Charles Babbage's Foundation for Computer Science—Primary Sources

by Martin F. Johansen, 2013

This is a list of Babbage's works on the fundamentals of computer science. The three stages are works related to his main designs of machines of increasing complexity. Works marked with * are a subset of the works I recommend for a less comprehensive study.

Relevant Background and Methodology

Charles Babbage, "Of Induction," Essays on the Philosophy of Analysis (London: British Library, Additional MS 37202, around 1820s).
Charles Babbage, "On the Division of Mental Labour," Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961, p. 315. (Originally: Economy of Manufacturers and Machinery, 1833)

Stage 1: The Difference Engine (approx. 1810–1822)

*Charles Babbage, “Difference Engine No. 1,” Passages from the Life of a Philosopher, 1864.
*Dionysius Lardner, "Babbage's Calculating Engine," Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961, p. 163. (Originally: Edinburgh Review, 1834)
Charles Babbage, “On the Application of Machinery to the Purpose of Calculating and Printing Mathematical Tables,” Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961, p. 298. (Originally: Letter to H. Davy, 1822)
Charles Babbage, "On the Application of Machinery to the Calculation of Astronomical and Mathematical Tables," Memoirs of the Astronomical Society, Vol. 1. Part 2, London, 1822.

Stage 2: The "Circular" Difference Engine (approx. 1822–1824)

*Charles Babbage, "On the Theoretical Principles of the Machinery for Calculating Tables”, Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961, p. 306. (Originally: Brewster's Journal of Science, 1822)
*Charles Babbage, "Observations on the Application of Machinery to the Computations of Mathematical Tables", Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961, p. 311. (Originally: Memoirs if the Astonomical Society, 1822)
Charles Babbage, "On the Determination of the General Term of a New Class of Infinite Series". Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Scociety, Vol. 2, pp. 217–225, 1827 (written 1824).
Charles Babbage, Henry P. Babbage (ed.), "Excerpt from the Ninth Bridgewater Treatise," Babbage's Calculating Engines, 1889.

Mechanical Notation

*Charles Babbage, “Of the Mechanical Notation,” Passages from the Life of a Philosopher, 1864.
*Charles Babbage, "On a Method of Expressing by Signs the Action of Machinery," Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961, p. 346. (Originally: Philosophical Transactions, Vol. 2, 1826)
*Charles Babbage, "Laws of Mechanical Notation," Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961, p. 357. (Originally: Letter given away at the Exposition of 1851)

Stage 3: The Analytical Engine (approx. 1824–1871)

Charles Babbage and Luigi Menabrea, "On the Mathematical Principles of the Analytical Engine," Bibliothèque Universelle de Genève, 1842 (Originally in French, translated as a part of Sketch of the Analytical Engine from 1843).
*Charles Babbage, Luigi Menabrea, and Ada Lovelace, "Sketch of the Analytical Engine Invented by Charles Babbage,” Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961, p. 225. (Originally: Scientific Memoirs, 1843)
*Charles Babbage, “Of the Analytical Engine,” Passages from the Life of a Philosopher, 1864.
Charles Babbage, Letter to Quetelet, May 1835. (Reprinted as a preface to Sketch of the Analytical Engine from 1843.)
Charles Babbage, "On the Mathematical Powers of the Calculating Engine", The Origins of Digital Computers, 1973, p. 17. (Originally: Letter, 1837)
*Charles Babbage, “The Author's Further Contributions to Human Knowledge,” Passages from the Life of a Philosopher, 1864.
Charles Babbage, "Calculating Engines," Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961, p. 322. (Originally: The Exposition of 1851, 1851)
Henry P. Babbage, “The Analytical Engine”, Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961, p. 331. (Originally: Proceedings of the British Association, 1888)

Books that Include the Above Articles

*Charles Babbage, Passages from the Life of a Philosopher, 1864.
*Charles Babbage, Philip Morrison (ed.), Emily Morrison (ed.), Charles Babbage and his Calculating Engines, 1961.
Charles Babbage, Henry P. Babbage (ed.), Babbage's Calculating Engines, 1889.
Charles Babbage, Economy of Manufacturers and Machinery, 1833.
Brian Randell (ed.), The Origins of Digital Computers, 1973.
Charles Babbage, Essays on The Philosophy of Analysis (London: British Library, Additional MS 37202, around 1820s)
Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Scociety, Vol. 2, 1827.