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The Book and Printed Culture of Mathematics in England and Canada, 1830-1930

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The Book and Printed Culture of Mathematics in England and Canada, 1830-1930 Paper Index of the Mind: The Book and Printed Culture of Mathematics in England and Canada, 1830-1930 by Sylvia M. Nickerson A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology University of Toronto © Copyright by Sylvia M. Nickerson 2014 Paper Index of the Mind: The Book and Printed Culture of Mathematics in England and Canada, 1830-1930 Sylvia M. Nickerson Doctor of Philosophy Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology University of Toronto 2014 Abstract This thesis demonstrates how the book industry shaped knowledge formation by mediating the selection, expression, marketing, distribution and commercialization of mathematical knowledge. It examines how the medium of print and the practices of book production affected the development of mathematical culture in England and Canada during the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Chapter one introduces the field of book history, and discusses how questions and methods arising from this inquiry might be applied to the history of mathematics. Chapter two looks at how nineteenth century printing technologies were used to reproduce mathematics. Mathematical expressions were more difficult and expensive to produce using moveable type than other forms of content; engraved diagrams required close collaboration between author, publisher and engraver. Chapter three examines how editorial decision-making differed at book publishers compared to mathematical journals and general science journals. Each medium followed different editorial processes and applied distinct criteria in decision-making about what to publish. ii Daniel MacAlister, Macmillan and Company’s reader of science, reviewed mathematical manuscripts submitted to the company and influenced which ones would be published as books. Chapter four explores economic aspects of mathematical book publication. Macmillan and Company’s mathematical authors profited from the successful publication of textbooks. Both author and publisher augmented their prestige, influence and image through successful author-publisher liaison. Nation building and the definition of a national identity are explored in chapter five as factors influencing the development of mathematical publishing. It is shown how the capacity to print mathematics locally was important to the development of a Canadian culture of mathematics. John Charles Fields’ production of the Proceedings of the International Mathematical Congress, Toronto, 1924 is identified as a major turning point within this development. Chapter six concludes that publishers, not just mathematical authors, shaped nineteenth century British mathematics. While an increase in mathematical book production during the nineteenth century stimulated popular engagement with mathematics, British publishers perpetuated conservative mathematical values through the mass production of textbooks. In distributing these textbooks to domestic and foreign markets, publishers perpetuated a moribund image of mathematics inside and outside Britain. iii Acknowledgments Many memorable life events have occurred during my time engaged in doctoral study. Marriages were made, children were born, and deaths recorded. My wonderful husband and son, John and Colin, have enriched my life enormously and supported this project. My grandparents Frederick and Mary Barton always believed in the transformative power of education and I hope the present work would have made them proud. I am also grateful to the organizations that furnished the necessities of life while I completed this project. I was supported along the way by a Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (SSHRC funded), as well as travel grants from the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology at the University of Toronto, enabled me to spend a significant amount of time in England completing archival research. I am very grateful to have benefitted from financial support that made researching and writing this dissertation both possible and enjoyable. I also acknowledge the people I have met along the way, from whose work and mentorship I have learned much. Trevor Levere, Nicholas Griffin and June Barrow-Green provided guidance and inspiration when I was just getting a handle on my project, as well as detailed advice on the final product. In her role as Librarian at Massey College, Marie Korey opened up the world of ancient books and printing when she allowed me to volunteer and later, work in the Robertson Davies print shop. Both Massey College and the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology allowed me to go on historical and intellectual adventures through the many wonderful people I connected with through these institutions. To my supervisor Craig Fraser, thank you for being my guide to the history of mathematics. Before coming to Toronto you recommended I read Joan Richard’s Mathematical Visions. This book continues to be an inspiration and a guide for me in my academic work. Librarians are often the gateway to the knowledge that historians seek. Several librarians and archivists assisted me while I completed research during my doctorate. Alysoun Sanders (Archivist, Palgrave-Macmillan), John Shoesmith (Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library), Adam Green (Wren Library, Trinity College), Catherine Harpham and Anne Barrett iv (Imperial College London), Dan Mitchell (Special Collections, University College London), Carl Spadoni and Kenneth Blackwell (Bertrand Russell Research Center) and Loryl MacDonald (University Archivist, University of Toronto) all assisted me. Some of this assistance was for research I completed on the nineteenth century British mathematician William Kingdon Clifford, which I still hope will one day come to publishable light. I probably would have asked Richard Landon (formerly of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library) for his opinion on the present work if he were still alive. To my friends and my extended family too numerous to name, thank you for your encouragement and patience. To my parents, Ann Marie and James, and to my parents-in-law Hilary and Peter, your support has in so many ways made it possible for our family to continue to fulfill our dreams and goals. I dedicate this work to you. v Table of Contents Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... ix List of Plates ..................................................................................................................................... x List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. xi Note to the Reader ..................................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1 1. Mathematical books ............................................................................................................................................ 1 2. Journals versus books ........................................................................................................................................ 5 3. Passage into print ................................................................................................................................................ 8 4. Science publishing ............................................................................................................................................ 11 5. Plan for the work .............................................................................................................................................. 15 Chapter 2 “Never put together such crabbed stuff”: Printing Mathematics Using Moveable Type and Engraving ................................................................................................ 18 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 18 2. Printing in the nineteenth century ............................................................................................................ 22 3. Difficulties of printing mathematics ......................................................................................................... 26 4. British printers of mathematics ................................................................................................................. 36 5. Populist printers William Clowes and A&R Spottiswoode ............................................................. 37 6. Scholarly printers Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press ....................... 43 7. Journal printers Taylor and Francis ......................................................................................................... 50 8. Mathematical typesetting at Cambridge, Principia Mathematica
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