The doctrine of chances: or, a method of calculating the probability of events in play / By A. De Moivre.

  • Moivre, Abraham de, 1667-1754.
Date:
1718
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The doctrine of chances: or, a method of calculating the probability of events in play / By A. De Moivre. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    13/210
    PREFACE. /S now about Seven Tears, fine* I gave a Specimen in the Philofophical Tranfa&ions, cf what I now more largely treat of in this Book, The occafion of my then undertaking this Sub jell rvas chiefly owing to the Defire and Encouragement of the Ho¬ nourable Mr. Francis Robartes, who, upon occafion of a French Traft,called, L’Analyfe desjeux de Hazard, which had lately been Publifhed, was pleafed to propofe to me fome Pro¬ blems of much greater difficulty than any he had found in that Book; which having folved to his Satisfaction, he engaged me to Methodife thofe Problems, and to lay down the Rules which had led me to their Solution, After I had proceeded thus far, it was enjoined me by the Royal Society, to communicate to them what I had difeovered on this Subject, and thereupon it was ordered to be publtfhed in the TranfaCfions, not as a matter re¬ lating only to Play, but as containing fome general Speculations not unworthy to be confidered by the Lovers of Truth. I had not at that time read any thing concerning this Sub¬ ject, but Mr. HuygensV Book. de Ratiociniis in Ludo Aleae, and a little Englifh Piece (which was properly a tranflation of it) done by a very ingenious Gentleman, who, tho’ capable of carrying the matter a great deal farther, was contented to fol¬ low his Original’, adding only to it the computation of the Ad¬ vantage of the Setter in the Play called Hazard, and fome few things more. As for the French Book, I had run it over but curforily, by reafon I had obferved that the Author chiefly i flfled on the Method of Huygens, which 1 was abfolutely re- A (olvtd