84 Memoir of John Napier, 



divided into half-barbarous tribes, lived in a succession of 

 wars, and perpetual robbery, in consequence of the inter- 

 minable quarrels of their savage chiefs. The royal autho- 

 rity, incapable of producing peace in these hereditary con- 

 flicts, was only, in the eyes of the ambitious vassals, an 

 instrument of dominion and of fortune. We may add to 

 these, the reformed religion, which was now extending itself, 

 embraced by some from sincere conviction, but by a great 

 number from interest and fanaticism, while contrary senti- 

 ments and interests conspired with equal force to obstruct 

 its introduction. At such a period, and in such a country, 

 it is not remarkable that, after two centuries, no trace of 

 the early history of a child should remain, notwithstanding 

 the high distinction which he attained in manhood. 



Thus, notwithstanding the most active research, the 

 Scotch biographer has only been able to discover some vague 

 unimportant indications of the education of young Napier, 

 and, in order to fill up this void, he throws in a number of 

 tedious digressions, relating, for example, the more or less 

 doubtful biography of six or seven Napiers of Merchiston, 

 who preceded the author of the logarithms in direct line ; 

 their fortunes, the alliances, political transactions, whether 

 commercial, military, or civil, in which they took part ; and, 

 as is customary in Scotland, we find mention made of parents 

 of persons who then enjoyed great distinction; among others, 

 of the famous Bothwell, who married Mary Stuart by such 

 violent means ; the author gives the bistory of Mary, Both- 

 well, and Darnley, while Louis XL, Charles le Temeraire, 

 figure in these digressions ; and even certain persons are 

 more strangely associated with such materials as .the page 

 Quentin Durward and the Abbe de la Deraison. Then, as 

 young Napier appears to have passed some years at the 

 University of Saint Andrews, we have a history of the Uni- 

 Aersity, or rather, of the principal persons of the time who 

 were educated there. From all this, we can only learn that 

 the inventor of the logarithms was descended from a rich, 

 old distinguished family, which had taken an inevitable but 

 reserved and prudent share in the political affairs of the 

 time. Born at the castle of Merchiston in 1550, Napier 

 entered the University of Saint Andrews in 1563, which he 

 left some years afterwards for the purpose of travelling on 



