GOTTFRIED WILHELM VON LEIBNITZ, one of the most celebrated philosophers and mathematicians of the seventeenth century, was born at Leipsic, Germany, July 6th, 1646. His father was professor of Law in Leipsic University, where Leibnitz himself was educated in jurisprudence and philosophy. After studying mathematics at Jena and taking a degree of Doctor of Law at Altdorf, he began life as an assistant in revising the statutes for the elector of Mainz, in whose service he remained for about six years, leaving it to reside at Hanover where for forty years he served the Brunswick family under three successive princes,—dying November 14th, 1716, in neglect due to the fact that the House of Brunswick had succeeded to the throne of England and removed its seat to London. It is said that there was only a single mourner at his grave, and an eyewitness of the interment says that he was “buried more like a robber than what he really was, the ornament of his country.” He was a man of almost universal genius, “distinguished in mathematics, natural science, philosophy, theology, history, jurisprudence, politics, and philology.” He made notable discoveries in physics, and invented a calculating machine which “added, subtracted, multiplied, divided, and extracted roots.” Among his many celebrated writings, those which continue to be most generally read are his philosophical works, a valuable translation of which has been recently made by Prof. George Martin Duncan, of Yale University.