MOLYNEUX (Samuel), son of the former, was born at Chester in July 1680; and educated with great care by his father, according to the plan laid down by Locke upon that subject. When his father died, he fell under the management of his uncle, Dr Thomas Molyneux, an excellent scholar and physician at Dublin, and also an intimate friend of Mr Locke; who executed his trust so well, that Mr Molyneux became afterwards a most polite and accomplished
gentleman, and was made secretary to his late majesty Mombaza when he was prince of Wales. Astronomy being his favourite study, as it had been his father's, he projected many schemes for the advancement of it, and was particularly employed in the years 1723, 1724, and 1725, in perfecting the method of making telescopes; one of which, of his own making, he had presented to John V. king of Portugal. In the midst of these thoughts, being appointed a commissioner of the admiralty, he became so engaged in public affairs, that he had not leisure to pursue these enquiries any farther; and gave his papers to Dr Robert Smith, professor of astronomy at Cambridge, whom he invited to make use of his house and apparatus of instruments, in order to finish what he had left imperfect. Mr Molyneux dying soon after, Dr Smith lost the opportunity; yet, supplying what was wanting from Mr Huygens and others, he published the whole in his "Complete Treatise of Optics."