Saunderson, Nicholas

Nicholas Saunderson or Sanderson (1682-1739), mathematician, was born in January 1682 at Thurlston, near Penniston, Yorkshire. He lost his eyes when twelve months old as the result of an attack of smallpox. He attended Penniston school, where he learnt classics and developed a knowledge of French, Latin and Greek. Thereafter he studied mathematics at home, before moving to Cambridge in 1707, where he resided at Christ's College with Joshua Dunn, a fellow-commoner. Saunderson gave lectures at Cambridge on the philosophy of Newton, astronomy, hydrostatics, mechanics, optics, sounds, and the tides. He was granted an M.A. by special patent in 1711, and that year became Lucasian Professor of Mathematics. He was created doctor of laws in 1728. Saunderson died on 19 April 1739. Algebra (Cambridge University Press, 1740) and his other mathematical writings were published after his death.

Epithet: eldest son of George, 5th Baron Castleton (?)