Memoirs of the Life of Dr t Robifon, 349 



ravelling the mod complex and tedious intricacies of de- 

 duction, ftill more fteadv. 



Of antiknt mathemamicSj in all its parts, he was 

 foon a mafter; but, as it employs words for its figns in rea- 

 foning, as it ventures on few daring abbreviations and el- 

 lipfes in its chains of demonftration, as its forms are apt to 

 cumber and cramp the march of a vigorous mind in tracing 

 mathematical truth, as it is in many refpects ill-adapted to 

 thofe calculations and inquiries which the due profecution 

 of the modern difcoveries in aftronomy and other parts of 

 phyfics neceffarily demands, — it was, therefore, natural that 

 he mould earneftly proceed to the ftudy of a Syftem of Signs 

 for the ufe of mathematical reafoning, and of methods of ab- 

 breviation founded on the peculiar convenience of thofe figns, 

 which were much fitter to give due fcope to the intuitive 

 force and activity of reafoning powers like his. Algebra 

 engaged and pleafed him ftill more than the previous parts of 

 mathematics. He was efpecially delighted with that mode 

 of it, for the honour of whofe invention Newton and Leib- 

 nitz, with perhaps nearly equal claims, contended, and 

 which, by fubjecling the relations of infinite quantities and 

 magnitudes to Uriel mathematical eftimate, feems abfolutely 

 to exalt and enlarge the powers of man beyond the native 

 deftination of humanity. As he took a peculiar delight in 

 the ftudy of fluxions, fo he, of courfe, advanced in the 

 knowledge of them far beyond any of his fellovv-ftudents. 

 He purfued them eagerly in all their applications to the cal- 

 culations of aftronomy, of mechanics, and even of moral 

 probabilities. He contrived to employ them in the folution 

 of a variety of problems, in regard to which more prolix me- 

 thods of demonftration had been hitherto ufed. 



Nor was his proficiency confined to mathematics alone, 

 even at the time of his being the moft ardently devoted to 

 this ftudy. He excelled in the knowledge of thofe authors 

 who belong to the province of polite literature, in tafte to 

 difcern their beauties, and in fkill to enrich his mind with 

 the moral wifdom with which they are pregnant. He en- 

 tered deep into the ftudy of moral philofophy- He became 

 no mean proficient in that philofophy of public ceconomy 

 and legillation which at that time was with lingular fond- 

 nefs cultivated at Glafgow. To the profeflional ftudy of 

 theology, indeed, he became firft indifferent, and then 

 averfe; not, however, out of any fcepticifm couceming the 

 truths of chriftianity, but from that ftrong paflion which en- 

 gaged him to devote his whole life, if it were poflible, to the 

 advancement of mathematical fcience. 



The 



