José Anastácio da Cunha: a forgotten forerunner (Q1102929)

Brief biographical notice on the Portuguese military officer, free thinker, and mathematician da Cunha followed by a description of his ``Principios Mathematicos'' (printed 1790) where some version of the convergence criterion is stated verbally. See also \textit{J. V. Gonçalves} [Actas do Congresso do Mundo Portoguês 12, 123--140 (1940)] and \textit{A. P. Youschkevitch} [Rev. Hist. Sci. 26, 3--22 (1973; Zbl 0274.01021) and ibid. 31, 327--332 (1978; Zbl 0411.01008)].