Memoir of Augustus De Morgan

The fame of Augustus De Morgan (1806–1871), a brilliant mathematician and logician, has been eclipsed by that of his son, the celebrated ceramicist William De Morgan. However, as readers of his Memoir will discover, De Morgan senior enjoyed an equally distinguished, if turbulent, career. Collated by his wife, and published in 1882, nine years after his death, the Memoir of Augustus de Morgan chronicles the varied life of an under-appreciated genius. Biographical narrative is interleaved with his own correspondence, revealing a humorous and warm personality as well as an exceptional intellect. As the Pall Mall Gazette told its readers, ‘quaint and original to the last, every word of De Morgan’s correspondence is well worth reading’. Although rich in detail about his work and publications, Sophia Elizabeth’s affectionate account of her husband is also sympathetic and witty, making it an ideal introduction to one of Britain’s greatest minds.