METIUS, ADRIAN, an eminent mathematician, was the
son of a military engineer, and was born at Alkmaar in
Holland in 1571. He studied practical mathematics under
his father, law and medicine at the university of Franeker,
and astronomy under Tycho Brahe. After visiting Ger-
many, and delivering astronomical lectures there with great
success, he returned to Holland to assist his father in his
official duties. In 1598 he was promoted to the chair of
mathematics at Franeker, a position which he held during
the remainder of his life. The degree of M.D. was con-
ferred upon him in 1625. Much of his time and money
was latterly spent in the fruitless researches of alchemy.
Metius died in 1635. The following is a list of his works:
—Doctrinae Sphaericae, 8vo, Franeker, 1598; Universa
Astronomiae Institutio, 8vo, Franeker, 1606; Arithmeticae
libri duo, et Geometriae libri sex Practicae, 4to, Fran-
ker, 1611; Praxis Nova Geometrica per usum circini et
regulae proportionalis, 4to, Franeker, 1623; De Gemina
Usu utriusque Globi, 4to, Amsterdam, 1611; Problemata
Astronomica Geometrica Delineata, 4to, Leyden, 1625; As-
trolabium, 8vo, Franeker, 1626; Calendarium Perpetuum
Articulis Digitorum Computandum, 8vo, Rotterdam, 1627;
and Opera Omnia Astronomica, 4to, Amsterdam, 1633.