The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 01 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
1. If two strait lines falling upon another strait line be parallel, the
lines reflected from them shall also be parallel.—2. If two strait
lines drawn from one point fall upon another strait line, the lines
reflected from them, if they be drawn out the other way, will meet
in an angle equal to the angle made by the lines of incidence.—3. If
two strait parallel lines, drawn not oppositely, but from the same
parts, fall upon the circumference of a circle, the lines reflected
from them, if produced they meet within the circle, will make an
angle double to that which is made by two strait lines drawn from
the centre to the points of incidence.—4. If two strait lines drawn
from the same point without a circle fall upon the circumference,
and the lines reflected from them being produced meet within the
circle, they will make an angle equal to twice that angle, which is
made by two strait lines drawn from the centre to the points of
incidence, together with the angle which the incident lines
themselves make.—5. If two strait lines drawn from one point fall
upon the concave circumference of a circle, and the angle they make
be less than twice the angle at the centre, the lines reflected from
them and meeting within the circle will make an angle, which being
added to the angle of the incident lines will be equal to twice the
angle at the centre.—6. If through any one point two unequal chords
be drawn cutting one another, and the centre of the circle be not
placed between them, and the lines reflected from them concur
wheresoever, there cannot through the point, through which the two
former lines were drawn, be drawn any other strait line whose
reflected line shall pass through the common point of the two former
lines reflected.—7. In equal chords the same is not true.—8. Two
points being given in the circumference of a circle, to draw two
strait lines to them, so that their reflected lines may contain any
angle given.—9. If a strait line falling upon the circumference of a
circle be produced till it reach the semidiameter, and that part of
it, which is intercepted between the circumference and the
semidiameter, be equal to that part of the semidiameter which is
between the point of concourse and the centre, the reflected line
will be parallel to the semidiameter.—10. If from a point within a
circle, two strait lines be drawn to the circumference, and their
reflected lines meet in the circumference of the same circle, the
angle made by the reflected lines will be a third part of the angle
made by the incident lines.
[Sidenote: Angles of incidence and reflection.]