GRAVESANDE (William James)

, a very celebrated Dutch mathematician and philosopher, was born at Bois-le-duc, Sept. 27, 1688. He studied the civil law at Leyden, but mathematical learning was his favourite amusement. When he had taken his doctor's degree, in 1707, he went and settled at the Hague, where he practised at the bar, and cultivated an acquaintance with learned men; with a Society of whom he published a periodical Review, entitled Le Journal Litteraire, which was continued without interruption from the year 1713 to the year 1722. The parts of it written or extracted by Gravesande were chiefly those relating to geometry and physics. But he en<*> riched it also with several original pieces entirely of his own composition; viz, Remarks on the Construction of Pneumatical Engines: A Moral Essay on Lying: And a celebrated Essay on the Collision of Bodies; which, as it opposed the Newtonian philosophy, was attacked by Dr. Clarke, and many other learned men.

In 1715, when the States sent to congratulate George the 1st, on his accession to the throne, Dr. Gravesande was appointed secretary to the embassy. During his stay in England he was admitted a member of the Royal Society, and became intimately acquainted with Sir Isaac Newton. On his return to Holland, he was chosen professor of mathematics and astronomy at Leyden; where he had the honour of first teaching the Newtonian philosophy, which was then in its infancy. He died in 1742, at 54 years of age.

Gravesande was a man amiable in his private character, and respectable in his public one; for few men of letters have rendered more eminent services to their country. The ministers of the republic consulted him on all occasions when his talents were requisite to assist them, which his skill in calculation often enabled him to do in money matters. He was of great service as a decypherer, in detecting the secret correspondence of their enemies. And in his own profession none ever applied the powers of nature with more success, or to more useful purposes.

Of his publications, the principal are.

1. An Introduction to the Newtonian Philosophy; or, a Treatise on the Elements of Physics, coasirmed by Experiments. This performance, being only a more| perfect copy of his public lectures, was first printed in 1720; and hath since gone through many editions, with considerable improvements: the 6th edit. is in English, in 2 large vols. 4to, by Dr. Desaguliers, in 1747, under the title of Mathematical Elements of Natural Philosophy, confirmed by Experiments.

2. A treatise on the Elements of Algebra, for the use of Young Students; to which is added a Specimen of a Commentary on Newton's Universal Arithmetic; as also, A New Rule for determining the Form of an Assumed Infinite Series.

3. An Essay on Perspective. This was written at 19 years of age.

4. A New Theory of the Collision of Bodies.

5. A Course of Logic and Metaphysics.

With several smaller pieces.

His whole mathematical and philosophical works, except the first article above, were collected and published at Amsterdam, in 2 vols. 4to, to which is presixed a critical account of his life and writings, by Professor Allamand.