This book offers a unique opportunity to understand the essence of one of the great thinkers of western civilization. A guided reading of Euclid's Elements leads to a critical discussion and rigorous modern treatment of Euclid's geometry and its more recent descendants, with complete proofs. Topics include the introduction of coordinates, the theory of area, history of the parallel postulate, the various non-Euclidean geometries, and the regular and semi-regular polyhedra.

This edition of the Elements of Euclid, undertaken at the request of the principalsof some of the leading Colleges and Schools of Ireland, is intended tosupply a want much felt by teachers at the present day-the production of awork which, while giving the unrivalled original in all its integrity, would alsocontain the modern conceptions and developments of the portion of Geometryover which the Elements extend. A cursory examination of the work will showthat the Editor has gone much further in this latter direction than any of hispredecessors, for it will be found to contain, not only more actual matter thanis given in any of theirs with which he is acquainted, but also much of a specialcharacter, which is not given, so far as he is aware, in any former work on thesubject. The great extension of geometrical methods in recent times has madesuch a work a necessity for the student, to enable him not only to read with advantage, but even to understand those mathematical writings of modern timeswhich require an accurate knowledge of Elementary Geometry, and to which itis in reality the best introduction

"The book includes introductions, terminology and biographical notes, bibliography, and an index and glossary" --from book jacket.