BARROW (Isaac), an eminent mathematician and divine, of the last century, was the son of Mr Thomas Barrow a linen draper in London, where he was born, in 1630. He was at first placed at the charter-house school, for two or three years; where his behaviour afforded but little hopes of success in the profession of a scholar, he being fond of fighting, and promoting it among his school-fellows: but being removed from thence, his disposition took a happier turn; and having soon made a great progress in learning, he was admitted a pensioner of Peter House in Cambridge. He now applied himself with great diligence to the study of all parts of literature, especially to that of natural philosophy. He afterwards turned his thoughts to the profession of physic, and made a considerable progress in anatomy, botany, and chemistry; after this he studied chronology, astronomy, and geometry. He then travelled into France and Italy, and in a voyage from Leghorn to Smyrna, gave a proof of his bravery; for the ship being attacked by an Algerine pirate, he stood upon deck, and with the greatest intrepidity fought, till the pirate, perceiving the stout resistance the ship made, sheered off and left her (a).
At Smyrna he met with a most kind reception from Mr
(a) There is another anecdote told of him, which not only showed his intrepidity, but an uncommon goodness of disposition, in circumstances where an ordinary share of it would have been probably extinguished. He was once in a gentleman's house in the country, where the necessary was at the end of a long garden, and consequently at a great distance from the room where he lodged: as he was going to it before day, for