y AN ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY MATHEMATICAL AND 



opusctila from oblivion, and to trace the steps by which he 

 qualified himself for the development of the theory of definite 

 proportions ; — the attempt must necessarily be imperfect, but 

 it is hoped that, notwithstanding its defects, it wijl be 

 favourably received by that society of which its subject was 

 so long the distinguished ornament. 



Tne late Dr. Dalton commenced his career as a philosopher 

 and mathematician in the Gentleman's Diary for 1783. He 

 was then in the seventeenth year of his age, and for about 

 two years previously had held the situation of usher in a 

 school conducted by his cousin, Mr. George Bewley, at 

 Kendal. The construction of triangles from given data en- 

 grossed a considerable share of the attention of English 

 geometers at this period, and algebraical and geometrical 

 solutions to two questions of this class formed the subject of 

 Mr. Dalton's first communication to this Diary. Neither of 

 these solutions, however, had the good fortune to obtain in- 

 sertion at length, but his name is preserved amongst those 

 whose investigations had been found to be correct, whilst the 

 nature of the questions themselves afford good evidence that 

 he had already begun to profit by the advice and instruction 

 of his friend and tutor, the late Mr. John Gough.* In 1784 

 Mr. Dalton's name appears amongst those who answered the 

 prize enigma in the Ladies* Diary for that year, and he also 



* Many of Mr. Gough's pupils have taken high degrees at Cambridge or 

 become otherwise distinguished. At different periods Dr. Whewell, Master 

 of Trinity, obtained the position of second wrangler ; Mr. Dawes, Tutor of 

 Downing College, that oi fourth wrangler; Mr. King, Tutor of Queen's College, 

 became senior wrangler; and Mr. Gaskin, Tutor of Jesus Collige, second 

 wrangler ; — all of whom were formerly under his tuition, Mr. Gough was 

 also an extensive contributor to the mathematical periodicals, and several of 

 his Memoirs on Natural Philosophy, &c., may be seen in the early volumes of 

 the Memoirs of this Society. 



