Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/90

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BERKELEY.
79

heart, which he manifested by a life honourable to himself and highly useful to mankind. He was born March 12, 1684, at Kilerin, near Thomastown, in the county of Kilkenny. His father, William Berkeley of Thomastown, was the son of a loyal adherent of Charles I. who, after the Restoration, in 1660, went over to Ireland, and was made collector at Belfast.

George Berkeley received the elements of his education at the school of Kilkenny, under Dr. Hinton, where he gave early proofs of his industry and capacity, and made such extraordinary progress, that, at the age of fifteen, he was found qualified to be admitted pensioner of Trinity College, Dublin, under Dr. Hall. In that learned society he acquired distinction; and, after a most rigorous examination, which he went through with great credit, he was elected to a fellowship of the college, June the 9th, 1707, when a few days older than twenty years.

He did not now relax into indolence, and sit down e quietly to enjoy learned ease, but proved to the world his intention to increase his own knowledge, and to communicate the fruits of his industry to others. His first publication was "Arithmetica absque Algebra aut Euclide demonstrata." It proves the solid foundation of mathematical knowledge which he had laid in his mind. It appears from the preface to have been written before he was twenty years of age, though it did not appear till 1707. It is dedicated to Mr. Palliser, son to the Archbishop of Cashel; and is followed by a mathematical miscellany, containing observations and theorems, inscribed to his pupil, Mt. Samuel Molineux, whose father was the friend and correspondent of Mr. Locke. This work is so far curious, as it shews the early vigour of his mind, his genius for the mathematics, and his attachment to those more subtle and metaphysical studies, in which he was peculiarly qualified to shine.

In 1709 came forth the "Theory of Vision;" a work which does infinite credit to his sagacity, being, as Dr.