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ROBISON, (DR) JOHN, an
eminent mechanical philosopher, and professor of natural philosophy in the
university of Edinburgh, was the son of John Robison, a merchant in Glasgow,
and was born there in the year 1739. [Memoir of Professor Playfair: Trans.
Royal Society, Edinburgh, vii. 495.] The first part of his education he
received at the grammar school of Glasgow, whence he entered as a student of
the university of Glasgow so early as the year 1750, and took the degree of
master of arts in 1756. What progress he made in his early studies is not
known, and in after life he used to speak lightly of his early proficiency,
and accuse himself of want of application. In the year following his
graduation, he made a proposal to be appointed assistant to Mr Dick,
professor of natural philosophy, in place of the son of that gentleman, who
had just died; but was considered too young for the important duty. At that
time his friends had wished him to study for the church; but, preferring
some duty in which his mechanical pursuits might be indulged, he turned his
eyes towards London. Professor Dick and Dr Simson sent along with him
recommendations to Dr Blair, Prebendary of Westminster, who might have had
influence to procure for him the situation of tutor in mathematics and
navigation to the duke of York, younger son of Frederick, prince of Wales,
whom there was then some intention of educating for the navy. The plan was
given up, and Robison received a severe disappointment, but the event served
as his introduction to an excellent friend, admiral Knowles, a gentleman
whose son was to have attended the duke on his voyage. Young Mr Knowles’
nautical education was not to be given up with that of the duke, and his
father perceiving Robison’s knowledge of mechanical philosophy, employed him
to take charge of the instruction of his son while at sea. Mr Robison sailed
from Spithead in 1759, with the fleet, which assisted the land forces in the
taking of Quebec. His pupil was a midshipman in the admiral’s ship, in which
he was himself rated of the same rank. Two years of such active service as
followed this expedition enabled Robison to make many observations, and
collect a fund of practical knowledge, while he was sometimes usefully
employed in making surveys. On his return on the third of August, he was a
sufferer from the sea scurvy, which had disabled the greater part of the
crew. At this time Mr Robison seems to have had a surfeit of a sailor’s
life, one which, however pleasing for a limited time, as serving to
exemplify his favourite studies, possessed perhaps few charms as a
profession, to a man of studious habits. He intended to resume the discarded
study of theology; but an invitation from admiral Knowles to live with him
in the country, and assist in his experiments, prevailed. "What these
experiments were," says Mr Robison’s biographer, "is not mentioned; but they
probably related to ship-building, a subject which the admiral had studied
with great attention." He had not been thus situated many months, when his
young friend and pupil lieutenant Knowles, was appointed to the command of
the Peregrine sloop of war of 20 guns, and probably from a passion for the
sea recurring after recovery from his disorder, and a residence in the
country, Robison accompanied him. At this period his ambition seems to have
been limited to the situation of purser to his friend’s vessel. On
his return from a voyage, during which he visited Lisbon before the traces
of the great earthquake had been effaced, he again took up his residence
with admiral Knowles. By his patron he was soon afterwards recommended to
lord Anson, then first lord of the admiralty, who conceived him a fit person
to take charge of the chronometer constructed, after many years of patient
labour, by Mr Harrison, on a trial voyage to the West Indies, in which its
accuracy was to be tried, at the suggestion of the Board of Longitude. On
the return, which was hastened by the dread of a Spanish invasion of St
Domingo, Mr Robison suffered all the hardships of the most adventurous
voyage, from the rudder being broken in a gale of wind to the ship’s
catching fire, and being with difficulty extinguished. The result of the
observation was satisfactory, the whole error from first setting sail, on a
comparison with observations at Portsmouth, being only 1’ 53 ½", a
difference which would produce very little effect in calculations of
longitude for ordinary practical purposes. For the reward of his services Mr
Robison had made no stipulation, trusting to the consideration of
government; but he was disappointed. Lord Anson was in his last illness,
admiral Knowles was disgusted with the admiralty and the ministry, and the
personal applications unaided by interest which he was obliged to make, were
met with a cold silence which irritated his mind. It appears that at this
period the reward he sought was the comparatively humble appointment of
purser to a ship. In 1763, such a situation was offered to him by lord
Sandwich, then first lord of the admiralty, in a vessel of 40 guns, which it
is probable that a dawning of brighter prospects prompted him, certainly not
to the regret of his admirers, to decline. Notwithstanding his having been
connected with a branch of society not generally esteemed propitious to
clerical pursuits, he is said to have still felt a lingering regard for the
church, and to have adhered to his friends in the navy, solely from the
better chance of advancement, because, as his biographer with unquestionable
truth observes, "it lay more in the way of the Board of Longitude to help
one to promotion in the navy than in the church." He returned to Glasgow,
and renewing an acquaintance long since commenced with Dr Black, entered
with ardour on the new views in chemistry connected with the existence of
latent heat, which his eminent friend was beginning to divulge to the world.
He at the same time commenced an intimacy with Mr Watt, and was so far
acquainted with his proceedings, as to be able to certify the justice of his
claim to those vast improvements in the steam engine, which a singular
accident had been the means of suggesting to his genius. At the
recommendation of Dr Black, Robison was appointed his successor in the
chemical chair of Glasgow, which, in 1766, he had relinquished for that of
Edinburgh. After continuing four years in this situation, one of a novel and
uncommon character presented itself for his acceptance. The empress of
Russia had made a request to the government of Britain, for the service of
some able and experienced naval officers to superintend the reformation of
her marine. With more liberality than generally characterizes the
intercourse of nations, the request was agreed to, and Mr Robison’s tried
friend, admiral Knowles, was appointed president of the Russian Board of
Admiralty. It had been his intention to recommend Robison for the situation
of official secretary to the Board, but finding such an office incompatible
with the constitution of the Russian Board, he contrived to engage his
services to the public, in the capacity of his private secretary, and in the
end of December, 1770, both proceeded over land to St Petersburgh. For a
year after his arrival, he assisted the admiral in forcing on the attention
of the Russians such improvements in ship-building, rigging, and navigation,
as their prejudices would allow them to be taught by foreigners, backed by
the influence of government. Meanwhile he had sedulously studied the Russian
language, and in the summer of 1772, the reputation of his accomplishments
induced the offer of the vacant mathematical chair attached to the Sea cadet
corps of nobles at Cronstadt. On his acceptance of the appointment, his
predecessor’s salary was doubled, and he was raised to the rank of colonel,
an elevation to which he could not step with proper Russian grace, without
producing such documents as bore the appearance of evidence to the nobility
of his birth. Besides his duties as mathematical professor, he acted in the
room of general Politika, who had retired, as inspector-general of the
corps; a duty in which he had to inspect the conduct and labours of about
forty teachers. He did not long remain in this situation.
In 1773, from the death of Dr
Russel, a vacancy occurred in the natural philosophy chair of Edinburgh,
which the patrons, at the instigation of principal Robertson, invited Mr
Robison to fill. On hearing of this invitation, prospects of a still more
brilliant nature were held out to him by the empress: he hesitated for some
time, but, being apart from such society as even the more enlightened parts
of Russia afforded, he finally preferred the less brilliant, but more
pleasing offer from his native country, and in June, 1777, he set sail from
Cronstadt to Leith. The empress, on his departure, requested that he would
undertake the care of two or three of the cadets, who were to be elected in
succession, and promised him a pension of 400 rubles or £80 a-year. The
pension was paid for three years, and is supposed to have been discontinued
because Robison had not communicated to the Russian government the
progressive improvements in British marine education. In the winter of 1774,
he commenced his lectures in Edinburgh. "The sciences of mechanics," says
his biographer, "hydrodynamics, astronomy, and optics, together with
electricity and magnetism, were the subjects which his lectures embraced.
These were given with great fluency and precision of language, and with the
introduction of a good deal of mathematical demonstration. His manner was
grave and dignified. His views, always ingenious and comprehensive, were
full of information, and never more interesting and instructive than when
they touched upon the history of science. His lectures, however, were often
complained of as difficult and hard to be followed; and this did not, in my
opinion, arise from the depth of the mathematical demonstrations, as was
sometimes said, but rather from the rapidity of his discourse, which was
generally beyond the rate at which accurate reasoning can be easily
followed. The singular facility of his own apprehension, made him judge too
favourably of the same power in others. To understand his lectures
completely, was, on account of the rapidity and the uniform flow of his
discourse, not a very easy task, even for men tolerably familiar with the
subject. On this account, his lectures were less popular than might have
been expected from such a combination of rare talents as the author of them
possessed." Mr Robison had exerted himself with zeal in the revival of that
association of philosophers, which merged itself into the Royal Society of
Edinburgh; and on its being incorporated by royal charter in 1783, he was
appointed secretary; an office in which he signalized himself, by attention
to the interests of the society. In March, 1786, he read to the society a
paper, entitled "Determination of the Orbit and Motion of the Georgium Sidus,
directly from Observations." In this paper, he is generally understood by
scientific men to have with some haste drawn conclusions for which the
limited time during which Herschel’s newly discovered planet had been
observed by philosophers, did not afford data. His next paper to the
society, "On the Motion of Light, as affected by Refracting and Reflecting
Substances, which are themselves in Motion," was of more utility to science.
In December, 1785, he began to be attacked by a chronic disease, which
gradually undermined his health, but did not for some time interrupt his
ordinary labours. Twelve volumes of the third and much enlarged edition of
the Encyclopedia Britannica had been published, when the editor turned his
eyes on Mr Robison, as a person likely to give it lustre from his scientific
knowledge. He commenced his contributions with the article "Optics," in
1793, and contributed a variety of useful treatises, till the completion of
the work in 1801. His biographer remarks, that "he was the first contributor
who was professedly a man of science; and from that time the Encyclopedia
Britannica ceased to be a mere compilation." The observation must be
received with limitations in both its branches. To the Supplement, he
contributed the articles "Electricity" and "Magnetism." At the period while
he was acquiring fame by his physical researches, he chose to stretch his
studies into a branch of knowledge, which he handled with scarcely so much
effect. Along with many people, among whom a philosopher is always to be
found with regret, a panic that the whole "system," as it was termed, of
society, was in progress of demolition by the French revolution, seized on
his mind. He strayed from more accordant subjects, to look for the causes of
all the confusion, and had the merit of attracting some of the maddened
attention of the period, by finding an untrodden path, which led him farther
from the highway than any other speculator had ventured. In 1797, he
published "Proofs of a Conspiracy against all the Religions and Governments
of Europe." This work is now forgotten; and it will serve for little more
than amusement to know, that the crimes, so evidently prompted by forcibly
carrying the usages and exclusions of a dark age, when the people respected
them, into an age when they were not respected, were traced to the
machinations of the illuminati and free masons. Professor Robison had the
merit of quoting authorities not much read, and in the inflamed feelings of
the period, the secrecy of the sources, instead of proving a prima facie
objection to the probability that a tissue of open national outrages,
prompted by passion, and unguided by pre-arranged motive, could be the
consequence of what was so carefully concealed, or rather overlooked,
served to inflame the spirit of mystery, which other branches of literature
were then fostering; and the book was rapidly sold to the extent of four
editions, and was greedily read. In an age which has acquired the power of
influencing masses of men by public opinions, secret tenets or intentions do
not acquire numerous followers. That there were some grounds in opinion, and
even in intention for many of the statements of Mr Robison, may be granted;
but a few German enthusiasts, pleased with mysticism, were the only
conspirators, and the appalling statements in the works which he used as
authorities, were from men still more given to credulity, than the persons
of whom they spoke were to mystery.
In 1799, professor Robison
was employed in the difficult task of preparing for the press the manuscript
lectures and notes of Dr Black, who had just died. "Dr Black," says
Robison’s biographer, "had used to read his lectures from notes, and these
often but very imperfect, and ranged in order by marks and signs only known
to himself. The task of editing them was, therefore, difficult, and required
a great deal both of time and labour; but was at last accomplished in a
manner to give great satisfaction." Meanwhile, however, the discoveries of
Dr Black had produced many alterations in chemistry, and the science had
assumed a new aspect. Among other things, the new nomenclature of Lavoisier,
had been almost universally received, and rendered any work which did not
adopt it, antiquated, and comparatively useless. It was supposed that
Robison, with some labour, but without any injustice to the labours of his
friend, might have adopted it; but he preferred the system in the original:
a choice attributed by some to respect for the memory of his friend, and by
others to prejudice. He sent a copy of his publication to the emperor of
Russia, and received in return a box set in diamonds, and a letter of
thanks.
Professor Robison had long
intended to digest his researches into a work, to be entitled "Elements of
Mechanical Philosophy, being the Substance of a Course of Lectures on that
science." The first volume of this work, containing Dynamics and Astronomy,
he published in 1804; but he did not live to complete it. In the end of
January, 1805, he yielded to the lingering disorder, which had long
oppressed his body, before it enervated his mind. His biographer gives the
following account of his character. "He possessed many accomplishments
rarely to be met with in a scholar, or a man of science. He had great skill
and taste in music, and was a performer on several instruments. He was an
excellent draughtsman, and could make his pencil a valuable instrument,
either of record or invention. When a young man, he was gay, convivial, and
facetious, and his vers de societé flowed, I have been told, easily
and with great effect. His appearance and manner were in a high degree
favourable and imposing: his figure handsome, and his face expressive of
talent, thought, gentleness, and good temper. When I had first the pleasure
to become acquainted with him, the youthful turn of his countenance and
manners was beginning to give place to the grave and serious cast, which he
early assumed; and certainly I have never met with any one whose appearance
and conversation were more impressive than his were at that period. Indeed,
his powers of conversation were very extraordinary, and, when exerted, never
failed of producing a great effect. An extensive and accurate information of
particular facts, and a facility of combining them into general and original
views, were united in a degree, of which I am persuaded there have been few
examples. Accordingly, he would go over the most difficult subjects, and
bring out the most profound remarks, with an ease and readiness which was
quite singular. The depth of his observations seemed to cost him nothing:
and when he said any thing particularly striking, you never could discover
any appearance of the self-satisfaction so common on such occasions. He was
disposed to pass quite readily from one subject to another; the transition
was a matter of course, and he had perfectly, and apparently without seeking
after it, that light and easy turn of conversation, even on scientific and
profound subjects, in which we of this island are charged by our neighbours
with being so extremely deficient. The same facility, and the same general
tone, were to be seen in his lectures and his writings. He composed with
singular facility and correctness, but was sometimes, when he had leisure to
be so, very fastidious about his own compositions. In the intercourse of his
life, he was benevolent, disinterested, and friendly, and of sincere and
unaffected piety. In his interpretation of the conduct of others, he was
fair and liberal, while his mind retained its natural tone, and had not
yielded to the alarms of the French Revolution, and to the bias which it
produced."
Mr Robison’s various works,
printed and unprinted, were, after his death, put into the hands of
professor Playfair; but that gentleman finding that he could not devote his
time sufficiently to them, they were afterwards published, with notes, by Dr
Brewster, in four volumes octavo, 1822. This work consists of some
manuscript papers on Projectiles and Corpuscular Action, and the papers
which the author prepared for the Encyclopedia Britannica, abridged of some
of their digressions. |
