Matthew Stewart
Encyclopedia
Matthew Stewart FRS FRSE (c.1717/1719 – 23 January, 1785) was a Scottish
mathematician and minister of religion.
He was born in Rothesay
, on the Isle of Bute
, died at Catrine
, Ayrshire
, and is interred at Greyfriars Kirkyard
in Edinburgh.
Educated at Rothesay Grammar School, Matthew Stewart entered the University of Glasgow
in 1734 where he studied with the philosopher Francis Hutcheson
and the mathematician Robert Simson
, the latter with whom he studied ancient geometry
. A close friendship developed between Simson and Stewart, in part because of their mutual admiration of Pappus of Alexandria
, which resulted in many curious communications with respect to the De Locis Planis of Apollonius of Perga
and the Porisms of Euclid
over the years. This correspondence suggests that Stewart spent several weeks in Glasgow starting May 1743 assisting Robert Simson
in the production of his Apollonii Pergaei locorum planorum libri II, which was published in 1749.
About the same time, his father, the Rev. Dugald Stewart, Minister of Rothesay
, persuaded Matthew Stewart to enter the ministry. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Dunoon in May 1744, and became a minister at Roseneath, Dumbartonshire one year later.
Before entering the ministry, Stewart attended the lectures of Colin Maclaurin
at the University of Edinburgh
during the 1742-3 session. The chair became vacant by Maclaurin's death in 1746 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
and is best known for proposition II, or what is now known as Stewart's theorem
, 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
, who later became a prominent Scottish philosopher.
He was the grandfather of the physician Patrick Miller (1782-1871) and of Colonel Matthew Stewart (c.1784-1851).
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
mathematician and minister of religion.
He was born in Rothesay
Rothesay, Argyll and Bute
The town of Rothesay is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It can be reached by ferry from Wemyss Bay which offers an onward rail link to Glasgow. At the centre of the town is Rothesay Castle, a ruined castle which dates back to the 13th...
, on the Isle of Bute
Isle of Bute
Bute is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Formerly part of the county of Buteshire, it now constitutes part of the council area of Argyll and Bute. Its resident population was 7,228 in April 2001.-Geography:...
, died at Catrine
Catrine
Catrine is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland which was formerly a centre of cotton manufacture.-Geography:The village lies on the River Ayr which previously provided water power for local industry. It is in the parish of Sorn, 2 miles south east of Mauchline.-Transport:The A76 road lies south...
, Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
, and is interred at Greyfriars Kirkyard
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 number of notable Edinburgh residents are interred at...
in Edinburgh.
Educated at Rothesay Grammar School, Matthew Stewart entered the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
in 1734 where he studied with the philosopher Francis Hutcheson
Francis Hutcheson (philosopher)
Francis Hutcheson was a philosopher born in Ireland to a family of Scottish Presbyterians who became one of the founding fathers of the Scottish Enlightenment....
and the mathematician Robert Simson
Robert Simson
Robert Simson was a Scottish mathematician and professor of mathematics at the University of Glasgow. The pedal line of a triangle is sometimes called the "Simson line" after him.-Life:...
, the latter with whom he studied ancient geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
. A close friendship developed between Simson and Stewart, in part because of their mutual admiration of Pappus of Alexandria
Pappus of Alexandria
Pappus of Alexandria was one of the last great Greek mathematicians of Antiquity, known for his Synagoge or Collection , and for Pappus's Theorem in projective geometry...
, which resulted in many curious communications with respect to the De Locis Planis of Apollonius of Perga
Apollonius of Perga
Apollonius of Perga [Pergaeus] was a Greek geometer and astronomer noted for his writings on conic sections. His innovative methodology and terminology, especially in the field of conics, influenced many later scholars including Ptolemy, Francesco Maurolico, Isaac Newton, and René Descartes...
and the Porisms of Euclid
Euclid
Euclid , fl. 300 BC, also known as Euclid of Alexandria, was a Greek mathematician, often referred to as the "Father of Geometry". He was active in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I...
over the years. This correspondence suggests that Stewart spent several weeks in Glasgow starting May 1743 assisting Robert Simson
Robert Simson
Robert Simson was a Scottish mathematician and professor of mathematics at the University of Glasgow. The pedal line of a triangle is sometimes called the "Simson line" after him.-Life:...
in the production of his Apollonii Pergaei locorum planorum libri II, which was published in 1749.
About the same time, his father, the Rev. Dugald Stewart, Minister of Rothesay
Rothesay, Argyll and Bute
The town of Rothesay is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It can be reached by ferry from Wemyss Bay which offers an onward rail link to Glasgow. At the centre of the town is Rothesay Castle, a ruined castle which dates back to the 13th...
, persuaded Matthew Stewart to enter the ministry. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Dunoon in May 1744, and became a minister at Roseneath, Dumbartonshire one year later.
Before entering the ministry, Stewart attended the lectures of Colin Maclaurin
Colin Maclaurin
Colin Maclaurin was a Scottish mathematician who made important contributions to geometry and algebra. The Maclaurin series, a special case of the Taylor series, are named after him....
at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
during the 1742-3 session. The chair became vacant by Maclaurin's death in 1746 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
Robert Simson was a Scottish mathematician and professor of mathematics at the University of Glasgow. The pedal line of a triangle is sometimes called the "Simson line" after him.-Life:...
and is best known for proposition II, or what is now known as Stewart's theorem
Stewart's theorem
In geometry, Stewart's theorem yields a relation between a lengths of the sides of the triangle and the length of a cevian of the triangle. Its name is in honor of the Scottish mathematician Matthew Stewart who published the theorem in 1746.- Theorem :...
, 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
Dugald Stewart was a Scottish Enlightenment philosopher and mathematician. His father, Matthew Stewart , was professor of mathematics in the University of Edinburgh .-Life and works:...
, who later became a prominent Scottish philosopher.
He was the grandfather of the physician Patrick Miller (1782-1871) and of Colonel Matthew Stewart (c.1784-1851).