Number Theory

Until rather recently, number theory, or arithmetic as some prefer to call it, has been conspicuous for the quality rather than for the number of its devotees; at the same time it is perhaps unique in the enthusiams it has inspired, an enthusiasm eloquently expressed in many utterances of such men as Euler, Gauss, Eisenstein, Hilbert...The method to be followed here is historical throughout; no specific knowledge is expected of the readers, and it is the author's fond hope that some readers at least will find it possible to get their initiation into number theory by following the itinerary retraced in this volume. Andre Well, from the Prelace