The theory of determinants in the historical order of development, by Sir Thomas Muir.

420 HISTORY OF THE THEORY OF DETERMINANTS

LUCAS, E. (1877).
[Theorie des fonctions numeriques simplement periodiques. Sect.
IV. Nouv. Corresp. Math., iii. pp. 401-402; or American
Journ. of Math., i. pp. 192-193.]
Here there is nothing fresh save the writing of
p -q..... q.....
-1 p -q.. in the form q..../
-1 p..... q p....
which latter, we may note, is axisymmetric with respect to the one
diagonal, and persymmetric with respect to the other.
MUIR, T. (1878).
[On the word 'Continuant.' American Journ. of Math., i. pp. 344.]
Sylvester having, without knowledge of the circumstances,
complained of the introduction of the word 'continuant,' the
introducer had to explain that the word had been proposed in
ignorance of Sylvester's papers of 1853, and that, as soon as this
ignorance was removed, he had drawn pointed attention to those
papers,* persistently adhering, however, to the use of the new word
for four reasons, which are shortly stated.
In a note, Sylvester agrees that the second and third of the
reasons afford 'quite a sufficient justification for the use of the
word in question.'
SCOTT, R. F. (1878).
[On some symmetrical forms of determinants. Messenger of Math.,
viii. pp. 131-138.]
The first of the forms referred to is
c a.....
b c a.....b c....
* See above, p. 416.