Barrow, Isaac

BARROW, ISAAC: Church of England; b. in London Oct., 1630; d. there May 4. 1677. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge; traveled in Europe and the East, 1655-59, residing for more than a year in Turkey; was ordained on his return to England, and after the Restoration was made professor of Greek at Cambridge; became professor of mathematics in 1663, but resigned in 1669 in favor of his famous pupil, Isaac Newton, and devoted himself to theology. Charles II made him his chaplain and in 1673 appointed him master of Trinity; in 1675 he was made vice-chancellor of the university. His reputation is deservedly high as a scholar, mathematician, and scientist; his Treatise of the Pope’s Supremacy (London, 1680) shows much skill in controversy; his sermons are elaborate and exhaustive, but ponderous in style and inordinately long. His theological works edited by John Tillotson appeared in four volumes at London, 1683-87; they have been several times reissued, the best edition being that by A. Napier (9 vols., Cambridge, 1859).

Bibliography: The best account of his life is by W. Whewell, prefixed to vol. ix of Barrow’s works, ut sup.; a critical account is given DNB, iii, 299-305. His Treatise of the Pope’s Supremacy has been reprinted by the Cambridge University Press and the S. P. C. K.