, the very learned successor of Bentley as master of Trinity college,
, the very learned successor of Bentley
as master of Trinity college, Cambridge, was born in 1689,
and educated at that college, where he took his degrees
of A. B. in 1711, A.M. in 1715, L L. D. in 1723, and
D. D. in 1739. Very little, we regret to say, is on record,
respecting Dr. Smith, who has so well deserved of the
learned world. He was mathematical preceptor to William
duke of Cumberland, and master of mechanics to his majesty, George II. It appears that he was maternal cousin,
of the celebrated Roger Cotes, whom he succeeded in 1716,
as Plumian professor at Cambridge, and afterwards succeeded Bentley as master of Trinity. He published some
of the works of his cousin Cotes, particularly his “Hydrostatical and Pneumatical Lectures,
” Complete systern of Optics,
” Harmonics,
or the philosophy of Musical Sounds,
”