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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 October 2008
The theorem, due to Miquel, that the foci of the five parabolas which touch fours of five straight lines lie on a circle, when generalised projectively and dualised becomes the theorem: If six arbitrary points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 be taken and the five conics passing respectively through the five points obtained by omitting in turn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, then there exists a conic touching two arbitrary lines through the point 6 and triangularly inscribed to these five conics. It appears, however, that the relation is symmetrical and that the conic obtained is also triangularly inscribed to the conic passing through the points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. If the condition of touching the two arbitrary straight lines through the point 6 be omitted, we have a doubly infinite system of conics triangularly inscribed to the six conics passing through fives of six points. It does not immediately appear how this family of conics depends upon the two parameters involved, and the following direct analytical investigation of the general symmetrical figure was undertaken with a view to deciding this point.
* This is recognised by MrWakeford, , Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., xv (1916), p.341.Google Scholar
* This was pointed out to me by Professor Baker, who obtained the forms from a geometrical proof of the general theorem, which utilizes a construction in three dimensions.
