92 
said to have been self taught, if we except some occasional 
assistance he received from Mr. Jeremiah Ainsworth, a well- 
known mathematician, then resident near Hollinwood. 
Though his days were occupied at the loom, he spent most 
of his leisure hours in reading all the works on science he 
could procure in that then thinly populated neighbourhood, 
so that at the time he arrived at manhood he was well 
acquainted with most of the writers on physical and mathe- 
matical subjects, and had made the works of Euclid, New- 
ton, Simpson, and Emmerson, his particular study. In 1807 
Mr. Wolfenden calculated the first Tide Table for the port 
of Liverpool, which was published by Mr. Lang in the 
Original Liverpool Almanack.” In this work he proposed 
and solved the following problem :* — “ Suppose the sun and 
moon in the equinoctial, and the ratio of their forces to 
raise the tides to be given, it is required to find, geometri- 
cally, their elongation when the interval or intercepted arc 
between the place of high water and the moon is the 
greatest possible.” 
The solution is founded on the lemma to proposition 58, 
“ Simpson’s Select Exercises,” and shows how much can be 
effected by geometry, when applied by a skilful hand. In 
a foot-note he informs his readers that Bernouilli and other 
writers on the theory of tides, make use of the fluxions in 
the investigation of this problem. 
The bust was given to Mr. Binney by Mr. Wm. Hadfield 
Bowers, of West Gorton, who received it from his father-in- 
law, Mr. Whitaker, an old friend of Mr. Wolfenden. 
On the motion of Mr. Bailey, seconded by Professor 
Keynolds, the thanks of the Society were voted to Mr. 
Binney for his donation of a bust of the late Mr. James 
Wolfenden. 
