![]() ![]() In these years he corresponded with increasing intensity with many scholars, among them Gregory of St. ![]() ![]() Huygens’ study of centrifugal force also dates from 1659. This is described in 1658 in the Horologium (not to be confused with the later Horologium oscillatorium) and formed the occasion for the discovery of the tautochronism of the cycloid (1659), and for the studies on the theory of evolutes and on the center of oscillation. In 1656 Huygens invented the pendulum clock. They built microscopes and telescopes, and Huygens, in the winter of 1655-1656, discovered the satellite of Saturn and recognized its ring, as reported in his De Saturni lunâ observatio nova and Systema Saturnium, respectively. In 1655 he applied himself, together with his brother, to lens grinding. Ī manuscript on hydrostatics had already been completed in 1650, and in 1652 Huygens formulated the rules of elastic collision and began his studies of geometrical optics. In 1657 Huygens’ treatise on probability problems appeared, the Tractatus de ratiociniis in aleae ludo. In the subsequent years Huygens studied the rectification of the parabola, the area of surfaces of revolution of parabolas, and tangents and quadratures of various curves such as the cissoid, the cycloid (in connection with a problem publicly posed by Pascal in 1658), and the logarithmica. The De circuli magnitudine inventa followed in 1654. In 1651 the Theoremata de quadratura hyperboles, ellipsis et circuli appeared, including a refutation of Gregory of St. Huygens at first concentrated on mathematics: determinations of quadratures and cubatures, and algebraic problems inspired by Pappus’ works. These years (1650-1666) were the most fertile of Huygens’ career. An allowance supplied by his father enabled him to devote himself completely to the study of nature. Huygens lived at home until 1666, except for three journeys to Paris and London. He did not want such a career, and in any event the Huygens family lost its main opportunities for diplomatic work as a result of the death of William II in 1650. Huygens did not, after his studies, choose the career in diplomacy which would have been natural for a man of his birth and education. From March 1647 until August 1649 Christiaan studied law at the newly founded Collegium Arausiacum (College of Orange) at Breda, of which his father was a curator and where Pell taught mathematics. Descartes, whose work in these years had a great influence on young Huygens, also showed an interest in and an appreciation of Christiaan’s work. During this period his father called Mersenne’s attention to his son’s study on falling bodies, and this opened up a direct correspondence between Christian and Mersenne. He stuided classical mathematics as well as the modern methods of Viéte, Descartes, and Fermat. A highly talented pupil, Christiaan showed at an early age the combination of theoretical interest and insight into practical applications and constructions (at thirteen he built himself a lathe) which characterized his later scientific work.įrom May 1645 until March 1647 Christiaan studies law and mathematics at the University of Leiden, the latter with Frans van Schooten. They acquired a background in music (Christiaan sang well and played the viola da gamba, the lute, and the harpsichord), Latin, Greek, French, and some Italian, and logic, mathematics, mechanics, and geography. Christiaan and hisīrother Constatijn were educated at home up to the age of sixteen by both their father and private teachers. Like his father, Constantijn was actively committed to the education of his children. Constantijn was a man of taste in the fine arts, talented in drawing, a musician and fertile composer, and, above all, a great poet his Dutch and Latin verse gained him a lasting place in the history of Dutch literature. He corresponded with Mersenne and Descartes, the latter often enjoying his hospitality in The Hague. The grandfather took an active part in the education of his children, and thus Huygens’ father acquired great erudition in both literature and the sciences. In 1625 his father, Constantijn, became a secretary to Prince Federic Henry and served the Orange family for the rest of his life, as did Christiaan’s brother Constantijn.Īlong with this tradition of diplomatic service to the house of Orange, the Huygens family had a strong educational and cultural tradition. His grandfather, also Christiaan Huygens, served William the Silent and Prince Maurice as secretary. Huygens belonged to a prominent Dutch family. Huygens, Christiaan (Also Huyghens, Christian) ![]()
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