EMERSON (William)

, a late eminent mathematician, was born in June 1701, at Hurworth, a village about three miles south of Darlington, on the borders of the county of Durham; at least it is certain that he resided here from his childhood. His father Dudley Emerson taught a school, and was a tolerable prosicient in the mathematics; and without his books and instructions, perhaps his son's genius, though eminently fitted for mathematical studies, might never have been unfolded. Beside his father's instructions, our author was assisted in the learned languages by a young clergyman, then curate of Hurworth, who was boarded at his father's house. In the early part of his life he attempted to teach a few scholars: but whether from his concise method (for he was not happy in explaining his ideas), or the warmth of his natural temper, he made no progress in his school; he therefore soon left it off; and satisfied with a moderate competence left him by his parents, he devoted himself to a studious retirement, which he thus closely pursued, in the same place, through the course of a long life, being mostly very healthy, till towards the latter part of his days, when he was much asflicted with the stone. Toward the close of the year 1781, being sensible of his approaching dissolution, he disposed of the whole of his mathematical library to a bookseller at York; and on May the 20th, 1782, his lingering and painful disorder put an end to his life at his native village; being near 81 years of age.

Mr. Emerson, in his person, was rather short, but strong and well made, with an open countenance and ruddy complexion, being of a healthy and hardy disposition. He was very singular in his behaviour, dress, and conversation. His manner and appearance were that of a rude and rather boorish country man; he was of very plain conversation, and indeed seemingly rude, commonly mixing oaths in his sentences, though without any ill intention. He had strong good natural mental parts, and could discourse sensibly on any subject, but was always positive and impatient of any contradiction. He spent his whole life in close study, and writing books, from the profits of which, he redeemed his little patrimony from some original incumbrance. In his dress he was as singular as in every thing else. He possessed commonly but one suit of clothes at a time, and those very old in their appearance. He seldom used a waistcoat; and his coat he wore open before, except the lower button; and his shirt quite the reverse of one in common use, the hind-side turned foremost, to cover his breast, and buttoned close at the collar behind. He wore a kind of rusty coloured wig, without a crooked hair in it, which probably had never been tortured with a comb from the time of its being made. A hat he would make to last him the best part of a life time; gradually lessening the flaps, bit by bit, as it lost its elasticity and hung down, till little or nothing but the crown remained.

He often walked up to London when he had any book to be published, revising sheet by sheet himself:— trusting no eye but his own was always a favourite | maxim with him. In mechanical subjects, he always tried the propositions practically, making all the different parts himself on a small scale; so that his house was filled with all kinds of mechanical instruments, together or disjointed. He would frequently stand up to his middle in water while sishing; a diversion he was remarkably fond of. He used to study incessantly for some time, and then for relaxation take a ramble to any pot-alchouse where he could get any body to drink with and talk to. The late Mr. Montagu was very kind to Mr. Emerson, and often visited him, being pleased with his conversation, and used often to come to him in the fields where he was working, and accompany him home, but could never persuade him to get into a carriage: on these occasions he would sometimes exclaim, “Damn your whim-wham! I had rather walk.” He was a married man, and his wife used to spin on an old-fashioned wheel, of his own making, a drawing of which is given in his Mechanics.

Mr. Emerson, from his strong vigorous mind and close application, had acquired a deep knowledge of all the branches of mathematics and physics, upon all parts of which he wrote good treatises, though in a rough and unpolished style and manner. He was not remarkable however for genius or discoveries of his own, as his works shew hardly any traces of original invention. He was well skilled in the science os music, the theory of sounds, and the various scales both ancient and modern; but he was a very poor performer, though he could make and repair some instruments, and sometimes went about the country tuning harpsichords.

The following is a list of Mr. Emerson's works; all of them printed in 8vo, excepting his Mechanics and his Increments in 4to, and his Navigation in 12mo. 1. The Doctrine of Fluxions.—2. The Projection of the Sphere, orthographic, stereographic, and gnomonical. —3. The Elements of Trigonometry.—4. The Principles of Mechanics.—5. A Treatise of Navigation on the Sea.—6. A Treatise on Arithmetic.—7. A Treatise on Geometry.—8. A Treatise of Algebra, in 2 books.—9. The Method of Increments.—10. Arithmetic of Infinites, and the Conic Sections, with other Curve Lines.—11. Elements of Optics and Perspective.—12. Astronomy.—13. Mechanics, with Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces.—14. Mathematical Principles of Geography, Navigation, and Dialling.—15. Commentary on the Principia, with the Defence of Newton.—16. Tracts.—17. Miscellanies.

Eminential Equation, a term used by some algebraists, in the investigation of the areas of curvilineal figures, for a kind of assumed equation that contains another equation Eminently, the latter being a particular case of the former. Hayes's Flux. pa. 97.