ANDERSON, Join, F.R.S., professor of natural philosophy in the university of Glasgow, and founder of the eminently useful institution bearing his name, was b, in the parish of Roseneath, Dumbartonshire, in 1726. He studied at the university of Glasgow, in which, in his 30th year, he was appointed professor of oriental languages. Four years later (1760), he was transferred to the chair of natural philosophy. He entered upon his new duties with extraordinary ardor. Besides the work of the class, he was indefatigable in studying the application of science to Mechanical practice.
Inspired by a rational philanthropy, he instituted, in addition to his usual class, which was strictly mathematical, one for artisans. Ile continued to teach this antiloga class, as he called it, twice every week, during the session, to the end of his life. In 1786 appeared his valuable work, entitled institutes of Physics, which went through five editions in ten years. Shortly before the French revolution, he invented a species of gun, the recoil of which was stopped by the condensation of common air within the body of the carriage; but having in vain endeavored to attract the attention of the British govern ment to it, he proceeded to Paris in 1791, and, being himself a great friend of liberty, presented his model to the national convention. It was hung up in their hall, with the
following inscription over it: "The gift of SCIENCE to LIBERTY." Afterwards, when the allied monarchical forces had drawn a Military cordon around the frontiers of France, to prevent the introduction of French newspapers into Germany, A. ingeniously sug gested the expedient, which was adopted and proved quite successful, of making small balloons of paper, to which newspapers and manifestoes might be tied, and letting them off, when the wind was favorable, for Germany. A. died 13th Jan., 1796. By his will, dated 7th May, 1795, lie directed that the whole of his effects, of every kind, should be devoted to the establishment of an educational institution in Glasgow, to be denominated Anderson's University, for the use of the academical classes.