On July 1, 1998, Sherman Stein asked:
"Does anyone know who said something like "I would welcome
Archimedes as a colleague?" I would like to know the exact
reference. Perhaps it was G. H. Hardy."
Antreas P. Hatzipolakis replied:
"It was J. E. Littlewood"
and provided the following reference:
"The Greeks were the first mathematicians who are still 'real'
to us to-day. Oriental mathematics may be an interesting
curiosity, but Greek mathematics is the real thing. The Greeks
first spoke a language which modern mathematicians can understand;
as Littlewood said to me once, they are not clever schoolboys
or 'scholarship candidates', but 'Fellows of another college'."
[ G.H. Hardy, _A Mathematician's Apology_, in chapter 8. ]
Since Hardy wrote this passage almost 60 years ago, right now I am naively
wondering whether this passage has passed the test of time.
Reactions and comments would be appreciated!
With best regards,
Julio