JAMES STIRLING (1692–1770)
JAMES STIRLING (1692–1770) James Stirling was born near the town of Stirling, Scotland. His family strongly supported the Jacobite cause of the Stuarts as an alternative to the British crown. The first information known about James is that he entered Balliol College, Oxford, on a scholarship in 1711. However, he later lost his scholarship when he refused to pledge his allegiance to the British crown. The first Jacobean rebellion took place in 1715, and Stirling was accused of communicating with rebels. He was
charged with cursing King George, but he was acquitted of these charges. Even though he could not graduate from Oxford because
of his politics, he remained there for several years. Stirling published his first work, which extended Newton’s work on plane curves,
in 1717. He traveled to Venice, where a chair of mathematics had been promised to him, an appointment that unfortunately fell
through. Nevertheless, Stirling stayed in Venice, continuing his mathematical work. He attended the University of Padua in 1721,
and in 1722 he returned to Glasgow. Stirling apparently fled Italy after learning the secrets of the Italian glass industry, avoiding the
efforts of Italian glass makers to assassinate him to protect their secrets.
In late 1724 Stirling moved to London, staying there 10 years teaching mathematics and actively engaging in research. In 1730 he published Methodus Differentialis, his most important work, presenting results on infinite series, summations, interpolation, and
quadrature. It is in this book that his asymptotic formula for n! appears. Stirling also worked on gravitation and the shape of the earth; he stated, but did not prove, that the earth is an oblate spheroid. Stirling returned to Scotland in 1735, when he was appointed
manager of a Scottish mining company. He was very successful in this role and even published a paper on the ventilation of mine
shafts. He continued his mathematical research, but at a reduced pace, during his years in the mining industry. Stirling is also noted
for surveying the River Clyde with the goal of creating a series of locks to make it navigable. In 1752 the citizens of Glasgow
presented him with a silver teakettle as a reward for this work.
charged with cursing King George, but he was acquitted of these charges. Even though he could not graduate from Oxford because
of his politics, he remained there for several years. Stirling published his first work, which extended Newton’s work on plane curves,
in 1717. He traveled to Venice, where a chair of mathematics had been promised to him, an appointment that unfortunately fell
through. Nevertheless, Stirling stayed in Venice, continuing his mathematical work. He attended the University of Padua in 1721,
and in 1722 he returned to Glasgow. Stirling apparently fled Italy after learning the secrets of the Italian glass industry, avoiding the
efforts of Italian glass makers to assassinate him to protect their secrets.
In late 1724 Stirling moved to London, staying there 10 years teaching mathematics and actively engaging in research. In 1730 he published Methodus Differentialis, his most important work, presenting results on infinite series, summations, interpolation, and
quadrature. It is in this book that his asymptotic formula for n! appears. Stirling also worked on gravitation and the shape of the earth; he stated, but did not prove, that the earth is an oblate spheroid. Stirling returned to Scotland in 1735, when he was appointed
manager of a Scottish mining company. He was very successful in this role and even published a paper on the ventilation of mine
shafts. He continued his mathematical research, but at a reduced pace, during his years in the mining industry. Stirling is also noted
for surveying the River Clyde with the goal of creating a series of locks to make it navigable. In 1752 the citizens of Glasgow
presented him with a silver teakettle as a reward for this work.
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