Life of John Henry Lambert. 335 



nomy and all other branches of the science of raathenaalics, 

 as well as with physic, physiology, theology ; yea, even with 

 jurisprudence, eloquence, poetry, and the Greek, Latin, 

 French, Itahan and German languages. His uncommon 

 talent for mathematics now displayed itself in a most con- 

 spicuous and decided manner. Pascal's example stimulated 

 him to invent an accounting machine, whilst the numerous 

 occasions he had for an accurate chronometer, actuated him 

 to invent a time-piece of mercury vv'hich went twenty-seven 

 minutes without causing the slightest error. Here he also 

 invented his logarithmic accounting-scales, and was like- 

 wise, by the error which one of his pupils had committed 

 in the solution of an algebraic proposition, occasioned to 

 turn his mind to the invention of a machine for designing 

 perspective dra\\'ings. He surveyed and made a drawing of 

 the country around Coire, and performed numerous physi- 

 cal observations in the mountains of that country. In 

 1 732 he began to keep a regular journal of his daily occupa- 

 tions, which he uninterruptedly continued to the end of his 

 life, and which is highly esteemed by the learned. A lite- 

 rary society being at that time instituted by the most emi- 

 nent men of learning at Coire, he was cliosen one of its 

 first members. In 1753 he was elected member of the Hel- 

 vetic society, the Transactions of which contain a great many 

 mathematical and physical treatises, communicated by him. 

 After having resided eight years at Coire, he i-.epaire'd with 

 his pupils in 1756 to the university of Gotting^en, where 

 he staid till autumn in 1 "57 ; when he, after having been 

 previously nominated a corresponding n^ember of the so- 

 ciety of sciences at that place, removed to Utrecht, where 

 he stayed a twelvemonth with his pupils. He made, during 

 his stay at Utrecht, several excursions to Levden, Hague 

 and Amsterdam, on one of which he became acquaimed 

 with the celebrated Muschcnbrock, who at first treated him 

 as a tyro in the science of physics, wJiich occasioned a very 

 laughable conversation, whilst he on another published his 

 first work: De la route ch la lumicre par les airs. In au- 

 tumn 1758 he went with his pupils to Paris, where he 

 gained the esteem and fr',-jndship of S. Alenibert and Mes- 

 sier, and from thence to Marseilles, where he first lighted 

 upon the idea of his perspective, which in the year follow- 

 ing was published at Zurich, He returned to Coire by way 

 of Turin, and in the following year to MiUilhausen, 

 whence he made an excursion to Augsburo-, wlicre he be- 

 came accjuaintcd with the celebrated phirosoj)hical iiistru- 

 iiicnt-muker, Brandcr, wlio afterwards was of great service 

 (J " to 



