[ 97 1 



XI. Life of AbVx All AM GoTiiELF Kastner, ProfeJ/or 

 of Mathemat'iQS at Qottingcn. 



j\., G. KASTNER, profcflbr- of mathematics at Gottin- 

 gen, was born at Leipfic on the 37th of September 1719. 

 His father, Abraham Kiiftner, maintained himfclf and family 

 by giving le^lures on different fubjeils relating to jurifpru- 

 dence; and his mother*s brother, Dr. G. R. Pommer, by 

 lc6luring on the pra6lical parts of the fame fcience. Both of 

 them, however, jiad more tafte for literary purfuits tlxan for 

 that from which they derived their fupport. The latter un- 

 derftood the French, Englifli, Italian, and Spanifli, and by 

 thefe means young Kadner had an opportunity of learning 

 thefe languages. Pommer poflcfied alfo a confiderable col- 

 leftion of books in thefe languages, and, as Kaftncr had 

 early acquired a tafte for reading, he made \\{q of it, as 

 well as of his father's library, as far as his talents would 

 admit. As it is impoffible to read much, even in hiftorical 

 events, whether real or feigned, without meeting with allu- 

 fions to the mathematical fciences ; Robinfon Crufoe having 

 fallen into -our young mathematician's hands, he learned 

 with great avidity the nautical terms which occur in that 

 popular romance, and of which an explanation is given in 

 the German trandation. 



In the year 1731, he attended the philofophical let'^.ures of 

 the celebrated Winkler, and next year itudicd mathematics 

 under G. F. Richter. At this period he purchafed at auc- 

 tions as many books as he could, and he received many as 

 prefents from his uncle. In regard to his knowledge of ge- 

 neral mathematics, he derived great benefit from the workjj 

 of Wolfe ; and he acquired a good notion of altronomy from 

 EraJ'nil Fninc/Jci Erojjhctcs hujlhnus dcr Ohn-tind Nieder- 

 JFt;lt, printed at Niirnberg in J676; a work which Kaltner 

 cpnfidercd as a compilation formed with great care ant] judg- 

 ment. 



Vol. IX. N In 



March 1801. 



