Dionysius Lardner (April 3, 1793 - April 29, 1859), Irish scientific writer, was born at Dublin. April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ... 1793 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 1859 (MDCCCLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ...

His father, a solicitor, wished his son to follow the same calling. After some years of uncongenial desk work, Lardner entered Trinity College, Dublin, and graduated B.A. in 1817. In 1828 he became professor of natural philosophy and astronomy at University College, London, a position he held till 1840, when he eloped with a married lady, and had to leave the country. After a lecturing tour through the principal cities of the United States, which realized £40,000, he returned to Europe in 1845. He settled at Paris, and resided there till within a few months of his death, which took place at Naples. A solicitor is a type of lawyer in many common law jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Canada and some States of Australia but not the United States. ... The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin or more commonly Trinity College, Dublin was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, and is the only constituent college of the University of Dublin, Irelands oldest university. ... Philosopher in Meditation (detail), by Rembrandt. ... Radio telescopes are among many different tools used by astronomers Astronomy (Greek: αστρονομία = άστρον + νόμος, astronomia = astron + nomos, literally, law of the stars) is the science of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the Earths atmosphere (such as auroras and cosmic background radiation). ... The Front Quad University College London, commonly known as UCL, is one of the colleges that make up the University of London. ... The Eiffel Tower, the international symbol of the city, as viewed from the Trocadéro This article is about the capital and largest city in France. ... Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Nàpule, from Greek Νέα Πόλις - Néa Pólis - meaning New City; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the largest city in southern Italy and capital of Campania Region and the Province of Naples. ...

Though lacking in originality or brilliancy, Lardner showed himself to be a successful popularizer of science. He was the author of numerous mathematical and physical treatises on such subjects as algebraic geometry (1823), the differential and integral calculus (1825), the steam engine (1828), besides hand-books on various departments of natural philosophy (1854-1856); but it is as the editor of Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopaedia (1830-1844) that he is best remembered. Table of Geometry, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... Calculus is a central branch of mathematics, developed from algebra and geometry. ... A steam engine is an external combustion heat engine that makes use of the thermal energy that exists in steam, converting it to mechanical work. ...

To this scientific library of 134 volumes many of the ablest savants of the day contributed, Lardner himself being the author of the treatises on arithmetic, geometry, heat, hydrostatics and pneumatics, mechanics (in conjunction with Henry Kater) and electricity (in conjunction with CV Walker). The Cabinet Library (12 vols., 1830-1832) and the Museum of Science and Art (12 vols., 1854-1856) are his other chief undertakings. A few original papers appear in the Royal Irish Academy's Transactions (1824), in the Royal Society's Proceedings (1831-1836) and in the Astronomical Society's Monthly Notices (1852-1853); and two Reports to the British Association on railway constants (1838, 1841) are from his pen. Hydrostatics, also known as fluid statics, is the study of fluids at rest. ... Table of Pneumaticks, 1728 Cyclopaedia Pneumatics, from the Greek πνευματικός (pneumatikos, coming from the wind) is the use of pressurized gases to do work in science and technology. ... Henry Kater (April 16, 1777 – April 26, 1835), English physicist of German descent, was born at Bristol. ... The premises of the Royal Society in London (first four properties only). ...

Further information

Lardner is quite an important figure: he is mentioned in Marx's 'Das Capital' no less, and is well respected as an economist. He mixed with the rich and famous. He was involved in the very start of the University of London, being the first person to hold the post of Professor of Natural History and Astronomy there. He was very influential in publicising Babbage's Difference engine, (an Aaron to Babbage's Moses?) but conversely his fall from grace in 1840 (when his erroneous prophesies on Steam had become famous, and after his relationship with the married Mary Heaviside began,) may have contributed to society's rejection of Babbage's ideas.

Bibliography

References include: Kieran Byrne, 'Mechanics's Institutes in Ireland before 1855' (thesis, University College Cork,) Richard Fawkes 'Dion Boucicault'; Norman McMillan 'Prometheus's Fire'; Mark Blaug (ed.)'William Whewell (1794-1866), Dionysius Lardner (1793- 1859), Charles Babbage (1792-1871)'; J.N. Hays article 'Dionysius Lardner' in the Dictionary of National Biography; Nora Crook's introduction to 'Mary Shelley's Literary Lives and other writings' as well as several other journal articles. Archives include Letters to Babbage, Letters in the Wellcome Institute, including a 9 page autobiography in French, etc. Andrew Odlyzko is including a chapter on Lardner in his forthcoming book "The Internet and Victorian Railroads: How to Blame Microsoft for the Dot-com Bubble and How to Prepare for the Next Techno-mania." Andrew Odlyzko is a mathematician who is the head of the University of Minnesotas Digital Technology Center. ...

See also: "Dionysius Lardner: Science, Scandal and the Six Shilling Sciences" (forthcoming) by Anna L Martin

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.