An account of Sir Isaac Newton's philosophical discoveries : in four books / by Colin Maclaurin ; Published from the author's manuscript papers, by Patrick Murdoch.

  • Colin MacLaurin
Date:
1775
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of Sir Isaac Newton's philosophical discoveries : in four books / by Colin Maclaurin ; Published from the author's manuscript papers, by Patrick Murdoch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    His father died fix weeks after ; but that lofs was in a good meafure fuppiied to the orphan family, by the affec¬ tionate care of their uncle Mr. Daniel Maclaurin, minifter of Kilfinnan, and by the virtue and prudent oeconomy of Mrs. Maclaurin. After fome ftay in Argylejhire, where her fillers and fhe had a fmall patrimonial eflate, fhe re¬ moved to Dumbarton? for the more convenient education of her children : but dying in 170/3 the care of them de¬ volved entirely to their uncle. In 1709 Colin was fent to the univerfity of Glafgow, and placed under the care of one of the beft men, and moft eminent profeffors of this age, the learned Mr, Gerjhom Carmichael. Here he continued five years, applying him- felf to his ftudies with that fuccefs which might be ex¬ pected from parts like his, cultivated with the moft inde¬ fatigable care and diligence. We find, amongft his oldeft manufcripts, fragments of a diary in which he kept an ac¬ count of every day, and of almoft every hour of the day ; of the beginning and fuccefs of every particular ftudy, en¬ quiry or inveftigation : of his converfations with learned men, the fubjedts of them, and the arguments on either fide. Here we read the names of Profeflor Carmichael, the celebrated Mr. Robert Simfon, Dr. fohnjlon, and feveral other gentlemen of learning and worth ; who all vied who Ihould moft encourage our young philofopher, by open¬ ing to him their libraries, and admitting him into their inoft intimate fociety and friendfhip. He could not, after¬ wards, find time to keep fo formal a regifter of his life, but we are aflured the habit never left him; and that every hour of it was continually filled up with fomething which he could review with pleafure. His genius for mathematical learning difcovered itfelf fo early as at twelve years of age, when, having accidentally met with a copy o% Euclid in a friend’s chamber, in a few days he became mailer of the firft fix books without any affiftance ; and thence, following his natural bent, made fuch a furprizing progrefs, that very foon after we find him engaged in the moft curious and difficult problems. Thus much is certain, that in his iixteenth year, he had already invented
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