  Since its original publication in 1916 under the title "The Algebraic Theory
of Modular Systems", the book by F. S. Macaulay has attracted a lot of
scientists with a view towards pure mathematics (D. Eisenbud,...) or
applications to control theory (U. Oberst,...).However, a carefull examination
of the quotations clearly shows that people have hardly been looking at the
last chapter dealing with the so-called "inverse systems", unless in very
particular situations. The purpose of this paper is to provide for the first
time the full explanation of this chapter within the framework of the formal
theory of systems of partial differential equations (Spencer operator on
sections, involution,...) and its algebraic counterpart now called "algebraic
analysis" (commutative and homological algebra, differential modules,...). Many
explicit examples are fully treated and hints are given towards the way to work
out computer algebra packages.
