of a length sufficiently formidable to justify the remark of La Condamine: Heureusement pour ceux qui ont à faire avec eux, leur Arithmetique ne va pas plus loin.—Peacock, George.
Encyclopedia of Pure Mathematics (London, 1847); Article “Arithmetic,” sect. 32.
[2145]. There are three principal sins, avarice, luxury, and pride; three sorts of satisfaction for sin, fasting, almsgiving, and prayer; three persons offended by sin, God, the sinner himself, and his neighbour; three witnesses in heaven, Pater, verbum, and spiritus sanctus; three degrees of penitence, contrition, confession, and satisfaction, which Dante has represented as the three steps of the ladder that lead to purgatory, the first marble, the second black and rugged stone, and the third red porphyry. There are three sacred orders in the church militant, sub-diaconati, diaconiti, and presbyterati; there are three parts, not without mystery, of the most sacred body made by the priest in the mass; and three times he says Agnus Dei, and three times, Sanctus; and if we well consider all the devout acts of Christian worship, they are found in a ternary combination; if we wish rightly to partake of the holy communion, we must three times express our contrition, Domine non sum dignus; but who can say more of the ternary number in a shorter compass, than what the prophet says, tu signaculum sanctae trinitatis. There are three Furies in the infernal regions; three Fates, Atropos, Lachesis, and Clotho. There are three theological virtues: Fides, spes, and charitas. Tria sunt pericula mundi: Equum currere; navigare, et sub tyranno vivere. There are three enemies of the soul: the Devil, the world, and the flesh. There are three things which are of no esteem: the strength of a porter, the advice of a poor man, and the beauty of a beautiful woman. There are three vows of the Minorite Friars: poverty, obedience, and chastity. There are three terms in a continued proportion. There are three ways in which we may commit sin: corde, ore, ope. Three principal things in Paradise: glory, riches, and justice. There are three things which are especially displeasing to God: an avaricious rich man, a proud poor man, and a luxurious old man. And all things, in short, are founded in three; that is, in number, in weight, and in measure.—Pacioli, Author of the first printed treatise on arithmetic.
Quoted in Encyclopedia of Pure Mathematics (London, 1847); Article “Arithmetic,” sect. 90.
Ah! why, ye Gods, should two and two make four?
—Pope, Alexander.
The Dunciad, Bk. 2, line 285.
By him who stampt The Four upon the mind,—