Supplement to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Editions of the Encyclopædia Britannica/Anderson (Alexander)

by John Leslie

ANDERSON (Alexander), a very eminent Mathematician, who flourished in the early part of the seventeenth century. He was born at Aberdeen, but passed over to the Continent, and settled as a private teacher or Professor of Mathematics at Paris, where he published or edited, between the years 1612 and 1619, various Geometrical and Algebraical tracts, which are conspicuous for their ingenuity and elegance. It is doubtful whether he was ever acquainted with the famous Vieta, Master of Requests at Paris, who died in 1603; but his pure taste and skill in mathematical investigation, had pointed him out to the executors of that illustrious man, who had found leisure, in the intervals of a laborious profession, to cultivate and extend the ancient geometry, and by adopting a system of general symbols, to lay the foundation, and begin the superstructure of Algebraical science, as the person most proper for revising and publishing his valuable manuscripts. Anderson did not come forward, however, as a mere editor; he enriched the texts with learned comments, and gave neat demonstrations of those propositions which had been left imperfect. He afterwards produced a specimen of the application of Geometrical Analysis, which is distinguished by its clearness and classic elegance.

Of this able geometer, we are ignorant both of the time of his birth and of his death. His brother, David Anderson, a small proprietor in Aberdeenshire, but engaged in business, had likewise a strong turn for mathematics and mechanics, which, joined to great versatility of talent, made him be regarded by his neighbours at that period as a sort of oracle. The daughter of this clever and active burgess, was married to John Gregory, minister of Drumoak, in that county, father to the celebrated James Gregory, inventor of the reflecting telescope, and is supposed to have communicated to her children that taste for mathematical learning which afterwards shone forth so remarkably in the family of the Gregorys.

The works of Anderson amount to six thin quarto volumes, which are now very scarce. These are:

1. Supplementum Apollonii Redivivi; sive analysis problematis hactenus desiderati ad Apollonii Pergæi doctrinarum περι νευσεων, a Marino Ghetaldo Patritio Ragusino hujusque non ita pridem institutam. In quâ exhibetur mechanice æqualitatem tertii gradus sive solidarum, in quibus magnitudo omnino data æquatur homogeneæ sub altero tantum coefficiente ignoto. Huic subnexa est variorum problematum practice. Paris, 1612, in 4tο.—This tract refers to the problem of inclinations, by which, in certain cases, the application of the curve called the conchoid is superseded.

2. Αιτιολογια: Pro Zetetico Apolloniani, problematis a se jam pridem edito in supplemento Apollonii Redivivi. Ad clarissimum et ornatissimum virum Marinum Ghetaldum Patritium Ragusinum. In qua ad ea quæ obiter mihi per strinxit Ghetaldus respondetur, et analytices clarius detegitur. Paris, 1615, in 4to; being an addition to the former.

3. Francisci Victæ Fontenacensis de Aequationum Recognitione et Emendatione Tractatus Duo. Paris, 1615, in 4to; to which Anderson has supplied the dedication, preface, and appendix.
4. Ad Angularium Sectionum Analyticen Theoremata Καθολικοτερα. A Francisco Vieta Fontenacensi excogitata, at absque ulla demonstratione ad nos transmissa, jam pridem demonstrationibus confirmata. Paris, 1615, in 4to.
5. Vindiciæ Archimedis. Sive, Elenchus Cyclometriæ novæ à Philippo Lansbergio nuper editæ. Paris, 1616, in 4to.
6. Alexandri Andersoni Scoti Exercitationum Mathematicarum Dicas Prima. Continens, Quæstionum aliquot, quæ nobilissimorum tum hujus tum veteris ævi, Mathematicorum ingenia exercuere Enodationem. Paris, 1619, in 4to. (D.)