The Life of Sir Charles Scarburgh: Conclusion and About the Author

While we may never know the extent to which Sir Charles Scarburgh played a part in the writing of The English Euclide, his life presents a fascinating snapshot of the scholarly world of 17th-century England. His many relationships with other scientists and mathematicians provide interesting details of the intersections between people and historical events that we frequently see described in more isolated terms. In addition, his impressive library presents an opportunity to highlight one scholar's possession of many of the individual "Mathematical Treasures" described here on Convergence. My own interest in the Scarburgh family was stimulated by a traveling exhibition sponsored by The Remnant Trust, Inc., that came to my campus over a decade ago, and I thank the foundation for permission to make research photographs of its copy of The English Euclide.

About the Author

Michael Molinsky is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Maine at Farmington, the oldest public institution of higher education in Maine, where he encourages his students (especially those preparing to be K–12 teachers) to explore the history of mathematics. He is an active member of the Canadian Society for History and Philosophy of Mathematics, and is currently serving his second term as an Associate Editor of Convergence.