The rational mechanics of flexible or elastic bodies 1638 - 1788

1 We search the concepts and methods ) of the theory of deformable sonds from GALILEO to LAGRANGE. Neither of them achieved much in our subject, but their works serve as 2 termini: With GALILEO's Discorsi in 1638 our matter begins ) (for this is the history of mathematical theory), while LAGRANGE's Mechanique Analitique closed the mechanics of 1) There are three major historical works that bear on our subject.