Benjamin Donn orDonne (1729–1798) was an English mathematician.
Donn was born atBideford,Devon, where his father and brother Abraham (1718–1746) kept a school. Until 1768 he was a ‘teacher of the mathematics and natural philosophy on the Newtonian principles’ in his native town.
In 1768 he was elected librarian of the Bristol Library, and had fruitless plans converting it into a mathematical academy. As his official duties were light, he started an academy at Bristol on his own account, in the park, near St. Michael's Church; and in the year of his election published hisYoung Shopkeeper's &c. Companion, which was specially compiled for that academy. In addition to his school he gave a course of fourteen lectures in experimental philosophy to subscribers at one guinea each. These lectures he continued to deliver when he left Bristol forKingston nearTaunton; but then he delivered them in the Christmas or midsummer vacation. He would travel thirty miles for twenty subscribers, or fifty miles for thirty subscribers. By 1775 he was settled at Kingston.
Towards the end of his life he was appointed master of mechanics to the king, on the death ofAnthony Shepherd. He died in June 1798. Donn mentions in hisMathematical Tables, 1789, that he has added a final e to his name; but on the title-page the name is spelt Donn.
From 1749 to 1756 he contributed to theGentleman's Diary, then edited by John Badder andThomas Peat, but ceased to contribute after 1756, when Peat became sole editor. His contributions were accounts ofeclipses observed at Bideford, and answers to most of the mathematical questions in it of the period.
Donn published in 1765 a map of Devonshire, from a survey he took himself, for which he received a premium of £100 from theSociety of Arts. He published further maps.[1] and produced mathematical instruments, a list of which is inMathematical Tables, 1789.
His works are:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: "Donn, Benjamin".Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
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