References for Hamilton's Theory of Systems of Rays, 1st Part

  Here are some references that may give some insight into Hamilton's terminology and sources regarding the presentation in his theory of optics and rays.

Malus - Treaté de l'Optique 1807


Least Action

Maupertuis - quantité d'action 1744

Laplace - Mechanics: Maupertuis least action footnote 1814


pencil

Hamilton -  pencils 1824

Coddington - A System of Optics, pencil 1829


Characteristic

cnrtl - caractéristique

Laplace - Mécanique céleste, caractéristiques 1799

Monge - Application de l'analyse à la géometrie, caractéristique 1807

Lagrange - caractéristique (symbol δ for variation) 1811

Lagrange (Eng) caractéristique -> symbol trans.


caustic*

Coddington - An Elementary Treatise on Optics, caustics 1825


arétes de rebroussement (cusp edges)

Hamilton - arétes de rebroussement

cnrtl - aréte de rebroussement

Monge - Géométrie descriptive, arétes de rebroussement (see also pages 18, 208)


Aberration

Hamilton - aberrations

Optical aberration wiki


*edit (Jul 11): Found an earlier Coddington book in my notes. Hamilton was associated with Trinity College, Dublin while Coddington was associated with Trinity College, Cambridge. They were contemporaries.