[MR] Wikipedia: John Napier

[Garth Groff via Atlantia]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots,

On this day in 1550 John Napier, the Scottish polymath, was born at 
Merchiston Tower near Edinburgh.

John Napier was noted as a religious philosopher within the Scottish 
Calvinist tradition. In 1593 wrote a treatise on the BOOK OF REVELATION 
entitled A PLAINE DISCOVERY OF THE WHOLE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN, which 
went through numerous editions and was translated into several other 
languages. Based on his reading of the Bible text, and his own 
mathematical calculations, Napier predicted the end of the world in 1688 
or 1700. Well, he got that part wrong.

John Napier is today most famous as the inventor of logarithms, which 
some of you will remember eased our way through high school mathematics 
classes (Thanks, John!). In addition (so to speak), he invented Napier's 
Bones, a mechanical calculation device. Most of Napier's mathematical 
discoveries took place in the 1600s, and so are actually out of our 
period of interest.

Napier also dabbled in alchemy, but who didn't among the intelligentsia 
of that time?

To read more about this remarkable Scot go to 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Napier .

Merchiston Tower still stands on the grounds of Edinburgh Napier 
University: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchiston_Tower .

Someday I will relate the sad tale of Archie Napier, John's son, who was 
daggered on King James VI's doorstep in the approved Scottish fashion. 
But that's a tale for another day.

Part of my interest in John Napier is because he is my real-life cousin 
to the 18th or so removal. The Napier family divided sometime during the 
16th century into the Kilmahew (original) and Edinburgh branches. My 
direct Scottish ancestors are from the Kilmahew line, the gamblers who 
lost all their lands and fortune at cards (Sigh!).

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge