56 ENGLISH MEN OF SCIENCE. [CHAP? 



family is an interest in various brandies of 

 science joined to a capacity for official work 

 and public action. 



First generation. Eev. Dr. Playfair, principal 

 of the university of St. Andrews, author of a 

 work on geography. 



Second generation. 4 males and 3 females, 

 of whom 3 males deserve notice : (1) George 

 Playfair, M.D., chief inspector-general of hospi- 

 tals in Bengal ; he was the head of his pro- 

 fession in India, and author of various medical 

 memoirs; (2) Colonel Sir Hugh Lyon Playfair, 

 who on his retirement from service pursued 

 life of incessant activity in public improvement 

 (numerous biographical notices were written 

 of him soon after his death) ; (3) Colonel 

 William Playfair, whose memory still lives in 

 India as one of the most accomplished ama- 

 teur actors. 



There were two cousins in this generation, 

 the one a very distinguished man, Professor 

 Playfair, the celebrated mathematician, and 

 author of the " Huttonian Theory," the other 

 was Mr. Playfair, an architect of much eminence, 



