EMERSON, William (1701-1782), an eminent but eccentric mathematician, was born May 14, 1701, at Hurworth, near Darlington, where his father Dudley Emerson, also a mathematician of high attainments, taught a school. From him young Emerson received a thorough mathematical education, and the bequest of a good mathematical library. For his classical training he was indebted to the curate of Hurworth, who lodged in his father’s house. In the earlier part of his life he followed his father’s profession, but with little success; and this, coupled with the fact of his having received as an only child a moderate competence from his parents, led him to devote himself entirely to studious retirement. Towards the close of 1781 he relinquished his studies and disposed of his library. His death took place soon after, May 20, 1782, at* his native village, in the eighty-first year of his age. Emerson in dress, manners, and appearance was eccentric and indeed clownish, but he possessed remarkable independence of character, and intellectual energy of a very high order. The boldness with which he expressed his opinions on religious subjects led to his being charged with scepticism, but for this there was no foundation. He invariably shut himself up in London during the publication of his works, and carefully revised them sheet by sheet himself, so that they are singularly free from errata. In mechanics, he never advanced a proposition which he had not previously tested in practice, nor published an invention without first proving its effects by a model. Emerson was married, but had no family. His wife employed her leisure in spinning on a curious wheel, of which an accurate drawing is given in his Mechanics. His own favourite recreation was fishing. He was skilled in the science of ...