92 PLAYFAIR. 



which he had fitted up for himself, and which proved the nursery of 

 the early mechanical genius of the present James Nasmyth, the 

 celebrated engineer. 



Soon after his return from Italy, Alexander Nasmyth married the 

 sister of Sir James Foulis of Woodhall Colinton, by whom he had a 

 family of three sons and five daughters, all of whom inherited more 

 or less their father's talents, while the eldest, Patrick, has acquired 

 a separate renown of no inconsiderable extent, for the beauty of his 

 landscapes. 



Alexander Nasmyth died in York Place, Edinburgh, at the age of 

 eighty-three, and was interred in the West Church burying-ground 

 of that city. English Cyclopaedia. London, 1857. Catalogue of 

 Gallery of Portraits of Inventors, <&c. } in the South Kensington Mu- 

 seum. 



JOHN PLAYFAIR, F.R.S. L. and E. 



PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. 



Born March 10, 1748. Died July 19, 1819 . 



John Playfair, a mathematician and philosopher of great eminence 

 and celebrity, was born at Benvie in Forfarshire, and was the eldest 

 son of the Rev. James Playfair, the minister of that place. Playfair 

 resided at home, under the domestic tuition of his father, until the 

 age of fourteen, when he entered the University of St. Andrew's, 

 where he became almost immediately distinguished, not merely for 

 his singular proficiency in mathematical learning, but also for the 

 extent of his general knowledge, the clearness of his judgment, and 

 the dignity and propriety of his conduct. A strong proof of his 

 capabilities at this time is given by the fact, that when Dr. Wilkie, 

 the professor of natural philosophy, was prevented by indisposition 

 from delivering the regular lectures, he used generally to delegate 

 the task of instruction to his youthful pupil, Playfair. 



In 1769 Playfair removed to Edinburgh, and while residing there 

 became acquainted with Adam Smith, Drs. Robertson, Matthew 

 Stewart, Black, and Hutton, with all of whom he continued on terms 

 of the utmost cordiality during the whole period of their lives. 



During the course of the year 1772, the death of his father 

 suddenly devolved upon Playfair the burden of supporting his family, 

 and compelled him in a measure to seek a livelihood by entering the 

 Church. Although he had been educated with a view to his enter- 

 ing this profession, for which he was in every way qualified, his 



