Colin Maclaurin, a Scottish mathematician, born at Kilmodan, Argyleshire, in February, 1698, died in Edinburgh, June 14, 1746. He was educated at the university of Glasgow, and in 1717 was appointed professor of mathematics in Marischal college, Aberdeen, which post he occupied till 1725, when, at the recommendation of Sir Isaac Newton, whose acquaintance he had formed during a visit to London in 1719, he was called to be assistant professor of mathematics at Edinburgh, and after the death of Prof. Gregory succeeded him and retained the mathematical chair until his death. During the rebellion of 1745 he sided with the existing government. Upon the entrance of Charles Edward into the city he took refuge with Dr. Herring, archbishop of York, but returned to Edinburgh when quiet was restored. His works are: Geometria Organica (London, 1720); "Treatise on the Percussion of Bodies," an essay for which he received the prize of the academy of sciences in 1724; a "Treatise on Fluxions" (2 vols. 4to, Edinburgh, 1742), written partly in reply to an attack of Bishop Berkeley on the principles of fluxions; a "Treatise on Algebra" (1748); and an " Account of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophical Discoveries " (London, 1748), left unfinished and published from his papers.