these countries
and with their latest works, acquiring copies of mathematical
manuscripts then in circulation (e.g. in Paris, copies of Fermat's
treatises).

From 1645, van Schooten gave private instruction to numer-
ous young Netherlanders who were interested in mathematical
studies. He introduced them to selected classical works of ancient
mathematicians and above all, to the methods of the Geometrie.
In 1646, he published a voluminous collection of Vieta's writings
which up to this time had scarcely become known, and, as the
occasion offered, he replaced the unwieldy original style of nota-
tion by a transition to Cartesian symbolism. The public lectures
of introduction to the Geometrie, given from 1646 on, were pub-
lished in 1651, from a transcript of lecture notes worked out by
Berthelsen. In 1649, the Latin translation of the Geometrie from
van Schooten's pen, was issued after it had been examined by
Descartes. It was followed by a detailed commentary and De-

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