Samuel Vince
FRS (6 April 1749 – 28 November 1821) was an
English clergyman, mathematician and astronomer at the
University of Cambridge.
Life
He was born in
Fressingfield. The son of a plasterer, Vince was admitted as a
sizar to
Caius College, Cambridge in 1771.
In 1775 he was
Senior Wrangler, and Winner of the
Smith Prize at Cambridge. Migrating to
Sidney Sussex College in 1777, he gained his M.A. in 1778 and was ordained a clergyman in 1779.
He was awarded the
Copley Medal
The Copley Medal is an award given by the Royal Society, for "outstanding achievements in research in any branch of science". It alternates between the physical sciences or mathematics and the biological sciences. Given every year, the medal is t ...
in 1780 and was
Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at Cambridge from 1796 until his death. He became
Archdeacon of Bedford in 1809, and died in
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside resort, seaside town in the district of Thanet District, Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2001 it had a population of about 40,000. In 2011, according to t ...
.
[
]
Works
As a mathematician, Vince wrote on many aspects of his expertise, including logarithms and imaginary numbers. His ''Observations on the Theory of the Motion and Resistance of Fluids'' and ''Experiments upon the Resistance of Bodies Moving in Fluids'' had later importance to aviation history. He was also author of the influential ''A Complete System of Astronomy'' (3 vols. 1797-1808).
Vince also published the pamphlet ''The Credibility of Christianity Vindicated, In Answer to Mr. Hume's Objections; In Two Discourses Preached Before the University of Cambridge by the Rev. S. Vince''. In this work, Vince made an apology of the Christian religion and, like Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage (; 26 December 1791 – 18 October 1871) was an English polymath. A mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer, Babbage originated the concept of a digital programmable computer.
Babbage is considered ...
, sought to present rational arguments in favor of the belief in miracles, against David Hume's criticism. A review of this work with direct quotations can be found in '' The British Critic'', Volume 12, 1798.The British Critic, Volume 12
(1798). F. and C. Rivington. pp. 258-263.
References
External links
On the divisions among Christians: A charge, delivered to the clergy of the archdeaconry of Bedford(1810)
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Royal SocietyJanus (Cambridge library)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vince, Samuel
1749 births
1821 deaths
18th-century English mathematicians
19th-century English mathematicians
Archdeacons of Bedford
Plumian Professors of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy
Recipients of the Copley Medal
Fellows of the Royal Society
Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Alumni of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Senior Wranglers
18th-century English Anglican priests
19th-century English Anglican priests
People from Fressingfield