BARROW, ISAAC, an eminent English mathematician and divine, was b. in 1630. He received his early education at the Charter-house, where he was distinguished chiefly by his negligence and pugnacity. At Felstcad school, in Essex, to which he went next, he greatly improved; and in 1643, he was entered at Peter-house, Cambridge, under his uncle, Isaac Barrow, then a fellow of that colleg,e, and finally bishop of St. Asaph. On the ejection of his uncle in 1645, he removed to Trinity college, where he became D.A. in 164.3, fellow in 1649, and M.A. in 1652. Finding that to be a good theologian he must know chronology, that chronology implies astronomy,. and astronomy mathematics, he applied himself to the latter science with distinguished success. To the classics he had already devoted much study, and on the vacancy of the Greek chair, he was recom mended for the ofliee; but a suspicion of Arminianism interfered with his success. After this disappointment, he went abroad (1655), and traveled during four years through France and Italy. to Smyrna and Constantinople, back to Venice, and home through Germany and Holland. On the voyage from Leghorn to Smyrna, his determined persona( courage seems to have been instrumental in scaring away an Algcriue pirate, after a brisk exchange of shots. Soon after his return he took orders, and in the follow ing year was appointed professor of Greek. The neglect with which he was treated after the restoration is celebrated in his couplet addressed to the king Te magis optavit redditurum, Carole, nemo, Et nemo sensit to redisse minus.
In 102, he was appointed to the Gresham professorship of geometry, which, on his being appointed to th::, Lucasiau professorship in 1663, he thought it his duty to resign. The latter also he resigned in 1669, in favor of his pupil Isaac Newton. On quitting his
professorship, he obtained from his uncle a small living in Wales, and from Dr. Seth Ward, bishop of Salisbury, a prebend in that cathedral. He devoted the revenues of both to charitable purposes, and resigned them in 1672, on being appointed by the king master of Trinity college. To him, while in this office, is due the foundation of that valuable library, which is one of the chief ornaments of the university. In 1675, he was nominated vice-chancellor of the university; and in 1677, he d. at the early age of 47, having achieved, by his pulverous able works, and the force of his noble personal char acter, a reputation which time has left unimpaired. Of his original mathematical works, the principal are his 1,ectiones and Lectioncs °piker, of which it has been said that they are "a mine of curious interesting propositions, to is always applied with particular elegance." As a theologian, his fame rests cluelly,on his sermons, which are very remarkable as specimens of clear, exhaustive, and vigorous discussion. His. sermons, it may be added, were generally of excessive length. One, on charity, lasted three hours and a half; and at Westminster abbey, he once detained the audience so long that they got the organ to play "till they had 'Mowed him down." B.'s English works, consisting of sermons, expositions, etc., have been edited by Dr. Tillotson, dean of Canterbury, and prefaced with a life by Mr. Hill. Ms works, besides those already mentioned, are very numerous, and include Euclidis Elementa, Euclidis Data, Ilathe viatica Leetiones, Opuscula, containing Latin sermons, poems, speeches, etc. Lectiones Mathematiete and L. Geometricte have been translated by Kirby and Stone. Euclidis Elementa has also been translated.