Henry Pemberton
Encyclopedia
Henry Pemberton was an English physician and man of letters. He became Gresham Professor of Physic
, and edited the third edition of Principia Mathematica
.
, and read mathematical authors. From Leyden he passed to Paris to study anatomy, and bought a collection of mathematical works at the sale of the library of the Abbé Jean Gallois
. He returned to London to attend St. Thomas's Hospital, but went back to Leyden in 1719 as the guest of Boerhaave, and graduated M.D. on 27 December of that year.
On his settling in London Pemberton did not practise much, because of delicate health. He was, however, a writer on medical and general subjects. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society, and contributed papers to its Philosophical Transactions (vols. xxxii.–lxii.). One of these, a demonstration of the inefficiency of an attempted proof by Giovanni Poleni
, of Leibniz's assertion that the force of descending bodies is proportional to the square of their velocity, was transmitted to Isaac Newton
by Richard Mead
, and gained for Pemberton Newton's friendship. Newton brought him a refutation by himself based on other principles. This was afterwards printed as a postscript to Pemberton's paper. Pemberton saw much of Newton in his old age.
In 24 May 1728 he was appointed Gresham professor of physic in succession to John Woodward
. For seven years (1739–1746) he was chiefly employed in the preparation of the fifth London Pharmacopœia for the Royal College of Physicians
; he performed all the chemical and pharmaceutical experiments. The work was published in 1746 as Translation and Improvement of the London Dispensatory, and he received from the college a gift of the copyright and a hundred guineas above the expenses incurred. Pemberton died on 9 March 1771.
, and is preceded by a preface containing the writer's recollections of the philosopher. A German translation of pt. i. of the ‘View,’ by Salomon Maimon
, appeared at Berlin in 1793. Pemberton's book was not remunerative, and was regarded as disappointing; George Lewis Scott
, however, recommended it to Edward Gibbon
.
In 1724 Pemberton assisted Mead in editing William Cowper's
Myotomia Reformata. His ‘Scheme for a course of Chymistry to be performed at Gresham College’ appeared in 1731. Two courses of his lectures were published by his friend James Wilson—the first, in 1771, on chemistry; the second, in 1779, after Pemberton's death, on physiology.
In addition to these and some treatises left in manuscript, Pemberton wrote:
His Account of the Ancient Ode prefaces Gilbert West
's Pindar, and a paper On the Dispute about Fluxions is in the second volume of Benjamin Robins
's ‘Works.’
Gresham Professor of Physic
The Professor of Physic at Gresham College in London, England, gives free educational lectures to the general public. The college was founded for this purpose in 1596 / 7, when it appointed seven professors; this has since increased to eight and in addition the college now has visiting...
, and edited the third edition of Principia Mathematica
Principia Mathematica
The Principia Mathematica is a three-volume work on the foundations of mathematics, written by Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell and published in 1910, 1912, and 1913...
.
Life
Born in London, after receiving a general education in England, he went to Leyden University in August 1714. There he studied medicine under Herman BoerhaaveHerman Boerhaave
Herman Boerhaave was a Dutch botanist, humanist and physician of European fame. He is regarded as the founder of clinical teaching and of the modern academic hospital. His main achievement was to demonstrate the relation of symptoms to lesions...
, and read mathematical authors. From Leyden he passed to Paris to study anatomy, and bought a collection of mathematical works at the sale of the library of the Abbé Jean Gallois
Jean Gallois
-Life:He was abbot of the priory of Cuers and a royal librarian.. He was named to the Académie des sciences in 1669 and elected a member of the Académie française in 1672. Also a member of the Académie des Inscriptions, he became its permanent secretary...
. He returned to London to attend St. Thomas's Hospital, but went back to Leyden in 1719 as the guest of Boerhaave, and graduated M.D. on 27 December of that year.
On his settling in London Pemberton did not practise much, because of delicate health. He was, however, a writer on medical and general subjects. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society, and contributed papers to its Philosophical Transactions (vols. xxxii.–lxii.). One of these, a demonstration of the inefficiency of an attempted proof by Giovanni Poleni
Giovanni Poleni
Giovanni Poleni was a Marquess, physicist, and antiquarian; the son of Marquess Jacopo Poleni. He studied the classics, philosophy, theology, mathematics, and physics. He was appointed, at the age of twenty-five, professor of astronomy at Padua...
, of Leibniz's assertion that the force of descending bodies is proportional to the square of their velocity, was transmitted to Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
by Richard Mead
Richard Mead
Richard Mead was an English physician. His work, A Short Discourse concerning Pestilential Contagion, and the Method to be used to prevent it , was of historic importance in the understanding of transmissible diseases.-Life:The eleventh child of Matthew Mead , Independent divine, Richard was born...
, and gained for Pemberton Newton's friendship. Newton brought him a refutation by himself based on other principles. This was afterwards printed as a postscript to Pemberton's paper. Pemberton saw much of Newton in his old age.
In 24 May 1728 he was appointed Gresham professor of physic in succession to John Woodward
John Woodward (naturalist)
John Woodward was an English naturalist, antiquarian and geologist, and founder by bequest of the Woodwardian Professorship of Geology at Cambridge University...
. For seven years (1739–1746) he was chiefly employed in the preparation of the fifth London Pharmacopœia for the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
; he performed all the chemical and pharmaceutical experiments. The work was published in 1746 as Translation and Improvement of the London Dispensatory, and he received from the college a gift of the copyright and a hundred guineas above the expenses incurred. Pemberton died on 9 March 1771.
Works
Pemberton was employed by Newton to superintend the third edition of the ‘Principia.’ The new edition, which appeared in 1726, had a preface by Newton, in which Pemberton is characterised as ‘vir harum rerum peritissimus.’ n 1728 he published ‘A View of Sir I. Newton's Philosophy.’ It is dedicated to Robert WalpoleRobert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
, and is preceded by a preface containing the writer's recollections of the philosopher. A German translation of pt. i. of the ‘View,’ by Salomon Maimon
Salomon Maimon
Salomon ben Josua Maimon was a German philosopher born of Jewish parentage in Belarus.-Early years:...
, appeared at Berlin in 1793. Pemberton's book was not remunerative, and was regarded as disappointing; George Lewis Scott
George Lewis Scott
-Life:Born at Hanover in May 1708, he was the eldest son of George Scott of Bristo in Scotland, and Marion Stewart, daughter of Sir James Stewart of Coltness, Lord Advocate of Scotland. George Scott held diplomatic posts at various German courts, and was envoy-extraordinary to Augustus II the...
, however, recommended it to Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon was an English historian and Member of Parliament...
.
In 1724 Pemberton assisted Mead in editing William Cowper's
William Cowper (anatomist)
William Cowper FRS was an English surgeon and anatomist, famous for his early description of what is now known as the Cowper's gland....
Myotomia Reformata. His ‘Scheme for a course of Chymistry to be performed at Gresham College’ appeared in 1731. Two courses of his lectures were published by his friend James Wilson—the first, in 1771, on chemistry; the second, in 1779, after Pemberton's death, on physiology.
In addition to these and some treatises left in manuscript, Pemberton wrote:
- ‘Dissertatio Physico-Medicinalis Inaug. de Facultate Oculi ad diversas Rerum Computatarum Distantias se accommodante,’ Leyden, 1719.
- ‘Epist. ad Amicum [viz. J. Wilson] de Rogeri Cotesii Inventis,’ 1722 (showing how Roger CotesRoger CotesRoger Cotes FRS was an English mathematician, known for working closely with Isaac Newton by proofreading the second edition of his famous book, the Principia, before publication. He also invented the quadrature formulas known as Newton–Cotes formulas and first introduced what is known today as...
's theorems by ratios and logarithms may be done by circle and hyperbola). - ‘Observations on Poetry, occasioned by GloverRichard Glover (Poet)Richard Glover was an English poet and politician.-Life:The son of Richard Glover, a Hamburg merchant, was born in London. He was educated at Cheam in Surrey....
's “Leonidas,”’ 1738.
His Account of the Ancient Ode prefaces Gilbert West
Gilbert West
Gilbert West was a minor English poet, translator and Christian apologist in the early and middle eighteenth century. Samuel Johnson included him in his Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets.-Biography:...
's Pindar, and a paper On the Dispute about Fluxions is in the second volume of Benjamin Robins
Benjamin Robins
Benjamin Robins was a pioneering English scientist, Newtonian mathematician, and military engineer.He wrote an influential treatise on gunnery, for the first time introducing Newtonian science to military men, was an early enthusiast for rifled gun barrels, and his work had substantive influence...
's ‘Works.’