Henry Parr Hamilton (1794–1880) and analytical geometry at Cambridge

Abstract

Scots-born Henry Parr Hamilton played a significant role in the revival of mathematical teaching in Cambridge. Following the promotion of the differential calculus by Herschel, Babbage and Peacock, he wrote influential texts on analytical geometry and on conic sections. This work is examined, and his biography is outlined. Later, he abandoned mathematics for religious affairs in the Church of England, becoming dean of Salisbury Cathedral.

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Emily Naish of Salisbury Cathedral archives, to Danielle Spittle of the Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Library, to Adam Green of Trinity College Library, Cambridge, and to the staff of Special Collections, at the University of St Andrews Library. Permissions to reproduce the title pages in Figures 1 and 2 and the photograph in Figure 3 are gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

2 Information kindly supplied from matriculation records and class lists, by Danielle Spittle, Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Library.

3 Information kindly supplied by Emily Naish, Archivist of Salisbury Cathedral.

4 The Google Books digitised version is very imperfect, with some pages missing and the folding plates photographed unopened.

5 Though Glaiser (185) says that Hamilton ‘states that he is indebted to Boscovich’, I have found no mention of Boscovich in his book.