Charles and George; the former of whom was educated at Chriftchurch College in Oxford, and entered into the Church; and George is ftill living, and is firft Secondary in the Rembrance Office under Lord Mafham, a Place of very confiderable Profit, and is poffeffed of an ample Fortune befides, which he enjoys with a fair Reputation.

The

Doctor fhared the like Fortune with his Friends Pope and Swift, in having several Brats illegitimately fathered upon him, among which the famous Romance of Robinfon Crufoe is worth mentioning *.

Pope

*Robinson Crusoe] This Romance was written in fo natural a Manner, and with fo many Incidents, that it was adjudged for fome time to be a true Story. It was the delectable Offspring of the teeming Brain of Daniel de Foe, a Writer famous in his Generation for Politics and Poetry, especially the former. He was bred an Hofier, which Calling he foon quitted, as greatly beneath him, and became One of the moft enterprizing Authors that any Age has produced. In this Employ he took the Party against the Miniftry, and fpawned a numberless Iffue of Pamphlets, most of which are now obfolete and forgotten, as well as their particular Subjects. At length, like fome others of the like Stamp, he wrote himself into the Pillory, which he mounted unabafhed and undifmayed, and in a Spirit of Defiance even wrote a Piece, which he called A Hymn to the Pillory. He died at his House at Iflington in 1731, having always enjoyed fuch a Competency as feldom failed of fetting him from the ufual Neceffities of mercenary Scriblers. The Work by which he is most diftinguished as a Poet, is his True-born Englishman, a Satire occafioned by a Poem in

titled.

Pope used to fay, that of all the Men he met with or heard of, Dr. Arbuthnot had the most prolific Wit, and that in this Quality Swift only held the Second Place. No Adventure of any Confequence ever occurred on which the Doctor did not write a pleafant Effay in a great folio Paper-book which ufed to lie in his Parlour; of these however he was fo negligent, that while he was writing them at one End hefuffered his Children to tear them out at the other, for their Paper Kites.

RUFFHEAD'S Life of POPE, p. 209.

His good Morals were equal to any Man's, and his Wit and Humour, Pope used to say, were fuperior to all Mankind. P. 487.

titled, Foreigners, written by John Tutchin, Efq; It had a prodigious Run; befides paffing through Nine Editions upon his own Infpection, it was Twelve Times pirated. Tutchin engaged in the Caufe of Monmouth against James II. and for a political Piece wrote in that Caufe was fentenced to be whipped through feveral Towns in the West of England, and fo feverely, that he petitioned the King to be hanged. They are both immortalized in the Dunciad by Mr. Pope, in this Diftich:

Earlefs on high ftood unabash'd De Foe,

And Tutchin, flagrant from the Scourge, below.

A N

ESSAY

On the USEFULNESS Of

MATHEMATICAL LEARNING.

In a Letter from a Gentleman in the City to his Friend in Oxford.

I

AM glad to hear from you, that the study of the Mathematicks is Promoted and Encouraged among the Youth of your University. The great influence which thefe Sciences have on Philofophy and all ufeful Learning, as well as the Concerns of the Publick, may fufficiently recommend them to your choice and confideration; and the particular advantages, which you of that Place enjoy, give us just reafon to expect from you a fuitable improvement in them. I have here fent you fome fhort reflections upon the Ufefulness of Mathematical Learning, which may ferve as an argument to incite you to a clofer and more vigorous pursuit of it.

In all Ages and Countries where Learning hath prevailed, the Mathematical Sciences have been looked upon as the most confiderable Branch of it. The very name Malnois implies no lefs; by which they were called either for their excellency, or because of all the Sciences they were firft taught, or because they were judged to comprehend wávra tà Manματα. And amongst thofe that are commonly VOL. I. reckoned

A

reckoned to be the feven Liberal Arts, four are Mathematical, to wit, Arithmetick, Mufick, Geometry, and Aftronomy.

But notwithstanding their Excellency and Reputation, they have not been taught nor ftudied fo univerfally, as fome of the reft; which I take to have proceeded from the following causes: The averfion of the greatest Part of Mankind to ferious attention and clofe arguing; Their not comprehending fufficiently the neceffity or great usefulness of these in other parts of Learning; An Opinion that this study requires a particular Genius and turn of Head, which few are so happy as to be Born with; And the want of Publick Encouragement, and able Mafters. For thefe, and perhaps fome other reafons, this ftudy hath been generally neglected, and regarded only by fome few perfons whofe happy Genius and Curiofity have prompted them to it, or who have been forced upon it by its immediate fubferviency to fome particular Art or Office.

Therefore I think I cannot do better service to Learning, Youth, and the Nation in general, than by fhewing, That the Mathematicks of all parts of human Knowledge, for the improvement of the Mind, for their fubferviency to other Arts, and their usefulnefs to the Commonwealth, deferve most to be encouraged. I know a difcourfe of this nature will be offenfive to fome, who, while they are ignorant of Mathematicks, yet think themfelves Mafters of all valuable Learning: but their difpleasure must not deter me from delivering an useful truth.

The advantages which accrue to the Mind by Mathematical ftudies confift chiefly in thefe things: 1. In accustoming it to attention. 2dly. In giving it a habit of clife and demonftrative reafoning. 3dly. In ficeing it from prejudice, credulity, and fuperftition.

First,