3 88 Biographical Memoirs of 



teen adopted only becaufe he could not folve the problem in 

 the manner required of the clafs. 



Of the knowledge which Or. Robifon now pofieffes of 

 mathematical fcierrcb in all its branches I need fay nothing, 

 lihce 1 have been the irru rumen t of communicating fome va- 

 luable fpecimens of it to the public; but I know" that, even 

 yet, he delights milch more hi geometry than in any of the 

 modes of 'algebra, aligning, as the rcafon of his preference, 

 that in the longett demon!! ration the geometrician has always 

 clear and adequate ideas, which the mod expert algebraifi 

 can very felclom have. 



Dr. Dick, who had been conjoined with his father in the 

 profcvTbrfhip of natural philofophy, dying in the year 1757, 

 Mr. Robifon offered himfelf to the old gentleman as an inte- 

 rim affiftant; and, though then not nineteen years of age, he 

 had the honour to be recommended as fit for the office by Dr. 

 Adam Smith, afterwards fo well known by his celebrated work 

 on the Wealth of Nations. Profeflbr Dick, however, thought 

 him too young 5 but, acknowledging his merit, he joined with 

 Dr. Simfon in recommending him to Dr. Blair, prebendary 

 of Weftmi niter, whom they underftood to be inqueftofa 

 young man to go to fea with Edward duke of York, and read 

 mathematics with his royal highnefs and a young officer who 

 was to attend him as a companion. Though this employ- 

 ment had been declined by another gentleman, Mr. Robifon 

 embraced with eagernefs fo favourable an opportunity of 

 efcaping from the clerical profeflion, from which, though 

 defigned for it by his father, whom he revered, and could 

 not difobey, he had acquired an infuperable averfion. That 

 averfion arofe not, however, from any determination formed 

 by him to devote his life to the advancement of mathema- 

 tical fcience, and dill lefs from any diftike which he had 

 conceived to the ftudy of theology ; but from circumftances 

 which, though they did credit to his head and heart, wen; 

 fuch as would not intereft the public. No man, I believe, 

 has jufter notions of the importance of theological know r - 

 ledge, or a more iincere regard for the faithful minifters of 

 religion, than profefTbr Robifon; and certainly no man has 

 a more rooted abhorrence of hypocrify in all its forms. 



Without any very diftindt notion how he was to be em- 

 ployed, or what were to be the emoluments of his office, 

 .Mr. Robifon went to London in 1758. There he foon dif- 

 covered that the hopes with which he had been flattered, of 

 reading mathematics with the duke of York, were built upon 

 no other foundation than fome vague fcheme of Dr. Blair's* 

 in cafe his royal highnefs fhould go to fea the enfuing fum- 



mer; 



