He is perhaps best known for his book Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth ( 1802 ) , which was a summary of the work of James Hutton .
Playfair was professor of mathematics and later professor of natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh .
Playfair is perhaps best known for Playfair 's book Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth ( 1802 ) , which was a summary of the work of James Hutton .
Playfair was professor of mathematics and later professor of natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh .