FOLKES (Martin)

, an English mathematician, philosopher, and antiquary, was born at Westminster about 1690; and was greatly distinguished as a member of the Royal Society in London, and of the Academy of Sciences at Paris. He was admitted into the former at 24 years of age; made one of their council two years after; named vice-president by Sir Isaac Newton himself; and, after Sir Hans Sloane, became president. Coins, ancient and modern, were a great object with him; and his last production was a book upon the English Silver Coin, from the Conquest to his own times. He died at London in 1754. Dr. Birch had drawn up materials for a life of Mr. Folkes, which | are preser<*>ed at large in the Anecdotes of Bowyer, p. 562. There are many memoirs of Mr. Folkes's in the Philos. Trans. from vol. 30 to vol. 46, both inclusive; viz, 1. Account of an Aurora Borealis, vol. 30.—2. Of Lieuwenhoek's curious Microscope, vol. 32.—3. On the Standard Measures in the Capitol at Rome, vol. 39.—4. Observations of three Mock-suns, vol. 40.—5. On the fresh-water Polypus, vol. 42.—6. On human bones petrisied, vol. 43.—7. On a passage in Pliny's Natural History, vol. 44.—8. On an Earthquake at London, vol. 46.—9. Ditto at Ke<*>sington, vol. 46.—10. Ditto at Newton, vol. 46.