William Whewell, D.D., Master of Trinity College, Cambridge
An Account of his Writings; with Selections from his Literary and Scientific Correspondence

This 1876 biography of one of Trinity College's most distinguished masters reflects a typically nineteenth-century fusion of religion and science.

Isaac Todhunter (Edited by), William Whewell (Author)

9781108038539, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 8 November 2011

454 pages
21.6 x 14 x 2.6 cm, 0.57 kg

William Whewell (1794–1866) was born the son of a Lancaster carpenter, but his precocious intellect soon delivered him into a different social sphere. Educated at a local grammar school, he won a scholarship to Cambridge, and began his career at Trinity College in 1812; he went on to be elected a fellow of Trinity in 1817 and Master in 1841. An acquaintance of William Wordsworth and a friend of Adam Sedgwick, his professional interests reflected a typically nineteenth-century fusion of religion and science, ethics and empiricism. Published in 1876, and written by the mathematician and fellow of St John's College, Isaac Todhunter (1820–84), this biography combines a narrative account of Whewell's life and achievements with extracts taken from his personal correspondence. Volume 1 covers his sermons and early poetry, as well as his work on tides, moral philosophy and mechanics, and his celebrated study of the inductive sciences.

Preface
Alphabetical list of the persons to whom the letters in the second volume are addressed
List of scientific societies with which Dr Whewell was connected
Names mentioned in the letters
1. 1794–1819
2. Publications relating to mechanics
3. 1820–30
4. 1831–3
5. Bridgewater Treatise
6. Researches on the tides
7. 1834–7
8. History of the inductive sciences
9. 1838–40
10. The philosophy of the inductive sciences
11. 1841–53
12. Plurality of worlds
13. 1854–66
14. Moral philosophy
15. English hexameters
16. Scientific memoirs
17. Sermons
18. Notes on books
19. Poetical pieces
20. Miscellaneous prose pieces
21. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: History of science [PDX]