William Rowan Hamilton
Student years

In mid-1822, Hamilton began a systematic study of Laplace 's Mécanique Céleste. During this period, he encountered what he believed to be a logical error in Mécanique Céleste, an observation which led Hamilton to be introduced to John Brinkley, then Royal Astronomer of Ireland. In November and December of 1822, he completed his first three original mathematical papers. On his first visit to Dunsink Observatory, he showed two of them to Brinkley, who requested that the papers be developed further. Hamilton complied, and early in 1823, Brinkley approved the amended version. In July of 1823, Hamilton earned a place at Trinity College Dublin by examination, at age 17. His tutor there was Charles Boyton, a family friend, who brought to his attention the contemporary mathematics published by the group at the École Polytechnique in Paris. John Brinkley remarked of the precocious Hamilton, "This young man, I do not say will be, but is, the first mathematician of his age."

The college awarded Hamilton two optime s, or off-the-chart grades, in Greek and in physics. He was first in every subject and at every examination. He aimed to win a Trinity College fellowship by competitive examination, but this did not happen. Instead, after Brinkley in 1826 was made Bishop of Cloyne, Hamilton was appointed in 1827 to the vacant posts left by Brinkley's departure, Andrews Professor of Astronomy and Royal Astronomer of Ireland. Despite having his undergraduate career cut short in this way, he earned degrees in both classics and mathematics (BA in 1827, MA in 1837).
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