HUT 



383 



H U Y 



Natural Philosophy." They bore some resemblance to 

 tliMe of Boscovich, though somewhat different, and 

 seem to have been with Dr Huttun altogether original. 

 ifil a more voluminous work, enti- 

 . -tigntinn of die Principle t of Knowledge 



an 



,1 the Procrest of Reason from Sense to Science and 

 three ito volumes. Hii leading idea 

 was, mat mauer is an assemblage of powers ; that our 

 ideas of external substances hare no resemblance to the 

 causes which pnxltice them ; and consequently that the 

 .u conceived by us, is entirely the creation of the 

 mind it*lf acted on by unknown external causes. 



In 1T;)J, Dr Hutton was seized with a severe and 

 d ir^i-p'U" :!1'H ; - tr-nii :< retcnt: MI ot" urine. When he 

 its severest symptoms, he continued hii 

 literary occupations. It was then that be prepared the 

 work last mentioned fur publication. He was also now 

 called on to defend his doctrine, on the theory of the 

 earth from the arguments <>: Mr Kirn an, published m 

 the Transactions of the Iri.h Academy, especially as 

 these were accompanied by sane sr.i presentations 

 which it was incumbent on li **e, and some 



charges of an odious tendency wiiich it was necessary to 

 repel. It was only now that he began to publish bis 

 theory of the earth iu a scpara^ state, as it had hither- 

 to been but partially unfolded in a variety of papers. 

 He | -olunie*) in 1795, and a third 



t behind in manuscript. 



Alt c published hi* " Elements of Agricul- 



ture," and eminently contributed by this nubhrsjUisj, 

 as he had done by hi* former example, to give an ssn- 

 pulw to the progreas of that important art. 



r this he suffered under a renewed and very se- 

 vere attack of his compUint ; and in |- -o and 



: ength was greatly reduced, and his cormtitutioa 

 broken. ; ine!t m read- 



ing and writing. Sau*un- * (ravels among the Alps, 

 which at this time were newly published, furnished 

 ith high entertainment, om^nial with the favoo- 

 rite scientific amusemenU of his life. On Saturday the 

 t March iffereU much pain, but comb- 



! to make some efTuru in study. In the 

 of that day, his complaiut iacrcaaed in a 

 manner, and carried him off before 

 1 medical attendant to ai . 



! mbtedly a man powerfully qualified 

 e science. It is reckoned by some persons 

 a reflection on tliu Memory of any pbssosopsMr, to 

 have been the author of a tltaory of the earth. But 

 we have already observed, that socfe persons are not 

 aware of the engaging nature of ssjch spjcuhstiuns to 



to suppose, that enthusiasm in favour of one system is 

 in any degree necessary to keep up the spirit of science. 

 Such an enthusiasm partakes ot" intemperance ; the ac- 

 tivity to which it gives birth is of a spuri.'ii- eomplec- 

 tion, and is not of that kind which promises gr 

 durability. Dr Hutton's private character was highly 

 amiable. Hi- manner* were simple, but his com 

 tion was animated. A combination of sincerity and ar- 

 dour gave a charm to his company in the eyes of all his 

 learned friend*, though he was not formed on such a 

 model as to fit him for gay or general society, \\hich 

 he did not relish or in any degree cultivate. His ex- 

 i explaining I iencc 



remarkably clear and forcible, and would not have 

 led his friends to expert so much obscurity as is found 

 in some of hi- wr.tni<;. For an interesting view of his 

 character and pursuits, we refer to the account of him 

 published in t!,. me of the Trantnctimis of the 



Satiny 1 1 L'dirJiHi!: 1 ', from the j>en of his friend 



time was allowed 



a pi 



J sad attentive mint, to which 

 of ambition to throw a 



natural object 



ul im*u : 



it ss a 



!"'" 



Sen* 



lly, and have embraced 

 hM <it I iutlon, have 

 reflediaa* on the 



befahop thanselvca little sesMihle of the 

 . rture of all tueh r*eul*iuns, and thus fur- 







opponents. I lu- uiv.,ry , t' the earth 

 should be acknowledged to be as yet an entspaatic do- 

 : tW variosja aKsuipta which 

 l*cn made to salve iu <limctdiiea, both those of 

 ite should be allowed their rc- 

 while the detects of each 



KM 



: ' o-^ 



I limns. 



abstract ha* beei 



Hi 



and natural phil 

 14th Apr: 

 gens. Lord of '/. 

 seaotasy and ci 

 the house of O 

 only a poet but 

 ticular pleasure 

 the earl 

 for 



hat source the present short 



( II. /).) 



1 1 VN, .1 celebrated mathematician 

 r, was born at the Hague on the 

 ras the son of Constant ine Hu\- 

 '.ichem, who had acted as 

 r to three successive princes of 

 Constantine Huy pens wns not 

 I mathematician, nnd took par- 

 I instruction of his son, who, at 

 age of thirteen, exhibited an ardent passion 

 taming, and was constantly occu- 



pied in examining all the machines and ptecei of 



the 



p* 







sixteenth year of his age he went to the u 

 i, to study law, under Professor 

 ha still pursue. I his mathematical studie*. in which he 

 was assisted by the learited Profe*or >. the 



commentator of Descartes. After remai 

 at I.r\drn, he prosecuted his stu 

 airy of lireda, 

 SJMI placed under the 

 1640, he trarelle. 



IBjg .1 y ir 

 the univer- 

 estabfisbed, 

 of his father. In the 

 itein ami k, in 



the suite of Henry, Count of Nassau ; bur, . -. :,-..; 

 thaebvrt stay whieh that prince was to m.. 

 he was prevented from visiting Descart' len, 



an object which he was very anxious to arcotnplih. 



In the yrar Idil. he began his career as an author, 

 by publishing a refutation of the famous work ' 

 jjwry Si ViMes*, ettiitlr.) (l/nti GrnrnetHnm 

 rm ctrcmli tt an-hiosjsjas Cswt. Htnrgrn*' rr; 

 is considered M a sasJll of distinctness and \,r 



nli: Jed Kntmril qvdnjt<rr ,-<,!, /'. Crrg. A 

 t't*cf*lto, 4to. He ^>ur)li*hrl, in the same 

 r, his Ttmrrmala Af rtmc/i ft kyjtrrkolir f}narir>]/u- 

 rat and in I65f appeared hi* ingenious work, 

 Ituliie insvi 



1 be equally krpt in view. It U a 



idea 



JOe drruli ma/fniltuiine inrf*tf nota, arcsditnt ; 



tarn oissrsiWsnn iUudrtmm cwM/rwfio. - I 



travelled into France, and took oat his degree of 1 )nc- 



tar of Laws at the university of Anjrr*. 



ject of the calculation ot* probabilities, which h i-l (><en 



syoeeasfsJlv begun by Pascal and Permit, and which 



has rerrwtly b^en so much advancril ' i > I 



occupied the attention of Hnygens, who devetnped the 



principles of the science in his treatise ZV . 



M Isula Alfte, which appeared in |i' 17. In the same 



year he printed his limit nrilvlin rl>- t 



rum md MPi*Wa/ LtmfitmUne*. in which he described 



the model of a newly invented pendulum. In ! v. 



11 uy gens |ibishtd hii Syriema Satmrmmtm, rive tie 



