| Notes |
- 1 - John Napier was one of the most distinguished men of his time. He is best known for his invention of logarithms but was much more than just a mathematician.
In 1571 John Napier married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Stirling of Keir. She gave birth to his first son Archibald. Elizabeth died in 1579 and Napier married Agnes, daughter of Sir James Chisholm of Cromlix. She gave birth to five sons and five daughters.
2 - John Napier: a leading mind in modern mathematics 1550 - 1617 was a Gentleman farmer who discovered logarithms. Napier spent 20 years doing 7 million calculations by hand. His work helped resolve many astronomical and navigational problems.
SOME WOULD say John Napier is the founding father of all modern science. Debatable, yes, but it is clear that his creation of logarithms helped solve many scientific problems and for the first time placed a British thinker at the forefront of progressive mathematics.
Napier was born in 1550 near Edinburgh, the eldest son of Sir Archibald Napier, seventh Laird of Merchiston and who himself became a father at 16. John Napier entered St Andrews University at the young age of 13 but moved on before finishing his studies. He continued his education in Europe, possibly France and Italy, but no records can confirm his schooling.
Soon after returning to the Edinburgh area he married Elizabeth Stirling in 1571, by whom he had two children. Elizabeth died in 1579 of unknown causes. About two years later Napier married again, to Agnes Chisholm, a second cousin to both his first wife and his father. This marriage produced ten children, an equal number of sons and daughters.
Napier was indeed a family man who preferred to tend his land. He moved into his birthplace, Merchiston Castle, after his father died in 1608. It took another five years before Napier could rightfully claim the property and land, as his half-brother and half-sisters had sought unsuccessfully a share of the grounds before being rejected by the court. Once settled in to his Midlothian domicile, Napier never lived anywhere else.
Napier took the task of being a laird quite seriously and applied his intellect and skills to many different projects. He is said to have experimented with the use of manures and discovered the value of common salt for the purpose of tending to the farm. In addition, Napier invented a hydraulic screw and revolving axle to clear water from flooded coal pits. King James VI of Scotland granted Napier a monopoly for making, erecting and working these machines.
When not watching over his land, taking care of his family or developing mathematical calculations, Napier devoted a good deal of time to challenging the beliefs of Catholicism while espousing fanatically about his Calvinist Protestant religion. Napier developed his passion for theology from his university days at St Andrews. It was not until 1594, five years after starting work on it, that he released Plaine Discovery of the Whole Revelation of St John, an attack on Rome aimed at "preventing the apparent danger of Papistry arising within this island." The book was translated in several languages and revised over the years.
Napier called his mathematical works a hobby even though his findings were seen as historic breakthroughs. A contemporary of Galileo, Napier conceived the idea of logarithms in 1594, although the name he used was "artificial numbers". He spent the next 20 years doing seven million calculations by hand – including introducing decimal equivalents to fractions - before he perfected his system. He published his results – including a table of logarithms - in 1614, giving the world a method of quickly solving complex mathematical problems.
His work opened the doors to resolving many scientific questions, particularly in astronomy and navigation. The results, demonstrated by German mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler, showed that the Earth was not at the centre of the universe but revolved around the sun. Kepler, a contemporary of Napier's, was able to reduce his observations and make his breakthrough which then underpinned Isaac Newton's theory of gravitation.
Napier said he hoped his logarithms would save mathematicians time and free them up from the "slippery errors" of calculations. French astronomer Pierre-Simon Laplace, some 200 years later, agreed when he said, "shortening the labours doubled the life of the astronomer".
In an appendix to his final works, in 1615, Napier described a method by which he could use metal plates in a box to more rapidly perform multiplication and division problems. This is the earliest known attempt at using a type of calculating machine.
Napier died on 3 April 1617 of complications from gout, too soon to have received substantial reward or recognition from his work, but he nonetheless produced some of the most important contributions to the advancement of knowledge. The Merchiston land where Napier lived most of his life is now home to a school of higher learning, Napier University.
[http://heritage.scotsman.com]
3 - John Napier was born in 1550 in the Tower of Merchiston, near Edinburgh, Scotland. His father, Archibald Napier, was knighted in 1565 and was appointed Master of the Mint in 1582. His mother, Janet Bothwell, was the sister of the Bishop of Orkney. Napier's was an important family in Scotland, and had owned the Merchiston estate since 1430.
Napier was educated at St Salvator's College, graduating in 1563. He was just 13 years old when his mother died and he was sent to St Andrew's University where he studied for two years where he gained his interest in theology. He did not graduate, however, instead he left to travel around Europe for the next five years. During this time he gained knowledge of mathematics and literature, however it is not known where he studied.
Upon returning to Scotland, Napier devoted himself to his estate and his religion. Napier married his first wife, Elizabeth, in 1572 and they moved to their castle in Gartness in 1574. Together they had a son, Archibald, and a daughter, Jane, however Elizabeth died shortly after Jane was born. Napier later married Agnes Chisholm who bore five sons and five daughters. John Napier died on April 4th, 1617 at the age of 67.
4 - June 7 1596
Napier, still brooding over the dangers from popery, devised at this time certain inventions which he thought would be useful for defending the country in case of invasion. One was a mirror like that of Archimedes, which should collect the beams of the sun, and reflect them concentratedly in one 'mathematical point,' for the purpose of burning the enemy's ships. Another was a similar mirror to reflect artificial fire. A third was a kind of shot for artillery, not to pass lineally through an enemy's host, destroying only those that stand in its way, but which should 'range abroad within the whole appointed place, and not departing furth of the place till it had executed his [its] whole strength, by destroying those that be within the bounds of the said place.' A fourth, the last, was a closed and fortified carriage to bring harquebussiers into the midst of an enemy— a superfluity, one would think, if there was any hopefulness in the third of the series. 'These inventions, besides devices of sailing under the water, with divers other stratagems for harming of the enemies, by the grace of God and work of expert craftsmen, I hope to perform." So wrote Napier at the date noted in the margin. Sir Thomas Urquhart describes the third of the devices as calculated to clear a field of four miles' circumference of all living things above a foot in height: by it, he said, the inventor could destroy 30,000 Turks, without the hazard of a single Christian. He adds that proof of its powers was given on a large plain in Scotland, to the destruction of a great many cattle and sheep— a particular that may be doubted. 'When he was desired by a friend in his last illness to reveal the contrivance, his answer was that, for the ruin and overthrow of man, there were too many devices already framed, which if he could make to be fewer, he would, with his might, endeavour to do; and that therefore, seeing the malice and rancour rooted in the heart of mankind will not suffer them to diminish, the number of them, by any concert of his, should never be increased.'
6 - JOHN NAPIER (1550-1617)
James VI's reign saw a remarkable leap forward in the field of mathemat-ics when John Napier, 8th Laird of Merchiston, made an nit standing con-tribution to the scientific world with his formulation of logarithms.
Born in Merchiston (now a suburb of Edinburgh), Napier lived in a castle that still stands today within the cam-pus of Napier University. He was edu-cated at St Andrews, where he matric-ulated at 13, before furthering his studies in Europe.
David Maxwell, in Bygone Scotland (1894), writes of Napier's work:
Logarithms are prepared tables of numbers, by which complex problems in trigonometry, and the tedious extraction of roots, can be performed by the simpler rules of arithmetic. Napier also invent- ed the present notation of decimal fractions. Time and labour were instantly saved in many fields. In the art of navi-gation they enable the mariner, who may be unskilled in mathematics, to work out the most intricate calculations. In all ves
sets on the open seas when observations could be taken, in all mathematical schools and astronomical observatories. logarithms were in daily use.
... the estimate by scientists of Napier's invention is, that it ranks amongst British contributions to science, second only to Newtons Principia. Kepler of Wurttemberg, the celebrated German astronomer (1571-1630), regarded Napier as oe of the greatest men of his age . . . the only name which can be placed alongside the names of Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Kepler and Galileo.
[ An Illustrated History of Scotland by Elisabeth Fraser pub. 1997 ]
7 - On the 4th of February 1602, the pestilence was in Edinburgh, and the Court of Session was obliged in consequence to rise. Birrel notes: 'The 19 of February, John Archibald with his family were taken out to the Burrow-muir, being infectit with the pest.' Probably others immediately followed. This circumstance brings before us the celebrated John Napier, younger of Merchiston, who, on the 11th of March, complained to the Privy Council that the magistrates having ploughed up and turned to profitable service the place where they used formerly to lodge people infected with the pest, had on this occasion planted the sick in certain yards or parks of his at the Scheens, without any permission being asked. The magistrates did not come forward to defend themselves; nevertheless, the Council, considering the urgency of the demands of the public service, ordained that the lands in question should be left in the hands of the magistrates till next Candlemas, on terms to be agreed upon.
8 - Sep 1 1608
It was reported to the Privy Council that a quarrel had arisen between John Napier of Merchiston, and the sons and daughters of the late Sir Archibald Napier of Edinbellie, regarding the right to the teind sheaves of the lands of Merchiston for the crop of the present year. 'Baith the said parties,' says the record, 'intends to convocate their kin, and sic as will do for them in arms, for leading [home-bringing], and withstanding of leading, of the said teinds; whereupon further inconvenients are like to fall out.' To prevent breach of the peace, William Napier of Wrightshouses, a neutral person, was ordered to collect the teind sheaves of Merchiston, and account to the Council.— P. C. R. 'Whilk order,' says John Napier, 'is guid eneuch for me, and little to their contentment;' that is, to the contentment of his Edinbellie relatives.
This, it must be owned, is a new light in which to view the inventor of the logarithms. It is, however, worthy of observation, that a dispute between other parties on the same grounds is described in precisely similar terms, and the same arrangement made to preserve the peace.
9 -1614
In this year, a small volume was printed and published by Andro Hart of Edinburgh, under the title of Mirifici Logarithmorum Canonis Descriptio, &e., Auctore et Inventore Joanne Napero, Barone Merchistonii, Scoto. This was a remarkable event in the midst of so many traits of barbarism, bigotry, and ignorance; for in Napier's volume was presented a mode of calculation forming an essential pre-requisite to the solution of all the great problems involving numbers which have since been brought before mankind. John Napier is believed to have been engaged in the elaboration of his Logarithms for fully twenty years, while at the same time giving some of his time to such inventions as burning-glasses for the destruction of fleets, to theological discussions; and the occult sciences. The tall, antique tower of Merchiston, in which he lived and pursued his studies, still exists at the head of the Burgh-moor of Edinburgh.
Napier's little book was published in an English translation by Henry Briggs of Oxford, the greatest mathematician of his day in England. The admiration of Briggs for the person of Napier was testified in the summer of 1615 by his paying a visit to Scotland, in order to see him. Of this rencontre there is a curious and interesting account preserved by William Lilly in his Life and Times. "I will acquaint you,' says he, 'with one memorable story related unto me by John Man, an excellent mathematician and geometrician, whom I conceive you remember. He was a servant to King James I. and Charles I. When Merchiston first published his Logarithms, Mr Briggs, then reader of the astronomy lectures at Gresham College in London, was so surprised with admiration of them, that he could have no quietness in himself until he had seen that noble person whose only invention they were. He acquaints John Man therewith, who went in [to] Scotland before Mr Briggs, purposely to be there when these two so learned persons should meet. Mr Briggs appoints a certain day when to meet at Edinburgh; but failing thereof, Merchiston was fearful he would not come. It happened one day, as John Marr and Lord Napier were speaking of Mr Briggs, "Oh! John," saith Merchiston, "Mr Briggs will not came now." At the very instant, one knocks at the gate. John Marr hasted down, and it proved to be Mr Briggs, to his great contentment. He brings Mr Briggs into my lord's chamber, where almost one quarter of an hour was spent, each beholding other with admiration, before one word was spoken. At last Mr Briggs began: "My lord, I have undertaken this long journey purposely to see your person, and to know by what engine of wit or ingenuity you came first to think of this most excellent help unto astronomy— namely, the Logarithms; but, my lord, being by you found out, I wonder nobody else found it out before, when, now being known, it appears so easy." He was nobly entertained by the Lord Napier; and every summer after that, during the laird's being alive, this venerable man went purposely to Scotland to visit him.'
As Napier (whom Lilly erroneously calls lord) died in April 1617, Mr Briggs could not have made more than one other summer pilgrimage to Merchiston.
10 - July 1594
Robert Logan of Restalrig is one of the darkest characters of this bloody and turbulent time. A few years later, he was plotting with the Ruthvens of Gowrie for an assault upon the king. His residence, as is well known, was a fortalice perched on an almost inaccessible crag overhanging the waves of the sea, with black cliffs above, below, and nearly all round- perhaps the most romantically situated house in our ancient kingdom. Here, it is known, Logan had Bothwell for his occasional guest.
In July of this year, Logan entered into a contract with John Napier of Merchiston, proceeding upon the fact of 'diverse auld reports, motives, and appearances, that there should be within the said Robert's dwelling-place of Fast Castle a sowm of money and pose, hid and huirdit up secretly? John Napier undertook that he 'sall do his utter and exact diligence to search and seek out, and be all craft and ingyne that he dow [can], to tempt, try, and find out the same, and, be the grace of God, either sall find out the same, or than mak sure that nae sic thing has been there? For this he was to have a third of any money found. He was also to be convoyed back in safety to Edinburgh, unspoiled of his gains.
As Logan was competent to make simple mechanical search for the supposed treasure without the aid of a philosopher, there is much reason to believe that Napier designed to use some pseudoscientific mode or modes of investigation, such as the divining-rod, or the so-called magic numbers. The affair, therefore, throws a curious light on the state of philosophy even in the minds of the ablest philosophers of that age, the time when Tycho kept an idiot on account of his gift of prophecy, and Kepler perplexed himself with the Harmonices Mundi.
It is not known whether Napier did actually journey to the spray-beaten tower of Fast Castle, and there practise his craft and ingyne. Probably he did, and was disappointed in more ways than one, as, two years after, he is found letting a portion of his property to a gentleman on the strict condition that no part of it shall be sub-let to any one of the name of Logan.
10 - He was twice married. By his first wife Margaret the daughter of Sir James Stirling of Kier defcended of one of the oldest and most respectable gentlemen's families in Scotland, he had an only child Archibald his successor in his estates. By his second marriage with Agnes the daughter of Sir James Chisholm of Crombie he had five sons, John laird of Easter Tonie, Robert who published his father's works, the ancestor of the Napiers of Kilkrbigh in Stirlingshire, Alexander Napier of Gillets esq, William Napier of Ardmore and Adam of whom the Napiers of Blackstone and Craigannet in Stirlingshire are descended. His daughters were Margaret the wife of Sir James Stuart of Rossayth, Jane married to James Hamilton laird of Kilbrachmont in Fife, Elizabeth to William Cuninghame of Craigends, Agnes to George Drummond of Baloch, and Helen to the reverend Mr Matthew Basbane rector of the parish of Erskine in Renfrewshire.
(The New Annual Register, Or General Repository of History, Politics, and Literature for the Year 1788, Volume 9 pub. 1789) [5, 6, 7]
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1550 - 1617 (67 years)
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