(It is customary for the
tutors to place students in rooms when their right owners are absent.)
I took with me Thucydides and all relating to it, and read the book,
upon which the next term's lectures were to be founded, very
carefully. The latter part of the vacation I spent at Bury, where I
began with the assistance of my sister to pick up a little French: as
I perceived that it was absolutely necessary for enabling me to read
modern mathematics.
"During a part of the time I employed myself in writing out a paper on
the geometrical interpretation of the algebraical expression
sqrt(-1). I think that the original suggestion of perpendicular line
came from some book (I do not remember clearly), and I worked it out
in several instances pretty well, especially in De Moivre's Theorem. I
had spoken of it in the preceding term to Mr Peacock and he encouraged
me to work it out. The date at the end is 1820, January 21. When some
time afterwards I spoke of it to Mr Hustler, he disapproved of my
employing my time on such speculations. About the last day of January
I returned to Cambridge, taking up my abode in my former lodgings. I
shewed my paper on sqrt(-1) to Mr Peacock, who was much pleased with
it and shewed it to Mr Whewell and others.
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