GREAVES, JOHN, an eminent English mathematician, scholar, and antiquary, was born at Colmore, near Alresford, Hants, in 1602; went to Balliol College, Oxford, in 1617; was elected fellow of Merton in 1624, and appointed geometry professor of Gresham College, London, in 1630. In 1637 he undertook a journey to the Levant and Egypt, with the view of examining such antiquities as might serve to illustrate ancient authors, and of making astronomical and geo graphical observations. He spent about a year at Constantinople, and In the summer of 1638 proceeded to Egypt, where his chief per formance was a survey of the pyramids, of which no satisfactory account was then extant ; this was published under the title Pyra midographia; in 1646. On his return he spent some months in visiting the chief cities of Italy, studying their antiquities, and consulting their libraries; and reached England early in 1640. Ho took up his abode at Oxford, and having been appointed Saviliau professor of astronomy in November 1643, was immediately after very properly deprivsd of his Gresham professorship for neglect of duty. Being of the Royalist party he was ejected from both fellow
,Lip and la are sorohip in 161s; a matter of the less moment, Inasmuch as he had a competent patrimony. lie died October 8, 1652.
)tr. Grease. pail much attention to weights and measures, and published in 1617 a ' Discourse on the Roman Foot and Denarius, from whence, aa from two Principles, the Measures and Weights used by the Ancient. may be deduced.' The bulk of his works relates to Oriental geography and astronomy. Ho wrote a Persian grammar, and made some pin a Persian lexicon. In 1645 he proposed a scheme for gradually introducing the Gregorian alteration in the calendar, commonly called New Style, by omitting every 29th of February for forty years. A collection of his minor pieces was puIlieJaed by Dr. Birch in 1737, 2 vols. 8vo.
(Ward, 'Arca)