Volume 6

General biography, or, lives, critical and historical of the most eminent persons of all ages, countries, conditions, and professions / chiefly composed by John Aikin and the late Rev. William Enfield.

  • Aikin, John, 1747-1822.
Date:
[1799-1851]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: General biography, or, lives, critical and historical of the most eminent persons of all ages, countries, conditions, and professions / chiefly composed by John Aikin and the late Rev. William Enfield. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    cuisbing many months, he died in 1759, “ Observations on the Comet of 1742;” va- when about sixty-one years of age. He was rious “ Academical Discourses,” pronounced unquestionably a man of very considerable in the French and Prussian Academies ; “ A abilities as a mathematician and philosopher ; Dissertation upon Languages“ The. Agree- but his acquaintance with literature in gene- ment of the different Laws of Nature, which ral was far from extensive. In conversation, have hitherto appeared incompatible;” a his head and his eyes were always in motion ; Treatise “upon the Laws of Motion;” a and as his physiognomy was very indifferent, Treatise “ upon the Laws of Rest;” “ Nau- and he affected a peculiarity and negligence tical Astronomy;” a Treatise “on the Pa- in his dress and manners, to strangers he ap- rallax of the Moon ;” “ Operations for de- peared a singular personage. The marquis termining the Figure of the Earth, and the de Villete says, that “ Maupertuis was a Variations of Gravity ;” “ The Measure of a fiery, but gloomy genius ; overbearing in Degree of the Meridian at the Polar Circle, company ; one of the most amiable men &c.” Fie was also the author of a great alive when all attention was paid to him, and multitude of interesting papers, which are every preference shown him ; but, as soon as inserted in the “ Memoirs” of the Academy his vanity was hurt, the austerity and melan- of Sciences at Paris, from 1724 to 1749, choly of his countenance suddenly betrayed and in those of the Academy at Berlin, the haughtiness of his disposition. It was from the year 1740 to 17.50. Nouv. Diet. nearly with this kind of expression that he Hist. Hutton's Math. Diet. Towers's Me- had his picture drawn; the head erect; a moirs of Frederic III., King of Prussia, vol. i. stern countenance, with one hand flattening p. 379, Note, second Edition.—M. the poles of the earth, and by this attitude MAURICE (Mauritius) emperor of the assuming the honour of a discovery which East, was born about 539 at Arabissus in belonged to Newton. Fie appears to have Cappadocia, of a family originally Roman, been a man of probitv, and of regular and He entered at an early age into the army, virtuous manners ; but his ideas of human and acquired so much reputation for valour life were very gloomy.” Lord Chesterfield and conduct, that the emperor Tiberius Con- had a high opinion of him. In one of his stantine placed him at the head of the army Letters to his son, who was about to make a sent against the Persian king Hormisdas. journey to Berlin, he says, “ I would have He gained two victories over the Persians, you endeavour to get acquainted with mon- and returning to Constantinople, was rc- sieur de Maupertuis, who is so eminently warded with the hand of the emperor’s daugh- distinguished by all kind of learning and ter, and the dignity of Ciesar. At the death merit, that one should be both sorry and of Tiberius, in 582, Maurice succeeded with- ashamed of having been even a day in the out opposition to the throne. The war with same place with him, and not to, have seen Persia was renewed with dubious success;, him.” And in another Letter, he says, “ Mon- but in the end, Hormisdas was deposed by sieur de Maupertuis is, what one rarely meets his own general Bahram or Varanes ; his with, deep in philosophy and mathematics, son Chosroes, by the assistance of Maurice, and yet honnete et aimable komme.” was placed on the Persian throne, and peace Maupertuis was the author of “ An Essay was restored between the two emperors. A on Cosmology;” “ A Discourse on the dif- nearer and more dangerous enemy next oc- ferent Figures of the Stars ;” “ An Essay on cupied the attention of Maurice. The Avars, Moral Philosophy ;” “ Philosophical Reflec- a barbarous tribe on the Danube, led by their tions upon the Origin of Languages, and the warlike chagan Baian, crossed the river and Signification of Words“Animal Physics, made incursions into Thrace. After endu- coneerning Generation, &c. “ A System ring their insolence some years, Maurice as- of Nature, or, the Formation of Bodies, &c.;” semblcd his army which had returned victo- “ Letters on various Subjects ;” “A Treatise rious from Persia, and led them out to op- en the Progress of the Sciences ;” “ Ele- pose the barbarians. The emperor himself, ments of Geography;” “ Account of the however, proceeded no further than seven Expedition to the Polar Circle, for deter- miles from the capital, and then returned to mining the Figure of the Earth, or, the Mea- assist the cause by his devotions, after he had sure of the Earth at the Polar Circle ;” “Ac- delegated the command to his brother Peter count of a Journey into the Heart of Lap- and other lieutenants. In the succeeding, land, in search of an ancient Monument;” actions, Priscus only of the Roman com-