William Whiston. Line engraving by G. Vertue, 1720.

Date:
1720
Reference:
9676i
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Description

Bottom left, "Norman's dipping needle", bottom right "Whiston's dipping needle", i.e. Whiston's improved instrument for use in surveying and navigation, compared with the version described by Robert Norman in 1581. Whiston described his instrument in The longitude and latitude found by the inclinatory or dipping needle; wherein the laws of magnetism are also disover'd, London 1721

Publication/Creation

1720

Physical description

1 print

Lettering

Below the portrait, the Greek text is an excerpt from the Apostolic Constitutions, an ancient Christian text favoured by the Arians. Whiston's acceptance of this document, and other heretical ideas, caused him to be dismissed from the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics and to be expelled from Cambridge University in 1710

References note

R. Burgess, Portraits of doctors & scientists in the Wellcome Institute, London 1973, no. 3172.1

Reference

Wellcome Collection 9676i

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