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In his satirical poem 'Hudibras', 17th-century poet Samuel Butler suggested that John Napier had mystic powers.


John Napier (1555-1617)

Reading list

Further reading about John Napier:

  • 'Flesh and bones: the life, passions and legacies of John Napier', by Francis Shennan. (Edinburgh: Napier Polytechnic of Edinburgh, 1989).
  • 'John Napier: logarithm John', by Lynne Gladstone-Millar. (Edinburgh: National Museums of Scotland Publishing, 2003).
  • 'Modern instruments and methods of calculation: a handbook of the Napier tercentenary exhibition', edited by E M Horsburgh. (London: Bell, Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1914).
  • 'Napier's bones: a history and instruction manual', by D J Bryden (London: Harriet Wynter, 1992).
  • 'Napier tercentenary memorial volume', edited by C G Knott. (London: Longman’s, 1915).
  • 'Proto-logs: the complete logarithms of John Napier (1550-1617): a realization', by Frank Cole. (Letchworth: F Cole, 1999).
  • 'Rabdology', by John Napier. Translated by William Frank Richardson. (Cambridge, Mass; London: MIT Press; Los Angeles: Tomash Publishers, 1990). Charles Babbage Institute reprint series for the history of computing, v. 15.
  • 'The contribution of the Scots to mathematics' by R Schlapp in 'Mathematical gazette' 57, no. 399 (Feb. 1973) p 1-16.

Search the National Library of Scotland main catalogue for details of these titles.


Portrait of John Napier