unprofitable philosophy of the schools, he applied himself to the study of the writings of Bacon, Des Cartes, Galileo, &c. and thus laid the foundation of his philosophic fame.

In 1648, he proceeded batchelor of arts, and the year following was elected fellow of his college. Barrow was a royalist; and conceiving the chances of preferment, either in church or state, much against men of his sentiments, he resolved to study physic, and accordingly made considerable progress in the sciences of anatomy, botany, and chemistry; though at the instance of his uncle he afterwards resumed theology. In 1652, he took the degree of master, and the year following was incorporated in that degree at Oxford.

Disappointed in an expectation of obtaining the Greek professorship, he determined to travel; and in 1655, set out for France, whence he proceeded to Italy, stopping some time at Florence, where he had an opportunity of perusing several books in the great duke's library. In November 1656, he took ship at Leghorn for Smyrna, whence he proceeded to Constantinople. Here he read the works of St. Chrysostom, once bishop of that

see, whom he preferred to all the other fathers. Having continued in Turkey above a year, he returned to Venice; and in 1659, to his own country, through Germany and Holland.

He now took orders, and in 1660, was elected Greek professor of the university of Cambridge. The year following he took the degree of batchelor in divinity; and in 1662 was elected professor of geometry in Gresham College, Not long after, he was offered a valuable living; but on the condition of teaching the patron's son. This, to his susceptible conscience, bordered too closely upon a simoniacal contract, and he refused it. In 1663, he was elected fellow of the Royal Society, being the first choice made by the council after their charter; and the same year was appointed first professor to a mathematical lecture founded by Mr. Lucas, who, for the more certain attainment of the objects of the institution, provided that ten written lectures should be annually left to the university, both by himself and his sucOf this professorship, he afterwards made a voluntary resignation to his illustrious friend sir Isaac Newton. After this he devoted himself entirely to theological studies; and in 1670, was created doctor of divinity by

cessors.

mandate. Two years after, he was appointed by the king master of Trinity College; on which occasion his majesty observed, that he had given it to the best scholar in England. Prior to this, however, he was one of the king's chaplains. In 1675, he was chosen vice-chancellor of the university. He died on the 4th of May 1677.

Dr. Barrow was a voluminous writer. Of his works, some were published in his life-time, and others after his death. Of the former, which are in Latin, and on mathematical subjects, the following is a tolerably correct list:

1. Euclidis Elementa; i. e. Euclid's Elements, 1655, Cambridge, 8vo. There were several other editions of this book, which comprises all the books of Euclid, demonstrated in a more compendious manner than had been before done. It was afterwards translated into English, and published at London, 1660, &c. Svo.

2. Euclidis Data; Euclid's Data; 8vo. 1657, Cambridge. In some following editions, this was subjoined to the elements.

3. Lectionis Optica 18, Cantabrigia in Scholis Publicis Habita, in quibus Opticorum Phe

nomenon Genuina Rationes Investigantur et Exponuntur; 4to, 1669, London. We are informed in the preface that Mr. Isaac Newton revised the copy, suggested several corrections, and made some additions of his own. An account of this book may be found in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 75, p. 2258, for September, 1671.

4. Lectiones Geometrica 13, in quibus Præsertim Generalia Linearum Curvarum Symptomata Declarantur, 4to. 1670, London. An account of this book is inserted in the abovementioned Transaction, p. 2260; with an addition of some Corollaries, communicated by the author, belonging to the second problem of his Third Appendix to the Twelfth Lecture. These lectures were first printed separately from the former upon optics; but afterwards, in the years 1672 and 1674, were published with them, though without the Corollaries just mentioned; whence it is probable they were not reprinted, but had only a new title-page prefixed.

5. Archimedis Opera, Apollonii Conicorum Libri Quatuor; Theodosii Sparica, Methodo novo illustrata, et succincte demonstrata, 4to, 1675, London. In the preface to this book,

we are told, that the Lemmata of Archimedes contained in it, now appear in Latin from two translations; the one by the learned John Gravius, published in 1659, with some animadversions by Mr. Samuel Foster, professor of astronomy at Gresham College; the other by Abraham Ecchellensis, published at Florence, with notes by the celebrated mathematician Alphonsus Borellus. An account of this work may be seen in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 114, p. 314, May, 1675. And the copy of all the books of Archimedes published in it, except the second book, De Equiponderantibus, the two books De Insidentibus Humido, the Lemmata, and the book, De Arena Numero, written in Dr. Barrow's own hand, in one octavo volume, and the four books of Apollonius in another volume in quarto, are reposited in the royal society,

His posthumous works in Latin were the following:

1. Lectio in quâ Theoremata Archimedis de Sphæra et Cylindro, per Methodum Indivisibi lium investigata, ac breviter demonstrata exhibentur, 12mo. 1678, London. This book, however, was written in English; but some time after the author's death, was translated