ABRAHAM, an eminent mathematician, was born at Vitri in Champagne, May 1667. The revocation of the edict of Nantz, in 1685, determined him to fly into England, rather than abandon the religion of his fathers. He laid the foundation of his mathematical studies in France, and perfected himself at London; where a mediocrity of fortune obliged him to employ his talents in this way, and to read public lectures for his better support. The Principia Mathematica of Newton, which chance is said to have thrown in his way, made him comprehend at once, how little he had advanced in the science he professed. He fell hard to work: he succeeded as he went along; and he soon became connected with, and celebrated among, the first-rate mathematicians. His eminence and abilities soon opened to him an entrance into the Royal Society of London, and afterwards into the Academy of Sciences at Paris. His merit was so known and acknowledged by the former, that they judged him a fit person to decide the famous contest between Newton and Leibnitz. The collection of the academy of Paris contains no memoir of this author, who died at London Nov. 1754, soon after his admission into it; but the Philosophical Transactions of London have several, and all of them interesting. He published also some capital works, such as, Miscellanea Analytica, de Seribus et quadraturis, &c. 1730, 4to. But perhaps he has been more generally known by his "Doctrine DEMOivre of Chances; or, Method of calculating the Probabilities of Events at Play." This work was first printed 1618, in 4to, and dedicated to Sir Isaac Newton: it was reprinted 1738, with great alterations and improvements; and a third edition was afterwards published with additions, and "A Treatise on Annuities," dedicated to Lord Carpenter.