"This book, most of which is a transcript of some lectures I delivered this year, gives a concise account of the history of mathematics. I have tried to make it as little technical as possible, and I hope that it will be intelligible to any one who is acquainted with the elements of mathematics. Partly to facilitate this, partly to gain space, I have generally made use of modern notation in quoting any results; the reader must therefore recollect that while the matter is the same as that of any writer to whom reference is made his proof is sometimes translated into a more convenient and familiar language."