
Matthew Stewart
FRS FRSE
Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This so ...
(1717–1785) was a
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
mathematician and minister of the
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland.
The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...
.
Life
He was born in the manse at
Rothesay
Rothesay ( ; gd, Baile Bhòid ) is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies along the coast of the Firth of Clyde. It can be reached by ferry from Wemyss Bay, which offers an onward r ...
, on the
Isle of Bute
The Isle of Bute ( sco, Buit; gd, Eilean Bhòid or '), known as Bute (), is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is divided into highland and lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault.
Formerly a constituent is ...
, on 15 January 1717, the son of Rev Dugald Stewart, the local minister, and his wife, Janet Bannantyne.
He was educated at Rothesay Grammar School, then entered the
University of Glasgow
, image = UofG Coat of Arms.png
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms
Flag
, latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis
, motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita
, ...
in 1734, where he studied under the philosopher
Francis Hutcheson and the mathematician
Robert Simson
Robert Simson (14 October 1687 – 1 October 1768) was a Scottish mathematician and professor of mathematics at the University of Glasgow. The Simson line is named after him.[geometry
Geometry (; ) is, with arithmetic, one of the oldest branches of mathematics. It is concerned with properties of space such as the distance, shape, size, and relative position of figures. A mathematician who works in the field of geometry is c ...]
. A close friendship developed between Simson and Stewart, in part because of their mutual admiration of
Pappus of Alexandria
Pappus of Alexandria (; grc-gre, Πάππος ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς; AD) was one of the last great Greek mathematicians of antiquity known for his ''Synagoge'' (Συναγωγή) or ''Collection'' (), and for Pappus's hexagon theorem i ...
, which resulted in many curious communications with respect to the De Locis Planis of
Apollonius of Perga
Apollonius of Perga ( grc-gre, Ἀπολλώνιος ὁ Περγαῖος, Apollṓnios ho Pergaîos; la, Apollonius Pergaeus; ) was an Ancient Greek geometer and astronomer known for his work on conic sections. Beginning from the contribut ...
and the Porisms of
Euclid
Euclid (; grc-gre, Εὐκλείδης; BC) was an ancient Greek mathematician active as a geometer and logician. Considered the "father of geometry", he is chiefly known for the ''Elements'' treatise, which established the foundations of ...
over the years. This correspondence suggests that Stewart spent several weeks in Glasgow starting May 1743 assisting
Robert Simson
Robert Simson (14 October 1687 – 1 October 1768) was a Scottish mathematician and professor of mathematics at the University of Glasgow. The Simson line is named after him.[Edinburgh University
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI i ...]
in the year 1742/43 also attending maths lectures under
Colin Maclaurin
Colin Maclaurin (; gd, Cailean MacLabhruinn; February 1698 – 14 June 1746) was a Scottish mathematician who made important contributions to geometry and algebra. He is also known for being a child prodigy and holding the record for bein ...
. He was licensed by the Presbytery of the Church of Scotland of
Dunoon
Dunoon (; gd, Dùn Omhain) is the main town on the Cowal peninsula in the south of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper Firth of Clyde, to the south of the Holy Loch and to the north of Innellan. As well a ...
in May 1744, and became a minister at
Rosneath
Rosneath (''Ros Neimhidh'' in Gaelic) is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It sits on the western shore of the Gare Loch, northwest of the tip of the Rosneath Peninsula. It is about by road from the village of Kilcreggan, which is sited ...
in
Dumbartonshire
Dunbartonshire ( gd, Siorrachd Dhùn Breatann) or the County of Dumbarton is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Dunbartonshire borders Pe ...
one year later.
In 1746, following the death of Colin Maclaurin, the chair as Professor of Mathematics became vacant at Edinburgh University and just over one year later Stewart left the ministry to become Professor of Mathematics. Publication of his best known work, ''Some General Theorems of Considerable use in the Higher Parts of Mathematics'' may have helped him secure the post. This book extended some ideas of
Robert Simson
Robert Simson (14 October 1687 – 1 October 1768) was a Scottish mathematician and professor of mathematics at the University of Glasgow. The Simson line is named after him.[Stewart's theorem
In geometry, Stewart's theorem yields a relation between the lengths of the sides and the length of a cevian in a triangle. Its name is in honour of the Scottish mathematician Matthew Stewart, who published the theorem in 1746.
Statement
Let ...]
, which relates measurements on a triangle to an additional line through a vertex. Stewart also provided a solution to Kepler's problem using geometrical methods in 1756, and a book describing planetary motion and the perturbation of one planet on another in 1761, along with a supplement on the distance between the sun and earth in 1763.
In 1772 his health began to deteriorate and his duties as professor at Edinburgh were initially shared, then taken over by, his son
Dugald Stewart
Dugald Stewart (; 22 November 175311 June 1828) was a Scottish philosopher and mathematician. Today regarded as one of the most important figures of the later Scottish Enlightenment, he was renowned as a populariser of the work of Francis Hut ...
, who later became a prominent Scottish philosopher. Matthew ceased teaching in 1775 but continued to play a role in Edinburgh society, most notably being a joint founder of the
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...
in 1783.
Family
He married Marjory Stewart, a cousin.
He was father of the philosopher
Dugald Stewart
Dugald Stewart (; 22 November 175311 June 1828) was a Scottish philosopher and mathematician. Today regarded as one of the most important figures of the later Scottish Enlightenment, he was renowned as a populariser of the work of Francis Hut ...
.
He was the father-in-law of the physician
Patrick Miller FRSE
Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This so ...
(1782-1871) and grandfather of Colonel
Matthew Stewart (c.1784-1851).
Freemasonry
Stewart was a Scottish Freemason. He was Initiated in Lodge Canongate Kilwinning, No. 2, on 28 November 1835. His son, the noted philosopher, Dugald Stewart was also a member of this Lodge (1775).
History of the Lodge Canongate Kilwinning, No.2, compiled from the records 1677-1888
By Alan MacKenzie. 1888. P.245.
Death
He died at Catrine
Catrine is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland which was formerly a centre of cotton manufacture. It has a population of around ()
Geography
The village lies on the River Ayr which previously provided water power for local industry. It is in t ...
, Ayrshire
Ayrshire ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Àir, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine, North Ayrshi ...
on 23 January 1785, but was buried at Greyfriars Kirkyard
Greyfriars Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 16th century, and a nu ...
in central Edinburgh. As the burial was during a period of strict regulation of stones (effectively a ban) the grave is unmarked.
See also
* Stewart's theorem
In geometry, Stewart's theorem yields a relation between the lengths of the sides and the length of a cevian in a triangle. Its name is in honour of the Scottish mathematician Matthew Stewart, who published the theorem in 1746.
Statement
Let ...
Notes
External links
*
Matthew Stewart
Lodge Canongate Kilwinning, No. 2 (Edinburgh)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Matthew
1717 births
1785 deaths
Academics of the University of Edinburgh
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Burials at Greyfriars Kirkyard
Fellows of the Royal Society
Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Members of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh
18th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland
People from Rothesay, Bute
Scottish Freemasons
Scottish mathematicians