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This is an account of the
career of James Dinwiddie (1746–1815). First published in 1868 by
Dinwiddie's grandson William Jardine Proudfoot, the work is based on
Dinwiddie's own autobiographical notes, travel logbook and personal
correspondence. The biography traces Dinwiddie's career from the scientific
lectures he gave from 1781 and the journal series Queries and Hints, which
he began in 1779, to his visit to the Chinese imperial court as official
astronomer in Lord Macartney's mission (1792–1794); his residence in Beijing
and Canton; and his move to India, where he was appointed Professor of
Mathematics, Natural Philosophy and Chemistry at the College of Fort
William, Bengal. Dinwiddie's career was marked by passionate commitment to
the dissemination of scientific knowledge – his travels, lectures and
publications were undertaken for this cause. His life is a fascinating
account of a polymathic mind which will fascinate and entertain a modern-day
readership.
You can download his book
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TO THE READER
Natural science is
unquestionably one of the grandest subjects of human investigation. The
pursuits of literature or the fine arts, however pleasing in themselves,
fall short in comparison of the sublime truths unfolded by the material
universe. Whether soaring into illimitable space, or descending the scale of
nature to view the world of wonders displayed in a single drop of stagnant
water, the mind becomes -everywhere stored with rich and exalted ideas, and
loses those narrow prejudices which but too frequently arise from local
habits or a contracted education. The man on whom this study has its due
influence receives the clearest insight into the problem of his own
existence. He considers himself as a citizen of the world, and looks upon
every man, of whatever country, color, qr creed, with the most impartial
eye; he cannot, in fact, but be a good man.
Curiosity, the principal motive to this study, is more or less in the minds
of all men; but it is so implanted in some as to abstract them from every
other pursuit, and engage them in intellectual researches by a thirst after
knowledge which no discovery can quench—which success inflames the more.
When .Descartes had taken a survey of all the employments of men, in order
to choose a profession, he became persuaded that he could not do better than
devote his whole life to investigating the truth. The value, however, of any
character docs not depend so much on what a man knows, but what he can do.
Knowledge which terminates in itself is but an amusement; at the same time
it is the amusement becoming a man—a gentleman—one improvement of all; and
these objects ought to be considered as the great end of the study of
natural philosophy.
The career of James Dinwiddie is a singular instance of devotion to science.
Born in a humble sphere, with only his own perseverance to carry him forward
in the world, he stemmed the torrents of an adverse fortune till he became
the most popular lecturer of the day. For variety and extent of learning he
was believed to have been unsurpassed; but little, however, is known of him
beyond that he spent a long and active life in diffusing the knowledge he
had accumulated. That the memory of such an individual should pass away with
his generation has been often regretted by his friends, and to trace his
career is the object of the following Memoir, which is attempted to be drawn
from his manuscripts and correspondence alone. It is rather unfortunate that
so much time has elapsed, and that these papers, which are the only sources
of information, are often so effaced or mutilated as to afford little or no
assistance whatever in elucidating the subject in view; and how far this
compilation will bear out the observations hazarded above will depend on the
judgment of a discerning reader.
W. J. P.
Biographical Memoir of James
Dinwiddie, L.L.D.,
Astronomer in the British Embassy to China, 1792, '3, '4, Afterwards
Professor of Natural Philosophy in the College of Fort William, Bengal |
