At the early age of nineteen, when other young men are attending the lessons of instructors, or dissipating their time in idle and extravagant amusements, Mr. Maclaurin was appointed, after a comparative trial of ten days, with a very able competitor, professor of mathematics in the Marischal College of Aberdeen.

During a vacation from the duties of his office, he took the opportunity of travelling to London, where he formed an intimacy with Dr. Samuel Clarke, and several other learned men, but above all, with Sir Isaac Newton, whose friendship he ever after esteemed the greatest honour and happiness of his life.

At this time he was also elected a fellow of the Royal Society, to whose transactions he contributed many va

luable papers; as he also did to the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris; one of which, on the percussion of bodies, obtained a prize in 1724.

The year following he was chosen professor of mathematics in the university of Edinburgh, chiefly by the recommendation and kind offices of Sir Isaac Newton.

Here there were generally above an hundred young gentlemen attending his lectures every year. These pupils he divided into four or five classes, in each of which he employed a full hour every day, from the 1st of November to the 1st of June: in the first or lowest class he taught the first six books of Euclid's Elements, plain trigonometry, practical geometry, mensuration, the elements of fortification, and an introduction to algebra. The second class.

studied algebra, the eleventh and twelfth books of Euclid, spherical trigonometry, conic sections, and the general principles of astronomy. The third class went on in astronomy and perspective, read a part of Sir Isaac Newton's principles of mathematical philosophy, and had a course of experiments for illustrating them performed and explained to them.

Those who composed the fourth class read a system of fluxions, the doctrine of chances, and the remainder of Newton's principles.

In 1742 he published his treatise on fluxions, a work which is superior to all praise. About this time we find. him engaged in promoting several public works of great utility; such as the building an astronomical observatory at Edinburgh; a plan for improving

the natural history and settling the geography of the Orkney and Shetland islands; and another for discovering a north-east passage to the South Seas.

But while he was thus employed, the rebellion broke out in Scotland in favour of the Pretender; and as Mr. Maclaurin had exerted himself in defence of the king and religion, as by law established, he was under the necessity of withdrawing to England when the rebels approached Edinburgh. He was hospitably entertained by the Archbishop of York, who had a great esteem for him, and kept up a regular correspondence with him after his return to Edinburgh.

Soon after this he fell dangerously ill of a dropsy, which disorder was heightened by the fatigue and agitation

he had undergone. Still he continued his favourite studies, and employed himself in finishing his excellent account of Sir Isaac Newton's philosophical discoveries. While he was dictating the conclusion of this work, in which he proves, in the noblest manner, the wisdom, power, goodness, and other attributes of the Deity, his amanuensis observed a remarkable alteration in his voice and manner, No pulse could then be felt, and his hands and feet were already cold. Notwithstanding this extremely weak condition, he sat in his chair and conversed with his friend Dr. Monro, with his usual serenity and strength of reasoning, desiring the doctor to account for a phenomenon which he then observed in himself. Flashes of fire seemed to dart from his eyes, while in the mean time,