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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

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Listings for Author:  

John Playfair

 

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John Playfair : Peerage

Lord Webb Seymour to Mary Berry, 16 July 1809: 'I hope you will congratulate [John] Playfair for me and for yourself, upon his late publication -- "a Peerage" in five volumes, at ten guineas a volume. Lord Galloway [...] makes it a rule never to subscribe to any book, but an application some time ago from a person of the name of Playfair [...] induced him to relax his rule [...] At length the work appeared, and I found Lord Galloway grievously disappointed by the trifling stuff and fulsome flattery with which the production of this profound man abounded.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: Lord Galloway      Print: Book

  

Sir John Leslie [or Playfair?] : review of Laplace's Essai philosophique sur les probabilites

'It is a considerable time since I saw Leslie's review of La Place'[s] essay on chances - and remarked with considerable surprise - the bold avowall of his sentiments on Hume's doctrine - "The Christian Instructor" attacks him with considerable asperity - and, I think, success. Hume's essays, I have not read - and therefore cannot condemn - The evidence of testimony, too, no doubt has its limits - But as far as I can judge, all that is urged either by La Place or His reviewer - does not at all affect Christianity.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle      Print: Serial / periodical

  

John Playfair : Dissertation Second: Exhibiting a general View of the Progress of Mathematical and Physical Science

'My habits have been so much deranged by change of place, that I have not yet got rightly settled to my studies. I have read little since I saw you: and of that little, I doubt, I have not made the best use. Have you seen Playfairs introductory essay in the Encyclopedia? I am sure you will like it. It is distinguished for its elegance & perspicuity. I perused it some weeks ago, and thought it greatly preferable to Stewarts. Indeed I have often told you, that I am somewhat displeased with myself because I cannot admire this great philosopher, half as much as many critics do. He is so very stately - so transcendental - and withal so unintelligible, that I cannot look upon him with the needful veneration. I was reading the second volume of his "Philosophy of the human mind", lately. It is principally devoted to the consideration of Reason. The greater part of the book is taken up with statements of the opinions of others; and it often required all my penetration to discover what the Author's own views of the matter were. He talks much about Analysis & Mathematics, and disports him very pleasantly upon geometrical reasoning; but leaves what is to me the principal difficulty, untouched. Tell me if you have read it.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle      Print: Book

 

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