DEMOIVRE, ABRAHAM, wss born at Vitry in Champagne, ou the 26th of /slay 1667, and was descended of an ancient and honour able family of the French Prutestant church. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 compelled him to leave his native country, and, like a great number of the refugees created by that revocation, he settled in England, choosing for the field of his efforts the metropolis. Ho appears at the earliest period to which any account of him reaches to have devoted himself to teaching mathematics, as the surest means of obtaining a subsistence. He also, though he was not the first who adopted that plan, read lectures on natural philosophy: hut it does not appear that his attempts in this way were very successful, he being neither fluent in the use of the English language, nor a good experimental manipulator.
The popularity, as a book to be talked about, of Newton's great work, compelled Demoivre to enter upon the study of it; and there is no doubt that he was one of the few who at that time were able to follow the illustrious Newton iu the course of his investigations. Demoivre's power however lay iu pure mathematics of the kind now called analytical ; for in all his writings there is scarcely a trace either of physical or geometrical investigation to be discerned. His writings ou analysis abound with consummate contrivance and skill ; and one at least of his investigations has had the effect of completely changing the whole character of trigonometrical science iu its higher departments.
At a comparatively early period of his residence in London, Detneivre was admitted to the society of Newton and his immediate circle of personal frieuds; and many instances of the regard with Which he was treated are current amongst the traditions which have reached our own time. This of course led to an intimacy with the leading mathematicians of that period ; and hie great talents soon obtained his election into the Royal Society, m well ns, ultimately, the corre sponding societies of Paris and Berlin. The estimate formed of his abilities, acquiremente, and impartiality, is proved by his being nomi nated as a fit person to decide ou the rival claims of Leibuitz and Newton to the invention of the method of fluxions.
Deraoivre lived to the advanced age of more than eighty-seven ; but as he outlived moat of his early associates and friends, his circum stances became greatly reduced. He is said to have sunk into a state of almost total lethargy, the attacks of which often lasted fur several days ; and his subsistence was latterly dependent on the solution of questions relative to games of chance and other matters connected with the value or probabilities, which be was in the habit of giving at a tavern or coffee-house in St. Martin's Lane. flo died on the 27th
of November 1754.
Demeivre's writings, we have already remarked, are distinguished by considerable originality of character. His separate publications are as follows : l. 'Miscellanea Analytica, de Sericbus et Quadraturis,' 1730, 4to. This work contains several very elegant improvements in the then known methods of termination of series, as well as coma new methods.
2. ' The Doctrine of Chances, or the Method of Calculating the Probabilities of Events at Play,' 1718, 4to. This work was dedicated to Sir Isaao Newton : it was reprinted in 1738, with considerable alterations and additions. A. third edition was afterwards published, differing little in anything of cousequence from the second.
3. ' Annuities on Lives,' 1724, Svo. A work on the same subject, published by the distinguished Thomas Simpson, in 1742, iu which some well-deserved compliments to Denieivre were introduced, led our author to publish a second edition of his work ; and it is to be regretted that he was induced to insert come harsh reflections on Simpeou's work, which were as unfounded as they were uncalled for by the manner in which Simpson had treated his predecessor's first edition. Simpson however replied to it in an appendix to his work in the following year, " containing some remarks on a late book on the subject, with answers to some personal and malignant representations In the preface thereof." The only excuse that can be urged for Deuioivre In this matter is, that he was an old man, that he considered the domain his own, and Simpson ae a mere poacher on it, and that he was under the influence of men who wished to crush the rising genius and talents of is man like Simpson, who had not been born to the advantages which enabled him to obtain a regular academical education. Demoine, notwithstanding hie age, had the good sense to see that he had attacked a man with whom he could not cope ; but still pride prevented his making any apology to his younger compe titor. In 1750 he published a third edition of his work, in which he merely omitted the offensive reflections of his former preface ; and here the dispute seems to have terminated. Demeivre also pub lished a considerable number of papers in the 'Philosophical Tran sactione.' There is not one of those which is not of sterling value on the subjects of which they treat,