[269] As is well known, this subject owes much to the Bernoullis. Craig's works on the calculus brought him into controversy with them. He also wrote on other subjects in which they were interested, as in his memoir _On the Curve of the quickest descent_ (1700), _On the Solid of least resistance_ (1700), and the _Solution of Bernoulli's problem on Curves_ (1704). [270] This is Samuel Lee (1783-1852), the young prodigy in languages. He was apprenticed to a carpenter at twelve and learned Greek while working at the trade. Before he was twenty-five he knew Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, Samaritan, Persian, and Hindustani. He later became Regius professor of Hebrew at Cambridge. [271] "Where the devil, Master Ludovico, did you pick up such a collection?" [272] Lord William Brounker (c. 1620-1684), the first president of the Royal Society, is best known in mathematics for his contributions to continued fractions. [273] Horace Walpole (1717-1797) published his _Catalogue of the Royal and Noble Authors of England_ in 1758. Since his time a number of worthy names in the domain of science in general and of mathematics in particular might be added from the peerage of England. [274] It was written by Charles Hayes (1678-1760), a mathematician and scholar of no mean attainments. He travelled extensively, and was deputy governor of the Royal African Company. His _Treatise on Fluxions_ (London, 1704) was the first work in English to explain Newton's calculus. He wrote a work entitled _The Moon_ (1723) to prove that our satellite shines by its own as well as by reflected light. His _Chronographia Asiatica & Aegyptica_ (1758) gives the results of his travels. [275] _Publick_ in the original. [276] Whiston (1667-1752) succeeded Newton as Lucasian professor of mathematics at Cambridge. In 1710 he turned Arian and was expelled from the university. His work on _Primitive Christianity_ appeared the following year. He wrote many works on astronomy and religion. [277] Ditton (1675-1715) was, on Newton's recommendation, made Head of the mathematical school at Christ's Hospital, London. He wrote a work on fluxions (1706). His idea for finding longitude at sea was to place stations in the Atlantic to fire off bombs at regular intervals, the time between the sound and the flash giving the distance. He also corresponded with Huyghens concerning the use of chronometers for the purpose. [278] This was John Arbuthnot (c. 1658-1735), the mathematician, physician and wit. He was intimate with Pope and Swift, and was Royal physician to Queen Anne. Besides various satires he published a translation of Huyghens's work on probabilities (1692) and a well-known treatise on ancient coins, weights, and measures (1727).