A Prodigy of Universal Genius: Robert Leslie Ellis, 1817-1859 (Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Book 55)

Places Ellis at the heart of early-Victorian Cambridge with in-depth descriptions on his scientific work and tragic life Provides a unique glimpse into Victorian intellectual culture, based on previously unpublished archival materials This open access book brings together for the first time all aspects of the tragic life and fascinating work of the polymath Robert Leslie Ellis (1817-1859), placing him at the heart of early-Victorian intellectual culture. Written by a diverse team of experts, the chapters in the book's first part contain in-depth examinations of, among other things, Ellis's family, education, Bacon scholarship and mathematical contributions. The second part consists of annotated transcriptions of a selection of Ellis's diaries and correspondence. Taken together, A Prodigy of Universal Genius: Robert Leslie Ellis, 1817-1859 is a rich resource for historians of science, historians of mathematics and Victorian scholars alike. Robert Leslie Ellis was one of the most intriguing and wide-ranging intellectual figures of early Victorian Britain, his contributions ranging from advanced mathematical analysis to profound commentaries on philosophy and classics and a decisive role in the orientation of mid-nineteenth century scholarship. This very welcome collection offers both new and authoritative commentaries on the work, setting it in the context of the mathematical, philosophical and cultural milieux of the period, together with fascinating passages from the wealth of unpublished papers Ellis composed during his brief and brilliant career. - Simon Schaffer, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge Acknowledgments and Permissions Introduction Robert Leslie Ellis: Life and Work Structure of the Book Contents Contributors Abbreviations List of Figures Part I: Chapters Chapter 1: From Bath to Cambridge: The Early Life and Education of Robert Leslie Ellis 1.1 Classical Tuition 1.2 The World of the Bath Literati 1.3 Ellis the Diarist 1.4 Ellis at Cambridge 1.5 Conclusion Chapter 2: “A Senior Wrangler Among Senior Wranglers”: The Mathematical Education of Robert Leslie Ellis 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Thomas Stephens Davies (c.1794–1851) 2.3 Ellis’s Mathematical Development (1827–1834) 2.4 Cambridge, 1836–1840 2.4.1 Tuition 2.4.2 Coaching 2.5 Examinations Chapter 3: Ellis’s Character, John Grote and the Cambridge Network 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Obituarising the Man 3.3 Approaching Knowledge 3.4 The Making of the Man 3.5 Character: The Man as Made 3.6 Ellis and the Rising Tide of Doubt 3.7 ‘A Galaxy of Great Men’: The Cambridge Network 3.8 Conclusion Chapter 4: Robert Leslie Ellis as Editor and Contributor to Mathematical Journals 4.1 Introduction 4.2 The Undergraduate 4.3 The Cambridge Mathematical Journal 4.3.1 Ellis’s Juvenilia 4.3.2 Algebra and Geometry 4.3.3 Differential Equations and Multiple Integrals 4.3.4 Editorship 4.4 The British Association, and After 4.4.1 Ellis’s Report on Analysis 4.5 Epilogue Chapter 5: Ellis on Mathematical Statistics and Probability 5.1 Ellis and Least Squares in 1844 5.2 Ellis and the Foundations of Probability in 1842 5.3 Back to Least Squares in 1850 5.4 Ellis and Mathematical Statistics Chapter 6: Ellis’s Philosophy and Bacon Scholarship 6.1 Origins: Whewell and the Trinity Circle 6.2 Philosophy at Bath, 1834–1836 6.3 Philosophy at Cambridge, 1836–1840 6.4 Ellis’s Philosophy in the 1840s–50s Chapter 7: Robert Leslie Ellis: An Almost Perfect Moral Nature 7.1 The Transcendence of Mathematical Knowing 7.2 Maintaining Transcendence Through History 7.3 Defending Transcendent Truth 7.4 Conclusion Part II: Manuscripts Chapter 8: Ellis’s Papers in Trinity College, Cambridge 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Provenance and Archival History 8.3 The Diaries 8.4 Correspondence 8.5 Notebooks and Miscellaneous Notes 8.6 Concluding Remarks Diaries Note to the Reader Selected Diaries Letters Note to the Reader List of Selected Letters Selected letters Appendices Appendix 1: Bibliography of Ellis’s Writings Mathematics Philosophy Miscellaneous Appendix 2: Chronological List of Ellis’s Mathematical Reading Appendix 3: Chronological List of Ellis’s Diaries General Bibliography Index