A Compendium of Irish Biography/Brouncker, William, Viscount Castlelyons

by Alfred Webb

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Brouncker, William, Viscount Castlelyons, a mathematician, was born at Castlelyons, County of Cork, in 1620. [His father was President of Munster, and was made a Viscount in 1645.] For his adherence to the Stuarts he was, at the Restoration, appointed Chancellor to the Queen, Lord of the Admiralty, and Master of St. Catherine's Hospital, London. He was the first president of the Royal Society, an office which he retained for fifteen years. Amongst other mathematical works, he published Continued Fractions, and The Quadrature of a portion of the Equilateral Hyperbola. In 1653 he published a translation of Descartes' Musicæ Compendium, enriched with observations which show that he was deeply skilled in the theory of music. He died at Westminster, 5th April 1684, aged about 64. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Authorities

1. Authors, Dictionary of British and American: S. Austin Allibone. 3 vols. Philadelphia, 1869–'71.
2. Cyclopædia, Penny, with Supplement. 29 vols. London, 1833.
3. Musiciens, Biographie Universelle des: F. J. Fetis. 8 vols. Paris, 1860–'5.