History in Mathematics Education pdf

When the English mathematician Henry Briggs learned in  1616 of the  invention  of 
logarithms by John Napier, he determined to travel the four hundred miles north to 
Edinburgh to meet the discoverer and talk to him in person.  The meeting of Briggs 
and Napier is one of the great tales in the history of mathematics.  According to 
William Lily, who had it from Napier’s friend John Marr, it happened when Napier 

had given up hope of seeing his long -awaited southern guest: 
It happened one day as John Marr and Lord Napier were speaking of Mr.  Briggs “Ah John”, 
saith Marchiston, “Mr. Briggs will not come.”  At the very instant one knocks at the gate. 
John Marr hastened down, and it proved Mr Briggs, to his great contentment.  He brings Mr. 
Briggs to my Lord’s chamber, where almost one quarter of an hour was spent each beholding 
he other with admiration, before one spoke:  at last Mr. Briggs began: “My lord, I have 
undertaken this long Journey purposely to see your Person, and to know by what Engine of 
Wit or Ingenuity you came first to think of this most excellent Help unto Astronomy, viz., the
Logarithms; but, my Lord, being by you found out, I wonder nobody else found it out before, 
when now known it is so easy.” He was nobly entertained by Lord Napier, and every summer 
after this,  during Lord Napier’s  being alive, this venerable  man,  Mr.  Briggs.  went  to  Scotland 
o visit him. 
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