163 



TSCHUDI, GILLES. 



TUCKER, ABRAHAM. 



184 



simple methods are the most correct, he concluded that the modern 

 analysis might be dispensed with; and in 1701 he read in Paris, at a 

 meeting of the Academy, a ' Mdmoire ' containing rules for finding 

 the tangents to certain curves, together with investigations of their 

 rectifications and quadratures, agreeably to the method followed by 

 the ancients ; that is, without tho consideration of infinitesimal 

 quantities. At the commencement of the following year he read a 

 second 'Mdmoire' on the like subjects, with relation to those curves 

 which are called mechanical, and in this he affirms.'that the process 

 which he iused was applicable to curves of all kinds. The process 

 excited some notice at the time, and the observations made on it by 

 Bernoulli, L'H6pital, and other mathematicians will be found among 

 the Mdmoires which have been inserted in the volumes published by 

 the academy, but it now possesses only an historical interest. 



In 1686 and 1687 Tschirnhausen published at Amsterdam two 

 philosophical works, of which the first is entitled ' Medicina Corporis,' 

 and in this rules are delivered for preserving health. The other is 

 called 'Medicina Mentis.' It contains a development of the per- 

 ceptions of pleasure and pain in the mind, and of external objects by 

 means of the senses, but it constitutes chiefly a course of logic for 

 persons engaged in the study of the mathematical sciences. In this 

 work Tschirnhausen mentions the properties of a curve line which 

 has since borne his name. It is formed by dividing the quadrantal 

 arc of a circle, and the radius passing through one of its extremities, 

 into a like number of equal parts, and drawing lines through the 

 points of division in each respectively, parallel to one another. The 

 points of intersection are in the curve line. 



Tschirnhausen rendered considerable service to his country by the 

 discovery of a method of making porcelain similar to that which is 

 obtained from China. From this discovery arose the manufacture of 

 the Saxon porcelain. 



He died in October 1708, and was buried with pomp at one of his 

 own estates in Saxony, the king of Poland (Augustus), from respect to 

 his memory, defraying the expenses of the funeral. 



TSCHUDI, GILLES (in Latin JSgidius, Txchudus or Tschudius), is 

 regarded as the father of Swiss history. He was born in 1505, iu the 

 town of Glai-us, where his family, which ranked among the nobility 

 of the canton, had been long established. One of his early instructors 

 was Zwinglius, afterwards tho eminent reformer ; and at a later date 

 he studied at Basel under Glareanus, the poet and scholar of Erasmus. 

 Having accompanied Glareanus to Paris, he remained in that city till 

 1530, when he returned home ; and the rest of his life, with the excep- 

 tion of the space from 1541 to 1549, when he is stated to have been 

 employed iu the service of France (but in what capacity is not ex- 

 plained), was spent in filling the successive offices of the magistracy in 

 his native state, of which he rose to be Landammaun, or governor, in 

 1558. Tschudi employed the authority of his station and his personal 

 influence in moderating the heats excited among his countrymen by 

 the religious contentions of the time, but remained himself a member 

 of the Roman Catholic Church till his death in 1572. He is the author 

 of numerous works, the greater part of which however still remain in 

 manuscript. In 1538 (not 1530, as stated in the ' Biographic Uni- 

 verselle ') appeared iu a small quarto volume at Basel, a geographical 

 account of Switzerland, in Latin, by Tschudi, under the title of 

 ' Aegidii Tschudi Claronensis, viri apud Helvetios clarissimi, de prisca 

 ac vera Alpina Rhaetia, cum caetero Alpinarum gentium tractu, nobilis 

 ac erudita ex optimis quibusque ac probatissimis autoribus Descriptio.' 

 But this is only a translation of Tschudi's work, which was probably 

 written in German, and which does not appear to have ever been 

 printed. The translator was Sebastian Miinster, who dedicates his 

 performance to Tschudi himself in a very encomiastic address, at the 

 end of which he seems to intimate that he was then a very young man 

 (' notius est hodie in orbe Munsteri nomen, quam ut ob incam iufan- 

 tiam a studiosis veniam petere anxie contendam '). Perhaps this was 

 a son of Sebastian Miiuster, the celebrated Hebraist, who himself was 

 nearly fifty by this time. A second edition of the book appeared, also 

 in quarto and at Basel, iu 1560, in the title of which (otherwise some- 

 what varied) we have a peculiar spelling of the author's name ' autore 

 Aegidio Schudo Claroueuse' (sic). Appended to this edition is a table 

 of latitudes and longitudes, by the learned Conrad Lycosthenes, of 

 Ruffach (Rubeaquensis). Another work of Tschudi's, which tho 

 ' Biographic Universelle ' says was published in his lifetime, but not 

 by himself, is described as 'Cartes de la Suisse,' 1560 and 1595;' 

 being, we suppose, an atlas of Switzerland, but where published, or in 

 what form or language, does not appear. For an account or list of 

 Tschudi's numerous writings still remaining in manuscript, and dis- 

 persed in the libraries of Zurich, St. Gall, Glarus, &c., we must refer 

 to his articl;-, by Usteri, in the ' Biographic Universelle,' which pro- 

 fesses to be compiled from a German Memoir of Tschudi, by Ilde- 

 phor.se Fuchs, published at St. Gall, in 2 vols. 8vo, in 1805. It is 

 however impossible to m;\ke out from that article in what language 

 some of these writings are composed. The most important work of 

 Tachudi's that has been printed is his Chronicle of Switzerland from 

 A.D. 1000 to 1470, which was published at Basel, in 2 vols. folio, in 

 173i and 1736, by Dr. Johann Rudolff Iselin (not J. B. Dselin, as in 

 'Biog. Univ.'), under the title of 'Aegidii Tschudii, gewesenen Lan- 

 dammanns zu Glarus, Chronicon Helveticum.' This work, which is in 

 German, enjoys the highest reputation and authority as one of the 



main foundations of Swiss history. A sequel, coming down to 1564, is 

 said to be extant in manuscript. Another treatise of Tschudi's, which 

 the ' Biographic Universelle' calls his classic work, is said to have been 

 published at Constance in 1758, by Jacques Gallati, under the title of 

 ' Description de 1'ancienne Gallia Comata,' but in what language it is 

 written is not stated. Wo doubt if this be anything more thau a 

 French translation of his Description of Switzerland, already mentioned. 



TUCKER, ABRAHAM, a distinguished metaphysician, was descended 

 from a Somersetshire family, and was born ou the 2nd of September 

 1705. His father was an eminent merchant in London, who amassed 

 a large fortune, and died in his son's infancy, leaving him to the 

 guardianship of a maternal uncle, Sir Isaac Tillard. " Of the memory 

 of this relation," says Sir Henry Mildmay, in his biographical eketcli 

 prefixed to his edition of the ' Light of Nature Pursued,' " Mr. 

 Tucker to the latest hour of his life never failed to speak with extreme 

 affection and gratitude, frequently observing that he was indebted for 

 every principle of honour, benevolence, and liberality which he pos- 

 sessed to the indefatigable pains and bright example of his uncle." 

 Tucker was sent to a school at Bishop's Stortford, and in 1721 entered 

 as a gentleman commoner at Merton College, Oxford. During his stay 

 at Oxford he devoted himself chiefly to metaphysical and mathematical 

 studies, but found time also to make himself master of the French, 

 and Italian languages, and to cultivate a natural taste for music into 

 very considerable skill. About 1724 he went to the Inner Temple, 

 " where for some time," Sir Henry Mildmay informs us, " he applied 

 very closely to the law, in which he acquired such a degree of know- 

 ledge as enabled him to conduct with advantage the management of 

 his own affairs, and frequently to render very essential service to his 

 friends and neighbours ; but his fortune not requiring the aid of a 

 profession, to the pursuit of which neither his constitution iior Lis 

 inclination was adapted, he was never called to the bar. While he 

 continued at the Temple, he commonly passed the vacations in tours 

 through different parts of England or Scotland, and once made a 

 summer excursion into France and Flanders." 



In 1727 Mr. Tucker purchased Betchworth Castle, near Dorking, 

 with an extensive estate attached. He immediately applied himself to 

 the study of agriculture, and, "with his usual industry, he committed 

 to paper a great variety of remarks which he either had made himself, 

 collected from his neighbours and tenants, or selected from different 

 authors, both ancient and modern, who have treated on rural economy." 

 In 1736 he married Dorothy, daughter of Edward Barker, Esq., of 

 East Betchworth, cursitor baron of the exchequer and receiver of the 

 tenths. He had two daughters by this lady, who died in 1754. Tho 

 eldest daughter, Judith, survived her father, and died unmarried in 

 1795. Dorothea Maria, the younger, married, in 1763, Sir Henry 

 Pauleb St. John, Bart., and was the mother of Sir H. P. St. John Mild- 

 may, who assumed the name of Mildmay on a marriage with an 

 heiress of that name, and who edited the ' Light of Nature Pursued, 1 

 and wrote the sketch of his grandfather's life, from which we have 

 quoted. 



Tucker felt the loss of his wife very severely, and occupied himself 

 for some time in twice transcribing all the letters he had ever received 

 from her. He then applied himself to educate his daughters, and 

 himself taught theiu French and Italian. In 1755 he put together and 

 arranged some materials which a friend had sent to him for the pur- 

 pose, and published them in a pamphlet, with the name ' The Country 

 Gentleman's Advice to his Son on the subject of Party Clubs.' Sir 

 Henry Mildmay says of this pamphlet, which is very scarce, and of 

 which he had with difficulty procured a copy, that it was not a party 

 production, but a general exhortation, addressed chiefly to young men, 

 against strong political feeling. We learn on the same authority that 

 Tucker kept quite aloof from politics, and having been often solicited 

 to be a candidate for the representation of Surrey, invariably refused. 

 " He was once only prevailed on to attend a county meeting at Epsom, 

 where party ran very high ; and though he took no active part iu the 

 proceedings there, he was introduced into a ludicrous ballad, where ho 

 is described with several other gentlemen of respectability and talent, 

 as confounded by the superior powers and eloquence of the Whigs of 

 that day, Sir Joseph Mawbey and Sir Humphrey Coates. This circum- 

 stance afforded to Mr. Tucker abundant matter for humorous animad- 

 version, and whenever politics were the subject of conversation he 

 seldom failed to advert to the ill success of his only essay iu public 

 life ; and was so much amused with the figure he made iu verse, that 

 he set the ballad to music." 



It was about the year 1756, according to Sir Henry Mildmay, that 

 Tucker began his great work ' The Light of Nature Pursued; ' at least 

 no papers relating to it were found of an earlier date. But the mate- 

 rials for that work must have been long in course of collection, and it 

 probably contains the results of the observation and reflection of a 

 whole life. "My thoughts," says Tucker of himself, "have taken a 

 turn from my earliest youth towards searching into the foundations 

 and measures of right and wrong ; my love for retirement has furnished 

 me with continual leisure, and the exercise of my reason has been my 

 daily employment. 1 ' When ho had determined upon composing his 

 work, we are told by Sir Henry Mildmay that " he made several 

 sketches of the plan for his work (one of which he afterwards printed 

 in the shape of a dialogue,) before he finally decided on the method 

 he should pursue ; and after he had ultimately arranged and digested 



