Smith was probably born at Lea near Gainsborough, the son of John Smith, the rector of Gate Burton, Lincolnshire and his wife Hannah Cotes. After attending Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Gainsborough (now Queen Elizabeth's High School) he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1708, and becoming minor fellow in 1714, major fellow in 1715 and senior fellow in 1739, was chosen Master in 1742, in succession to Richard Bentley.[1] From 1716 to 1760 he was Plumian Professor of Astronomy, and he died in the Master's Lodge at Trinity.
Besides editing two works by his cousin, Roger Cotes, who was his predecessor in the Plumian chair, he published A Compleat System of Opticks in 1738, which gained him the sobriquet of Old Focus, and Harmonics, or the Philosophy of Musical Sounds in 1749.
Smith never married but lived with his unmarried sister Elzimar (1683–1758) in the lodge at Trinity College. Although he is often portrayed as a rather reclusive character, John Byrom's journal shows that in the 1720s and 1730s Smith could be quite sociable. Yet ill health, particularly gout, took its toll and severely inhibited his academic work and social activities. He died at the lodge on 2 February 1768, and on 8 February he was buried in Trinity College Chapel, the funeral oration being delivered by Thomas Zouch.
According to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Smith helped to spread Isaac Newton's ideas in Europe and "Newton's successes in optics and mechanics dominated Smith's scientific career".
The Smith Fund
In his will Smith left £3500 South Sea stock to the University of Cambridge. The net income on the fund is annually divided equally between the Smith's Prize and the stipend of the Plumian Professor.
Books
Compleat system of opticks, 1767
Robert Smith, Harmonics, or, The Philosophy of Musical Sounds, Printed by J. Bentham, and sold by W. Thurlbourn, 1749.
Robert Smith (1738). A Compleat System of Opticks. Cambridge.
Robert Smith (1768). Cours complet d'optique traduit de l'anglois de Robert Smith.
References
^"Smith, Robert (SMT708R)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^"Library and Archive Catalogue". The Royal Society. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
The Master of Trinity at Trinity College, Cambridge
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Smith, Robert". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 268.
External links
"Robert Smith, author of 'A Compleat System of Opticks', 1738." Peter Abrahams, ed. The history of the telescope & the binocular (2005)
OR4-A1765.43: Enharmonic chamber organ, Thomas Parker. London, c.1765. Russell Collection of Early Keyboard Instruments, University of Edinburgh.
Grant O'Brien. Conference on the Historical Background to the New "Handel" Organ in St Cecilia's Hall. Russell Collection of Early Keyboard Instruments, University of Edinburgh. (1998)
Dr. Robert Smith's comments on John Harrison's musical tuning ideas, from Harmonics (1749)
robert, smith, mathematician, other, people, named, robert, smith, robert, smith, disambiguation, this, biographical, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, ma. For other people named Robert Smith see Robert Smith disambiguation This biographical article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Robert Smith mathematician news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Robert Smith c 16 October 1689 2 February 1768 was an English mathematician Robert SmithPortrait by John Vanderbank 1730Bornc 1689 10 16 16 October 1689Lea Lincolnshire EnglandDied2 February 1768 1768 02 02 aged 78 Cambridge Cambridgeshire EnglandNationalityBritishAlma materTrinity College CambridgeKnown forSmith Helmholtz equationScientific careerFieldsMathematicianInstitutionsTrinity College CambridgeAcademic advisorsRoger CotesNotable studentsWalter TaylorIsrael Lyons Richard Watson Contents 1 Life 2 The Smith Fund 3 Books 4 References 5 External linksLife EditSmith was probably born at Lea near Gainsborough the son of John Smith the rector of Gate Burton Lincolnshire and his wife Hannah Cotes After attending Queen Elizabeth s Grammar School Gainsborough now Queen Elizabeth s High School he entered Trinity College Cambridge in 1708 and becoming minor fellow in 1714 major fellow in 1715 and senior fellow in 1739 was chosen Master in 1742 in succession to Richard Bentley 1 From 1716 to 1760 he was Plumian Professor of Astronomy and he died in the Master s Lodge at Trinity In February 1719 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society 2 Besides editing two works by his cousin Roger Cotes who was his predecessor in the Plumian chair he published A Compleat System of Opticks in 1738 which gained him the sobriquet of Old Focus and Harmonics or the Philosophy of Musical Sounds in 1749 Smith never married but lived with his unmarried sister Elzimar 1683 1758 in the lodge at Trinity College Although he is often portrayed as a rather reclusive character John Byrom s journal shows that in the 1720s and 1730s Smith could be quite sociable Yet ill health particularly gout took its toll and severely inhibited his academic work and social activities He died at the lodge on 2 February 1768 and on 8 February he was buried in Trinity College Chapel the funeral oration being delivered by Thomas Zouch According to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Smith helped to spread Isaac Newton s ideas in Europe and Newton s successes in optics and mechanics dominated Smith s scientific career The Smith Fund EditIn his will Smith left 3500 South Sea stock to the University of Cambridge The net income on the fund is annually divided equally between the Smith s Prize and the stipend of the Plumian Professor Books Edit Compleat system of opticks 1767 Robert Smith Harmonics or The Philosophy of Musical Sounds Printed by J Bentham and sold by W Thurlbourn 1749 Robert Smith 1738 A Compleat System of Opticks Cambridge Robert Smith 1768 Cours complet d optique traduit de l anglois de Robert Smith References Edit Smith Robert SMT708R A Cambridge Alumni Database University of Cambridge Library and Archive Catalogue The Royal Society Retrieved 19 October 2010 The Master of Trinity at Trinity College Cambridge This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Smith Robert Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 25 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 268 External links Edit Robert Smith author of A Compleat System of Opticks 1738 Peter Abrahams ed The history of the telescope amp the binocular 2005 OR4 A1765 43 Enharmonic chamber organ Thomas Parker London c 1765 Russell Collection of Early Keyboard Instruments University of Edinburgh Robert Smith s Equal Harmony and the harpsichord built for it by Jacob Kirckman Grant O Brien Conference on the Historical Background to the New Handel Organ in St Cecilia s Hall Russell Collection of Early Keyboard Instruments University of Edinburgh 1998 Dr Robert Smith s comments on John Harrison s musical tuning ideas from Harmonics 1749 Free scores by Robert Smith at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Robert Smith at the Mathematics Genealogy Project Robert Smith s 1778 The elementary parts of Dr Smith s compleat system of opticks digital facsimile from the Linda Hall LibraryAcademic officesPreceded byRichard Bentley Master of Trinity College Cambridge1742 1768 Succeeded byJohn Hinchcliffe Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Smith mathematician amp oldid 1140130733, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
