It is generally thought very ridiculous to pretend to write an Heroic Poem, or a fine Discourse upon any Subject, without understanding the Propriety… - Brook Taylor

A general Series for expressing the Root of any Quadratick Equation.
Any Quadratick Equation being reduc’d to this Form <math>xx - mqx + my = 0</math>, the Root <math>x</math> will be exprest by this Series of Terms. <math> x = \frac {y}{q} + A \times \frac{1}{\frac{mq^2}{y} -2} + B \times \frac {1}{a^2 - 2} + C \times \frac {1}{b^2 - 2} +D \times \frac {1}{c^2 - 2}</math> etc. Which must be thus interpreted.
1. ...A, B, C, etc. stand for the whole terms with their Signs, preceding those wherein they are found, as <math>B = A \times \frac {1}{\frac{mq^2}{y} - 2}</math>
2. ...<math>a, b, c,</math> etc. ...are equal to the whole Divisors of the Fraction in the Terms immediately preceding; thus <math>b = a^2 - 2</math>.

Considering how few, and how simple the Principles are, upon which the whole Art of <small>PERSPECTIVE</small> depends, and withal how useful, nay how absolutely necessary this Art is to all forts of Designing; I have often wonder'd, that it has still been left in so low a degree of Perfection, as it is found to be, in the Books that have been hitherto wrote upon it.

[T]he Method which ought to be follow'd in instructing a Scholar in the Executive Part of Painting; ...first have him learn the most common Effections of Practical Geometry, and the first Elements of Plain Geometry, and common Arithmetic.