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William Payne (mathematician)

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William Payne (unknown – c. 1779) was an English mathematician[1] and the author of books about mathematics, draughts, and whist. Payne was the brother of prominent London bookseller Thomas Payne, who sold his works and published some of them.[1][2][3]

Payne's first book, An Introduction to the Game of Draughts, was published in 1756.[1][2] The dedication and preface were written by Samuel Johnson.[2][3]

Payne's second book, An Introduction to Geometry: Containing the Most Useful Propositions in Euclid, & Other Authors, was published in 1767.[4]

The book Maxims for Playing the Game of Whist; With All Necessary Calculations, and Laws of the Game was published anonymously in 1773; published by his brother Thomas, it is believed to have been written by William Payne.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Courtney, A bibliography, p. 74.
  2. ^ a b c Hanley, p. 181.
  3. ^ a b Boswell, p. 192.
  4. ^ Payne, William (1767). An Introduction to Geometry: Containing the Most Useful Propositions in Euclid, & Other Authors. London: H. Hart.
  5. ^ Courtney, English whist, p. 360.

Sources

[edit]
  • Courtney, William Prideaux (1894). English whist and English whist players. Richard Bentley and Son.
  • Courtney, William Prideaux; Smith, David Nichol (ed.) (1915). A bibliography of Samuel Johnson. Clarendon Press.
  • Boswell, James (1888). The Life of Samuel Johnson. Swan Schonnenheim, Lowrey & Co.
  • Hanley, Brian J (2001). Samuel Johnson as Book Reviewer: A Duty to Examine the Labors of the Learned. University of Delaware Press.