MOORE (Sin Jonas), in biography, an eminent English mathematician in the se venteenth century, was born at Whitlee, in Lancashire, about the year 162U. He enjoyed the advantages of a liberal school education, and afterwards applied himself pirncipally to the study of the mathema tics, for which, from his childhood, he had discovered a strong partiality. This favourite pursuit he cultivated with great diligence and success, and acquired such reputation for his that during one of the expeditions of King Charles 1. into the northern parts of England, he was introduced to his majesty, as a person studious and learned in those sciences. Upon conversing with him, the King ex pressed much approbation of his acquire ments, and gave him a promise of en couragement. which laid the foundation of his future fortune. Afterwards he was appointed mathematical tutor to the King's second son, James, to instruct him in arithmetic, geography, the use of the globes, &c. During Cromwell's govern ment, he appears to have followed the profession of a public teacher of mathe matics; for he is 'Ailed in the title-pages of some of his publications, " professor of the mathematics." Mr. Granger says, in his " Biographical History of England," that he was employed by the commission ers for draining and dividing the fens : and in his survey took notice that the sea made a curve line on the beach, from which he took the hint to keep it effectu ally out of Norfolk. This added much to his reputation ; but no mention is made of the period of his life when he was thus occupied. After the restoration of King Charles II. he was noticed and employed by that prince, who bestowed on him the honour of knighthood, and at length moted him to the important office of sur veyor-general of the ordnance. He ap pears to have been a favourite both with the king and the duke of York, who often consulted him, and followed his advice upon many occasions. To his honour it ought to be recorded, that he frequently availed himself of his interest at court for the advancement of learning, the encou ragement of merit, and the establishment of institutions highly favourable and be. neficial to the interests of the public, and of science in general. He patronised the famous Mr. Flamstead, who had but a very scanty income at Cambridge when he took him under his protection. In connexion with Sir Christopher Wren, he persuaded the king to erect Flamstead house at Greenwich, fora public observa tory, in 1675, recommending Mr. Flam stead to be the king's astronomer, to make observations there ; and being sur veyor-general of the ordnance himself, this was the reason why the salary of the astronomer-royal was made payable out of the office of ordnance. Be.ng elected a
governor of Christ's hospital, he appease to have been instrumental in persuading the king to found the mathematical school there, with the allowance of a handsome salary for a master to instruct a certain number of the boys in mathematics and navigation, to qualify them for the sea ser vice. It ought not to be concealed, that the duke of York also took a zealous and active part in determining his brother to found this useful establishment. This foundation presented Sir Jonas with an op portunity of exerting his abilities in • man ner agreeable to his wishes, namely, that of serving the rising generation. And re flecting within himself on the benefit which the nation might receive from a mathematical school, if properly conduct ed, he made it his utmost care to pro mote its improvement. In pursuance of his majesty's grant, the school was esta blished ; but there was still wanting a me thodical institution, from which the youths might receive such necessary helps as their studies required : a laborious wore, from which his other great and assiduous employments might very well have ex empted had not a predominant re gard to a more general usefulness deter mined him to devote all the leisure hours of his declining years to the improvement of such an useful and important seminary of learning. Having thus engaged him self in the prosecution of this generous undertaking, he sketched out a plan or system of mathematics for the use of the school, and afterwards drew up and print ed several parts of it himself; but death put an end to his labours, before the work was completed. We are not informed of the year when this event took place ; but it could not be long before 1681, when the work was published by his sons-in law, Mr. Hanway and Mr. Potinger, who spared neither expense nor labour to have it finished in the beat manner, and secur ing proper assistants for that purpose. Besides the New System of the Mathe matics, &c. in two volumes, quarto, above mentioned, SirJonas published Arithme tic, in two books, viz. Vulgar Arithmetic, and Algebra. To which are added, two Treatises, the one a new Contemplation Geometrical, upon the oval figure called the Ellipsis; the other, the two first Books of Mydorgius, his Conical Sections ana lyzed, 1660, octavo ; A Mathematical Compendium : or, Useful Practices in Arithmetic, Geometry, and Astronomy, Geography, and Navigation, &c. &c. the fourth edition of which is dated in 1705, 12mo. ; A General Treatise of Artillery ; or Great Ordnance. Written in Italian by Thomas Moretti of Brescia Translated into English, with Notes thereupon, and some Additions out of French for Sea-gun ners. By Sir Jonas Moore, Knt. octavo, with the date of 1688.