Hylles' Arithmetic.—Having seen it mentioned in the public papers that a copy of the first edition of Cocker's Arithmetic (considered unique) was lately sold at an exceedingly high price by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson, I am induced to send you a
copy of the title-page of an arithmetical work in my possession which seems a curiosity in its way; but whether unique or not, my slender bibliographical knowledge does not enable me to determine. It is as follows:
"The Arte of Vulgar Arithmeticke, both in Integers and Fractions, devided into two Bookes, whereof the first is called Nomodidactus Numerorum, and the second Portus Proportionum, with certeine Demonstrations, reduced into so plaine and perfect Method, as the like hath not hetherto beene published in English. Wherevnto is added a third Booke, entituled Musa Mercatorum: comprehending all the most necessarie and profitable Rules vsed in the trade of Merchandise. In all which three Bookes, the Rules, Precepts, and Maxims are onely composed in meeter for the better retaining of them in memorie, but also the operations, examples, demonstrations, and questions, are in most easie wise expounded and explaned, in the forme of a dialogue, for the reader's more cleere vnderstanding. A knowledge pleasant for Gentlemen, commendable for Capteines and Soldiers, profitable for Merchants, and generally necessarie for all estates and degrees. Newly collected, digested, and in some part deuised by a welwiller to the Mathematicals."
"Ecclesiasticus, cap. 19.
"Learning unto fooles is as fetters on their feete and manicles vpon their right hand; but to the wise it is a Iewell of golde, and like a Bracelet vpon his right arme.
"Boetius. I. Arith. cap. 2.
"Omnia quæcunque a primæua natura constructa sunt, Numerorum videntur racione formata. Hoc enim fuit principale in animo conditoris exemplar. Imprinted at London by Gabriel Simson, dwelling in Fleete Lane, 1600."
The volume (which is a small quarto of 270 folios) is dedicated "To the Right Honorable sir Thomas Sackuill, Knight, Baron of Buckhurst, Lord Treasurer of England," &c. &c., by Thomas Hylles.
Perhaps one or other of your correspondents will kindly inform me whether this volume is a rarity, and also oblige me with some information regarding Thomas Hylles, its author.
Sn. Davie, Jun.
[Professor De Morgan, in his "Arithmetical Books from the Invention of printing to the present Time," describes Hylles' work "as a big book, heavy with mercantile lore;" and the author as being, "in spite of all his trifling, a man of learning." A list of the author's other works will be found in Watt's Bibliotheca Britannica, and Lowndes's Bibliographer's Manual of English Literature, under the word Hills (Thomas). See also Ames's Typographical Antiquities.]