Newberry Library - Metcalf, Isaac Stevens, to Joseph M. Metcalf (brother), Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1844-1850

Metcalf, Isaac Stevens, to Joseph M. Metcalf (brother), Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1844-1850

Overview

Image w/ Text

Loading details...

You do not have the permission to view Original image

Open book Metcalf, Isaac Stevens, to Joseph M. Metcalf (brother), Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1844-1850

Title Metcalf, Isaac Stevens, to Joseph M. Metcalf (brother), Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1844-1850

Creator Metcalf, Isaac Stevens, 1822-1898

Date 1844-1850

Place United States

Subjects Bowdoin College, Brothers and sisters, DuQuoin Coal Company, Illinois Central Railroad Company

Format Business records, Correspondence, Diaries, Genealogies, Invoices, Manuscripts, Personal narratives, Records

User-Contributed Transcription which are straight lines, which the hyperbola, being a double and endless curve, continually, and eternally approaches, but never meets! I suppose you understand the whole subject now, dont you? However, I suppose, joking apart, that you intended, in your enquiries, Metaphysical, rather than Mathematical, infinities. But, the truth is, I have studied Mathematics, and my Metaphysical Education does not commence till next year. I am not a great Mental Philosopher, though I have several scholars in such branches. And the fact is, for your questions, I never thought of such subjects, and I dont know - I hardly know how to begin to think on such a subject. It is an opinion I have heard that if the smallest particle of matter were annihilated, it would destroy the infinity & equilibrium of the Universe; but the idea does not seem reasonable to me. I do not so understand infinity. to be sure I cant conceive really of the effect it would have to cut off a large or a small piece from the end of an Asymptote, when it has no end! The very definition of an infinite quantity shows you dont know how much it is, of course if you take away any known quantity whatever, you dont know how much remains, if you did you would know the first quantity! What reasoning is that?
Finally I believe I shall conclude to believe in the infinity of infinity. Astronomers record the apparent combustion and loss of fixed stars, & consider it the extinction of a whole system, yet methinks infinity remains. If some could be lost could not more? if it be infinity.

Transcription Status Needs review

Transcription Note This document was transcribed by volunteers as part of the Newberry Transcribe crowdsourcing initiative.

Archival Collection Title Isaac Stevens Metcalf papers, Midwest Manuscript Collection

Link to Catalog View finding aid | View record

Call Number Midwest MS Metcalf Box 7 Folder 191

BibID 821787

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

Size 3088px × 3784px 66.90 MB

Filename 998217878805867_mms_metcalf_box_07_fl_191_011_002.tif

Unique Identifier NL11FK40

Help Need help finding, searching, sharing, or downloading? Check out our help page!