John Leslie

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Born: 16 April 1766 in Largo, Fife, Scotland
Died: 3 Nov 1832 in Coates (near Largo), Fife, Scotland

 

John Leslie studied at St Andrews and Edinburgh, then became tutor to the Wedgwood family (1790-1804). Appointed as professor of mathematics at Edinburgh in 1805 (after a bitter dispute, since he was not ordained by the Church), Leslie became professor in Natural Philosophy in 1819. He was elected a Corresponding Member of the French Academy of Sciences in 1820 and was knighted in 1832.

He published 10 books and several journal and encyclopaedia articles. His mathematical works include texts on geometry, trigonometry and The Philosophy of Arithmetic, but he is best known for his physical researches on heat.