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diff --git a/old/61092-0.txt b/old/61092-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0d44041..0000000 --- a/old/61092-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3946 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Nat the Navigator, by Henry Ingersoll Bowditch - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Nat the Navigator - A Life of Nathaniel Bowditch. For Young Persons - -Author: Henry Ingersoll Bowditch - -Release Date: January 3, 2020 [EBook #61092] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NAT THE NAVIGATOR *** - - - - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: DR. BOWDITCH’S STUDY IN LATER YEARS.] - - - - - _NAT THE NAVIGATOR._ - - A LIFE - OF - NATHANIEL BOWDITCH. - - FOR YOUNG PERSONS. - - [Illustration: The House in which he lived when a little Child.] - - BOSTON: - LEE AND SHEPARD. - 1870. - - Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by - LEE AND SHEPARD, - In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of - Massachusetts. - - ELECTROTYPED AT THE - BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, - No. 19 Spring Lane. - - * * * * * - - BOSTON, December, 1869. - -Moved by feelings I could scarcely comprehend, while, at the same time, -they were most sweet to me, I was led to talk with the pupils of the -Warren Street Chapel on the Sunday afternoon after my father died. The -subjects were his active and good life and happy death. I am aware that -some of my nearest friends thought it strange that my heart, on the -occasion of his death, was filled with a kind of joy rather than with -sadness. To them I could merely say, that an event so calm, and under -such circumstances of suffering as he then was, suggested to me nothing -like real sorrow. I wished my young companions to feel as I did, and -that, in their minds, a quiet death following a good life should be -clothed with beauty, and that they might thus be led to believe that, -in accordance with the Scotch proverb, “A gude life makes a gude end. -At least it helps weel.” Horace Mann was present during the address. -Being deeply interested in the education of the young, he requested me -to prepare for his Common School Journal a sketch similar to that I -had spoken. In accordance with that desire, a memoir was prepared, and -after its publication the Warren Street Chapel Association requested -that it should be put, with some revision, into this form. And as it was -originally prepared for, and dedicated to, the pupils of that institution, - - SO I NOW DEDICATE IT - - ANEW TO THE - - GIRLS AND BOYS OF WARREN STREET CHAPEL. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - PAGE - - CHAPTER I. - - _From 1773 to 1784—under 10 years of age._ - - Birth.—Childhood 11 - - CHAPTER II. - - _From 1784 to 1795—between the ages of 10 and 21._ - - His apprenticeship, his habits.—Studies Chambers’s - Cyclopædia.—Results of his studies; gains the respect of - all.—Dr. Bentley, Dr. Prince, and Mr. Reed, do him kindness; by - their means allowed access to “The Philosophical Library.”—He - makes philosophical instruments.—Calculates an Almanac at - the age of fourteen.—Studies algebra: delight he experienced - from this new pursuit.—Learns Latin.—Reads works by Sir Isaac - Newton.—Studies French 23 - - CHAPTER III. - - _From 1784 to 1796—age, 10-22._ - - Apprenticeship continued.—Favorite of his companions.—Learns - music; neglects his studies for a time.—Gets into bad society; - his decision in freeing himself from it.—Engages in a survey - of the town of Salem.—Sails on his first voyage to the East - Indies; extracts from his Journal during this voyage; arrival - at the Isle of Bourbon; return home 37 - - CHAPTER IV. - - _From 1796 to 1797—age, 23-4._ - - Second voyage.—Visits Lisbon.—Island of Madeira; festival and - games there.—Anecdotes of his skill as an accountant.—Doubles - Cape of Good Hope.—Albatrosses.—Arrival at Manilla.—Extracts - from Journal.—Curious boat.—Earthquake.—Voyage home 46 - - CHAPTER V. - - _From 1797 to 1800—age, 24-7._ - - Marriage.—Third voyage; visits Spain.—Dangers.—Earl - St. Vincent’s fleet.—Arrival at Cadiz.—Observatory at - Cadiz.—Sails for Alicant.—Passage through the Straits of - Gibraltar.—Privateers; chased by one; anecdotes of Mr. B.’s - love of study shown then.—Hears news of the death of his wife; - consoles himself with mathematical studies.—More troubles with - privateers.—Leaves Alicant.—Advantages derived from his visit - to Spain.—Fourth voyage; to India.—Extracts from Journal on - viewing a ship that was engaged in the slave trade.—Arrival at - Java; introduction to the governor; respect formerly paid to - him.—Anecdote of English navy officers.—Goes to Batavia and - Manilla.—Observations of Jupiter while becalmed near the - Celebean Islands.—Voyage home 62 - - CHAPTER VI. - - _From 1800 to 1803—age, 27-30._ - - Second marriage; character of his wife.—Mr. Bowditch engages - in commerce for two years.—School committee.—East India - Marine Society; a description of the annual meeting of this - society.—Mr. Bowditch becomes part owner of ship Putnam, and - sails for India.—Anecdote, occurrence a few days after leaving - Salem.—Studies during the long voyage.—Begins to study and make - notes upon La Place’s “Mécanique Céleste.”—Arrival off Sumatra; - difficulties there.—Boarded by English man-of-war.—Revisits - Isle of France.—Journal extracts about modes of procuring - pepper; seasons for it, &c.—Incident on approaching Salem - harbor.—Decision of Mr. Bowditch 80 - - CHAPTER VII. - - Review of the labors, &c., performed by Mr. Bowditch, during - these voyages.—Habits while at sea; studies; desire to teach - others; kindness to sailors and to the sick.—Discovers errors - in a book on navigation.—Origin of “American Practical - Navigator;” success of it; industry of Mr. Bowditch upon - it.—Investigates higher branches of science.—“Mécanique - Céleste.”—Mr. Bowditch reads history.—Learns Spanish, French, - and Portuguese languages.—Anecdotes.—Chosen member of American - Academy.—Receives honors from Harvard College 99 - - CHAPTER VIII. - - _From 1803 to 1817—age, 30-44._ - - Mr. Bowditch translates a Spanish paper; is chosen President - of a Fire and Marine Insurance Office.—Habits of life.—Becomes - interested in politics.—Federalists and Democrats.—Great - excitement.—Division between him and old friends in - consequence of his zeal.—Feelings of Mr. Bowditch when war - was declared.—Decision of character.—His charity.—Earnestness - in aiding others; ludicrous instance of the effects of - this.—Boldness towards a truckman.—Zeal for improving the - libraries; unites the two.—Dr. Prince’s church.—Performance - of duties of President of Insurance Office.—Answer to an - overbearing rich man.—Appointed Professor of Mathematics at - Harvard College; same at West Point.—His modesty.—Hints - about leaving Salem 115 - - CHAPTER IX. - - _From 1803 to 1823—age, 30-50._ - - Papers published by Mr. Bowditch in the Memoirs of the Academy; - account of some of them.—Total eclipse of the sun in 1806; - effect of it.—Anecdote of Chief Justice Parsons.—Meteor that - fell over Weston, Ct.; account of its curious appearance; - effect of these papers upon his fame in Europe.—Chosen member - of most of the learned societies of the Old World.—Quits Salem - to become connected with larger institutions in Boston 131 - - CHAPTER X. - - Sketch of the life of La Place, author of the “Mécanique - Céleste.”—Newton’s labors.—Halley’s comet.—The importance of - astronomy to navigation.—Comets; Dr. Bowditch translates the - Mécanique Céleste; difficulties attending the undertaking; - objects he had in view; first volume analyzed; Newton’s error - pointed out 149 - - CHAPTER XI. - - Commentary continued; second volume.—Discussion between - the English and French mathematicians; Dr. Bowditch’s - criticisms.—Errors in La Place in regard to the earth, - &c.—Third volume; motions of the moon.—Fourth volume; many - errors discovered in it.—Halley’s comet.—Curious phenomena - of capillary attraction 169 - - CHAPTER XII. - - _Death, March 17, 1838, aged 65._ - - Sketch of the life of La Grange, the equal of La Place; love - Dr. Bowditch had for La Grange’s character; comparison between - him and La Place; also between him and Dr. Bowditch.—Conclusion - of the Memoir 176 - - - - -NAT THE NAVIGATOR. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -_From 1773 to 1784—under 10 years of age._ - - Birth.—Childhood. - - -Nathaniel Bowditch, whose history I shall relate to you, was one whose -character and actions presented many circumstances which cannot fail of -being interesting to you. He died more than thirty years ago, in Boston; -and, from having been a poor and ignorant boy, he became a man known all -over the world for his great learning, while at the same time he was -beloved for the goodness of his heart and the integrity of his character. -May the perusal of his history excite some of you to imitate his virtues -and his energy. - -[Sidenote: BIRTHPLACE.] - -[Sidenote: EARLY SCHOOL DAYS.] - -He was born in Salem, a town about fourteen miles from Boston, the -capital city of our State of Massachusetts. His birthday was March 26, -1773. His father was at first a cooper, and afterwards a shipmaster. -He and his wife were exceedingly poor, and they had many children. Nat -was the fourth child. He had two sisters and three brothers. When he -was about two and a half years old, his parents removed to a very small -wooden house in Danvers, about three miles from Salem; and here the boy -attended school for the first time, and began to show those generous -feelings, and that love of learning, which he displayed so much in -after-life. A few years ago the old school-house in which he learned to -spell and read remained entire. It was an old-fashioned building, with -a long, slanting roof, which, at the back of the house, nearly reached -the ground. Its single chimney, with many curious and pretty corners, -then rose in the middle of the roof, as it had for ninety years. Around -the dwelling is a grass plat, upon which he used, when a child like -yourselves, to play with his schoolmates. It was planted with shrubs, -such as the farmers most need. The house in which he lived still stands -nearly opposite that in which the school was kept. This house formerly -had but two rooms in it, and all its furniture was of the simplest kind. - -[Illustration: HIS FIRST SCHOOL-HOUSE.] - -[Sidenote: BROTHERS AND SISTERS.] - -I visited the relations of the schoolmistress. She died many, many years -ago; but her niece, when I asked about Nat Bowditch, told me how her aunt -used to love him for his earnestness in pursuing his studies, and for his -gentleness, while under her care. He was “a nice boy,” she used to say. -While in Danvers, his father was most of the time at sea, he having been -obliged to give up his trade and become a sailor when the Revolutionary -War broke out.[1] Nat lived, during his father’s absence, very happily -with his mother and his brothers and sisters. During the whole of his -after-life, he used to delight to go near the small house in which he -had dwelt so pleasantly. The family was “a family of love.” He had a -brother William, to whom he was very much attached. He was more grave and -sober than Nat; for the latter, with all his devotion to study, was full -of fun, frolic, and good nature. But William was equally, and perhaps -more, gentle. The brothers frequently studied together from an old family -Bible, and on Sundays, when they were quite small, their grandmother, -who was a very excellent woman, used to place this large book, with its -wooden covers and bright brazen clasps, upon the foot of her bed; and -hour after hour did those two boys trace, with their fingers upon the -map, the forty years’ wanderings of the Israelites, before they came into -the long-looked-for land of Canaan. - -[Sidenote: GRANDMOTHER’S BIBLE.] - -[Sidenote: HIS MOTHER.] - -I have said that Nat frequently went to look upon the house in which he -had lived; and so he often called upon the family in which this old Bible -was kept, in order that he might see the volume which he had so loved -when a boy. It reminded him of the delightful home of his childhood, -where his dear and worthy mother tried to make him good, in order that -he might become an honor to her and to the people. His mother was one -who was extremely kind; yet she was by no means afraid to correct her -children, if she found them doing wrong. Nat sometimes suffered, -because, like every boy, he sometimes did wrong; but generally the mother -found that he could be easily guided by her love. I seem to see her now, -taking her little son, and leading him to the window of the cottage in -Danvers, to see the beautiful new moon just setting in the west, while, -at the same time, she kisses and blesses him, and talks to him of his -absent father, and they both send up earnest wishes for his safe and -speedy return. She was very careful to instil into all her children the -importance of truth. “Speak the truth always, my boy,” said she. She -likewise loved religion, and she was very liberal in her feelings towards -those who differed from her upon this subject. Nevertheless, believing -that the Episcopal kind of worship was the most correct, she educated -all her children in that form. An anecdote which Nat, when he became a -man, often related, will show you how much influence her instructions in -this particular had upon him. Among the Episcopalians the prayers are -read, and the people repeat, aloud, some answer. One day Nat called his -brothers and sisters around him, and, taking his mother’s Book of Prayer, -with a sober face began to read aloud from it, while his brothers made -the answers. They had continued some minutes amusing themselves in this -way, when their mother entered the room. She was very much troubled at -first, as she supposed they were ridiculing the services she held as -sacred. “My sons,” said she, “I am pleased to see you read that book; but -you should never do so in a careless manner.” They told her that, though -playing, they did not think to do any harm, or to show any disrespect. - -[Sidenote: EARLY POVERTY.] - -[Sidenote: CHEERFULNESS UNDER IT.] - -The family was very poor; so poor, indeed, that sometimes they had -nothing to eat, for several successive days, but common coarse bread, -with perhaps a little pork. Wheat bread was almost never allowed to any -one of them. Their clothing, too, was at times very thin. Frequently, -during the whole winter, the boys wore their summer jackets and trousers. -At times, Nat’s schoolmates used to laugh at him because he wore such -a thin dress, when they were wearing their thickest winter clothing. -But he was not afraid of their merriment, nor made angry by it; on the -contrary, he laughed heartily at them for supposing him unable to bear -the cold. He knew that no good would be gained by complaints, and that he -would distress his mother if he made any; he therefore bore contentedly -his want of clothing, and tried even to make himself merry with those who -ridiculed him. - -[Sidenote: LOVE OF ARITHMETIC.] - -[Sidenote: DIFFICULTIES.] - -At the age of seven years, and after returning to Salem, he went to -a school kept by a man named Watson. Master Watson was one who had -sufficient learning for those times; though the boys who now go to school -in Boston would think it very strange if a master did not attempt to -teach more than he did. None of the scholars had a dictionary. Master -Watson was a good man, but he suffered much from headache, and therefore -he was liable to violent fits of anger; and when thus excited, as it -generally happens in such cases, he was guilty of injustice. An instance -of this, young Bowditch met with, not long after he entered the school. -From early life, Nat had liked ciphering, or arithmetic; and thinking -that at school he would be able to learn something more about this than -he had previously gained from his brothers, while at home, during the -long winter evenings, he requested the master to allow him to study -it. As he seemed too young, this request was not granted. But, being -determined to study what pleased him so much, he obtained a letter from -his father, in which Mr. Bowditch requested Master Watson to allow his -son to pursue his favorite study. The schoolmaster, on receiving the -message, was very angry, and said to his pupil, “Very well. I’ll give -you a sum that will satisfy you;” and immediately prepared a question -that he thought Nat would be unable to answer, and which he could not -have answered had he not studied at home. But the boy had learned before -sufficiently to enable him to perform the task; and, having done so, he -ran gayly to the desk, expecting to be praised for his exact performance -of duty. You may imagine his surprise at being saluted with these words: -“You little rascal, who showed you how to do this sum? I shall punish -you for attempting to deceive me.” The poor lad’s heart swelled and beat -violently. He blushed and trembled from fear of punishment, but still -more at the suspicion which his instructor had expressed, that he had -been guilty of telling a lie. Filled with anger and alarm, he stammered -out, “_I_ did it, sir.” But his master would not believe him, and was -about to strike him, when an elder brother interfered, and stated that -Nat knew very well how to perform the task, for he himself had previously -taught him enough to enable him to do it. Our young arithmetician thus -escaped the punishment; but he never could forget that he had been -accused of falsehood. His pious and truth-loving mother had so firmly -fastened in his mind the holiness of truth, that he rarely, if ever, -thought of deviating from it; and during his life he considered that -any one who even suspected him of falsehood had done him the greatest -injury. How well it would be if all of our boys loved truth as he did! - -[Sidenote: APPRENTICED TO SHIP-CHANDLER.] - -This was the only serious difficulty he met with while at this school. -He was the same lively lad at everything he undertook as he had been -previously. He was beloved by his comrades for his good nature, and was -always engaged in useful employment or innocent amusements. When he was -about ten years of age, his father became poorer than ever; and moreover, -in consequence of loss of regular employment and of the little property -which he possessed, he gave himself up to habits of intoxication. From -having been a brave man, he became a coward, and, unable to look at the -distress of his family, made their poverty many times more burdensome -by habits which wholly unfitted him for active duties. Under these -circumstances, his son, at the age of ten years and three months, left -school, and soon afterwards was bound an apprentice to Messrs. Ropes and -Hodges, who kept a ship-chandler’s shop in Salem. - -[Sidenote: EARLY CHARACTER.] - -As this was one of the important times in his life, I think I will -finish this chapter with only two remarks, for the boys and girls who may -be reading this. You see a lively and good-natured boy, who, before he -was ten years old, showed great love of truth, much perseverance, a warm -desire for study, particularly of arithmetic; and lastly, you perceive -him under the influence of a good mother, who tries to excite in him all -just and holy sentiments. Particularly does she point out to him truth as -one grand aim of his existence. Now, I wish you to remember these facts, -and see where they eventually led him; and if you remember, you may be -induced to imitate him, at least in some respects. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -_From 1784 to 1795—between the ages of 10 and 21._ - - His apprenticeship, his habits.—Studies Chambers’s - Cyclopædia.—Results of his studies; gains the respect of - all.—Dr. Bentley, Dr. Prince, and Mr. Reed, do him kindness; by - their means allowed access to “The Philosophical Library.”—He - makes philosophical instruments.—Calculates an Almanac at - the age of fourteen.—Studies algebra: delight he experienced - from this new pursuit.—Learns Latin.—Reads works by Sir Isaac - Newton.—Studies French. - - -[Sidenote: CHANGE OF ABODE.] - -[Sidenote: WORK AT THE SHOP.] - -[Sidenote: THOUGHTFULNESS FOR OTHERS.] - -Doubtless it was with a sorrowing heart that Nat left his own dear home -and his kind mother to take up his abode among strangers; for he was to -live at the house of his employer, Mr. Hodges. But if he did feel sad, -he was not one to neglect a duty in consequence of sorrow. The shop in -which he was employed was situated very near the wharves, in the lower -part of the town of Salem. We do not see many such stores now in Boston; -though something similar is sometimes found in small country towns. In -it a great variety of goods was sold, especially everything which would -be useful to a sailor. Pork and nails, hammers and butter, were kept in -adjacent barrels. The walls were hung with all the tools needed in the -seafaring life. There was a long counter in it, at one end of which Nat -had his little desk. When not engaged with customers, he used to read and -write there. He always kept a slate by his side, and, when not occupied -by the duties of the shop, he was usually busied with his favorite -pursuit of arithmetic. In the warm weather of summer, when there was -little business, and the heat was uncomfortable, he was often seen, by -the neighbors, engaged in ciphering, while resting his slate upon the -half door of the shop; for in those days the shop doors were made in two -parts, so that frequently the lower half was shut, while the upper was -open. Thus he was always actively employed, instead of being idle, as is -too frequently the case with boys in similar circumstances. Even on the -great holidays of Fourth of July and “General Training,” he did not leave -his studies for the purpose of going to see the parade, but remained at -the shop, laboring to improve himself; or, if the shop was closed, he -was in his little garret-room at his employer’s house. Study and reading -were beginning to be his only recreation. Frequently, after the store -was closed at night, he remained until nine or ten o’clock. Many long -winter nights he passed in a similar manner, at his master’s house by the -kitchen fire. While here, he did not become morose or ill-natured; but -frequently, when the servant girl wished to go to see her parents, who -lived one or two miles off, he took her place by the side of the cradle -of his master’s child, and rocked it gently with his foot, while busily -occupied at his books. I think this was one of the sweetest incidents -in his early days. It was the germ of his benevolence in after-life. A -truly great man is kind-hearted as well as wise. Nat began thus early -his course of genuine humanity and science. So must you do if you would -imitate him. - -[Sidenote: HIGHER STUDIES.] - -As he became older, he became interested in larger and more important -works; and of these, fortunately, he found an abundant supply. His -employer lived in the house of Judge Ropes, and Nat had permission -to use the library of this gentleman as much as he wished. In this -collection he found one set of books which he afterwards valued very -much. He tried to buy a copy of it when he was old, having a similar -feeling towards it that he bore towards his grandmother’s Bible. It -was Chambers’s Cyclopædia. As you may judge from the name Cyclopædia, -these books, consisting of four very large volumes, contained much upon -a great many subjects. It is like a dictionary. He read every piece in -it, and copied into blank books, which he obtained for the purpose, -everything he thought particularly interesting, especially all about -arithmetic. Previously, he had studied navigation, or the methods whereby -the sailors are enabled to guide their ships across the ocean. In this -Cyclopædia he found much upon this subject; also upon astronomy, or the -knowledge of the stars and other heavenly bodies; and upon mensuration, -or the art with which we are enabled to measure large quantities of land -or water. - -[Sidenote: ALMANAC FOR 1790.] - -But he was not satisfied with merely studying what others did. He made -several dials and curious instruments for measuring the weather, &c. He -likewise, at the age of fourteen years, made an Almanac for 1790, so -accurately and minutely finished, that it might have been published. -Whilst engaged upon this last, he was more than usually laborious. The -first rays of the morning saw him at labor, and he sat up, with his -rushlight, until late at night. If any asked where Nat was, the reply -was, “He is engaged in making his Almanac.” He was just fourteen years of -age when he finished it.[2] - -[Sidenote: BEGINS ALGEBRA.] - -[Sidenote: HIS DELIGHT IN IT.] - -August 1, 1787,—that is, at the age of fourteen,—he was introduced to a -mode of calculating which was wholly new to him. His brother came home -from his school, where he had been learning navigation, and told him -that his master had a mode of ciphering by means of letters. Nat puzzled -himself very much about the matter, and imagined a variety of methods of -“ciphering with letters.” He thought that perhaps A added to B made C, -and B added to C made D, and so on; but there seemed to him no use in -all this. At length he begged his brother to obtain for him the book. -The schoolmaster readily lent it; and it is said that the boy did not -sleep that night. He was so delighted with reading about this method, -or algebra, as it is called, that he found it impossible to sleep. He -afterwards talked with an old English sailor, who happened to know -something about the subject, and received some little instruction from -him. This person afterwards went to his own country; but just before he -left Salem, he patted Nat upon the head, and said, “Nat, my boy, go on -studying as you do now, and you will be a great man one of these days.” -You will see, before finishing this story, that the prophecy of the old -sailor was amply fulfilled. - -[Sidenote: DRS. PRINCE AND BENTLEY AID HIM.] - -[Sidenote: DR. KIRWAN’S LIBRARY.] - -[Sidenote: COPIES BOOKS.] - -But all this labor, this constant exertion, combined with his kind and -cheerful disposition, must, you will readily believe, have given him -friends. He became known as a young man of great promise; as one more -capable than his elders of deciding many questions, particularly all -those in which any calculations were to be made. Consequently, when about -seventeen or eighteen years old, he was often called upon, by men much -older than himself, to act as umpire in important matters. All these -he attended to so willingly and skilfully, that those whom he assisted -became very much attached to him. He thus gained the respect not merely -of common persons, less learned than himself, but his industry, his -fidelity to his employers, his talents, attracted the notice of men well -known in the community. Among these were two clergymen of Salem. At -the church of Rev. Dr. Prince he attended for divine worship; and Dr. -Bentley rarely passed the store without stepping in to talk with his -young friend. Nat availed himself of the learning of Dr. Bentley, and -often visited his room in order to converse with him. Dr. Prince, the -other clergyman above alluded to, had studied much the subjects that -the apprentice was pursuing, and he was very glad to see a young man -zealous in the same pursuits. There was another individual who kept an -apothecary’s shop; and it was he, who, with the aid of the two clergymen, -opened to our young student the means of continuing his favorite studies -with more success than he had ever anticipated. Mr. Reed—for that was his -name—likewise gave him permission to use all his books, of which he had -a great many. But the chief means of study, to which I allude, was the -permission to take books from a library which had been formed by a number -of gentlemen of the town. The kindness of the proprietors of this library -was never forgotten by the young apprentice; and in his will, made fifty -years afterwards, he left a thousand dollars to the Salem Athenæum, in -order to repay the debt of gratitude which he felt he had incurred. But -you may want to know something about the formation of this library, and -the books of which it was composed. Some time during the Revolutionary -War, alluded to in Chapter I., Dr. Kirwan, an Irishman and a learned man, -put the greater part of his library on board a ship, in order to have -it carried across the Irish Channel. While on the voyage, the vessel -was taken by an American ship of war, and the books were carried into -Beverly, and were afterwards sold at auction in Salem. Of all in the -world, these books were perhaps those most needed by the apprentice. He -had been studying those sciences chiefly, concerning which there were -very few works printed in America; and suddenly he found himself allowed -free access to all the important books which had been printed in Europe -upon these same subjects. You may readily imagine how eagerly he availed -himself of the opportunity thus afforded him. Every two or three days -he was seen with a number of volumes under his arm, going homeward; and -on his arrival there, he read and _copied all_ he wanted to study at -that time, or refer to afterwards. He made, in this way, a very large -collection of manuscripts, which formed a part of his library. Thus, by -his own exertions, he, at the early age of eighteen, became acquainted -with the writings of most of the learned men of Europe; and he did this -at the time when he was engaged almost constantly in his store, for -he made it a strict rule never to allow any study or reading, however -interesting, to interfere with his duties to his employers. He rarely -forgot this. The following incident impressed it so strongly upon his -memory, that it influenced all his subsequent life. - -[Sidenote: ATTENTION TO BUSINESS.] - -One day a customer called and purchased a pair of hinges at a time when -the young clerk was deeply engaged in solving a problem in mathematics. -He thought he would finish before charging the delivery of them upon the -books; but when the problem was solved, he forgot the matter altogether. -In a few days the customer called again to pay for them, when Mr. Hodges -himself was in the shop. The books were examined, and gave no account of -this purchase. The clerk, upon being applied to, at once recollected the -circumstance, and the reason of his own forgetfulness. From that day he -made it an invariable rule to finish every matter of business that he -began, before undertaking anything else. Perhaps some of you may remember -the story; and when you think of leaving anything half finished, you may -repeat to yourselves, “Charge your hinges, and finish what you begin.” - -[Sidenote: STUDIES LATIN.] - -Having been instructed in the elements of algebra, Nat soon found that -there were books written upon it in other languages, which he knew -he ought to read, if he intended to learn as much as he could about -algebra. One of these books was written in a tongue which is called a -dead language, in consequence of its having ceased to be spoken by the -people of the country in which it was originally used. It was in Latin. -This language usually requires many years of study, if one wishes to read -it well, even when he has good instructors. Our hero, however, never -thought of the difficulties he had to surmount, but commenced, alone, the -study of it, June, 1790, that is, when seventeen years old. He was soon -in trouble. He could not understand his Latin book on mathematics. He -asked many who had been at college, but they were puzzled by the peculiar -expressions as much as he was. At length, however, by the aid of his -friend Dr. Bentley, and afterwards of a German who gave him lessons, he -succeeded in mastering the greatest work in modern times, written by -Sir Isaac Newton, who, you know, was one of the most famous philosophers -who have ever lived in this world. Nat discovered in one part of it -a mistake, which, several years afterwards, he published; but he was -deterred from doing so at first, because a very much older person than -he, a professor in Harvard College, said that the apprentice was mistaken. - -[Sidenote: STUDY OF FRENCH.] - -[Sidenote: GOOD RESULTS.] - -But Latin was not the only language that he learned. Finding in the -Kirwan library many books upon mathematics written in French, he -determined to learn that tongue likewise. Accordingly, at the age of -nineteen (May 15, 1792), he began to study it. Fortunately, he was able -to make an arrangement with a Frenchman living in Salem, who wished -to learn English. Mr. Jordy agreed to teach the apprentice French, on -condition that Nat would teach him English. For sixteen months they met -regularly, a certain number of times a week; and the consequences were -very important to the youth’s future success in life. One circumstance -took place, during this study of French, which I think it important to -mention. Nat, desiring only to learn to _read_ a French book, supposed -that it would be unnecessary to spend time in learning accurately to -_pronounce_ the words. These, as is the case in the English tongue, are -often pronounced very differently from the manner in which we should be -led to speak them, if we judged from their mode of spelling. His master -protested against teaching without reference to the pronunciation; and, -after much arguing, Nat yielded to the wishes of his instructor, and -he studied the language in such a way that he could converse with a -Frenchman, as well as read a French book. You will soon see the good that -resulted. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -_From 1784 to 1796—age, 10-22._ - - Apprenticeship continued.—Favorite of his companions.—Learns - music; neglects his studies for a time.—Gets into bad society; - his decision in freeing himself from it.—Engages in a survey - of the town of Salem.—Sails on his first voyage to the East - Indies; extracts from his Journal during this voyage; arrival - at the Isle of Bourbon; return home. - - -[Sidenote: STUDY AND BUSINESS.] - -[Sidenote: A GOOD COMPANION.] - -Though so interested in his studies, Nat tried, as we have seen, never to -neglect a known duty. Whenever any one came to the store, he was ready -to leave study in order to attend to him. And he did this cheerfully, -and with so bright a smile that all were pleased to meet him. His young -companions loved him, for he was not one of those vain persons who think -themselves more important than others because they are more learned. On -the contrary, what he knew himself he liked to impart to others. He was -a member of a juvenile club for the discussion of different subjects. In -this association his opinion had much weight, because he rarely spoke, -and never unless he had something of importance to say. - -[Sidenote: LOVE OF MUSIC.] - -Some of his comrades were very fond of music. He had originally a great -taste for it. Music, at that time, was less cultivated than it is now; -and generally, those who practised it were fond of drinking liquor, -and often became drunkards. Nat’s love of the flute led him, at times, -to meet with several young men of this class. In fact, he was so much -delighted with their company, that he began to forget his studies. Day -after day he spent his leisure hours in their society; and, for a time, -all else was neglected. At length he began to think somewhat in this way: -“What am I doing? forgetting my studies in order to be with those whose -only recommendation is, that they love music? I shall be very likely to -fall into their habits if I continue longer with them. I will not do -so.” He soon afterwards left their society. - -The simple, old-fashioned flute on which he played at these meetings is -still preserved. It is a silent monitor to his descendants, urging them -to performance of duty, in spite of the allurements of pleasure. - -May every boy who reads this remember it, and try, if ever led into -temptation as the apprentice was, to say, “I will not,” with the same -determined spirit that he did. - -The time was fast approaching when he was about to leave the business -of shopkeeping, and enter upon the more active duties of life. It is -true that, to a certain extent, he had been engaged in active life ever -since entering his apprenticeship. At the age of ten he had left the home -of his mother, and had been obliged to depend much upon himself. His -father’s habits had finally prevented him from being of service to the -family. The mother had died; the family had been broken up; and Nat had -thus, at an early age, been thrown upon the world. After having remained -with Ropes & Hodges until they gave up business, he entered the shop of -Samuel C. Ward, which was a similar establishment; and there he remained -until he was twenty-one years old. He then quitted, forever, this -employment. - -[Sidenote: SURVEY OF SALEM.] - -In 1794, by a law of the state, every town was obliged to have an -accurate survey and measurement made of its limits. Captain Gibaut and -Dr. Bentley were appointed by the Selectmen in Salem to superintend this -business. Believing that the calculating powers of the apprentice would -be useful to them, he was made assistant; and during the summer of 1794 -he was occupied with this business. Thus we see how his studies already -began to be useful to him. For his pay, he received one hundred and -thirty-five dollars. Towards the end of the summer, Mr. Derby, a rich -ship-owner in Salem, wished Captain Gibaut to take command of a vessel -to Cadiz, and thence round the Cape of Good Hope to the East Indies. -Captain Gibaut consented, and he asked Nat to go with him as clerk. -Nat agreed to the terms; but, owing to some difficulty with Mr. Derby, -Captain Gibaut resigned to Captain H. Prince. Young Bowditch was unknown -to the latter; but at the suggestion of Mr. Derby, who had heard of the -talents and industry of the clerk, the same arrangements were continued -by Captain Prince. - -A new era in his life was now beginning; and let us look a moment at him. -He is now twenty-one years of age. He is already more learned than many -much older than himself, in consequence of his untiring industry and his -devotion to study and to duty. Yet he is modest and retiring. He is still -full of fun and frolic at times, and always ready for acts of kindness. -Above all, he is a good youth; no immorality has stained him. His love of -truth had been given him by his mother; and since her death he has loved -it still more. It is to him a bright light, as it were, to guide him. -Cannot we foresee his career? - -[Sidenote: FIRST VOYAGE TO INDIA.] - -On January 11, 1795,—that is, when he was a few months more than -twenty-one years of age,—he sailed from Salem in the ship Henry. Though -he went as clerk, he was prepared to undertake the more active duties -of sailor and mate of the vessel. Thinking that he should be too much -occupied to be able to read, he took very few books; and therefore he -devoted much more time to observations of the heavenly bodies, the state -of the weather, &c., while at sea, and upon the manners and habits of the -nations he visited. Though he had not been educated as a sailor-boy, his -studies had led him to understand the most important part of a seaman’s -life, the art of guiding the vessel from one shore to another, across -the ocean. In other words, he had studied much on navigation, and copied -books upon that subject. - -[Sidenote: JOURNAL—MOTTO.] - -The Journal which he kept during the voyage is quite long. One of the -first lines you meet, on opening the book, is the motto which he chose -for himself. It is in Latin, and means, that _he would do what he thought -to be right, and not obey the dictates of any man_. He notes the events -of every day, most of which are similar; but occasionally something -unusual occurs. - -[Sidenote: SLAVERY.] - -February 7, 1795, he writes thus: “At ten A. M., spoke a ship, -twenty-five days out, from Liverpool, bound to Africa. We discovered her -this morning, just before sunrise, and supposed her to be a frigate.” -They discovered soon that it was a negro slave-ship, and he exclaims -thus: “God grant that the detestable traffic which she pursues may soon -cease, and that the tawny sons of Africa may be permitted quietly to -enjoy the blessings of liberty in their native land.” - -“February 22. We remember with gratitude that this is the anniversary of -the birth of our beloved Washington—the man who unites all hearts. May he -long continue a blessing to his country and to mankind at large!” - -During the passage to the Isle of Bourbon, situated, as you know, east -of the southern extremity of Africa, he frequently alludes to his native -land in terms of respect and love. On May 8, the ship arrived in the -harbor of Bourbon. Perhaps you may like to see his description of the -town. - -[Sidenote: BOURBON.] - -“May 9. After dinner, Captain P., Mr. B., and I, went to see the town. -It is a fine place. All the streets run in straight lines from the -shore, and cross one another at right angles. There is a church here, -with a priest to officiate. I went into it. We afterwards went into -the republican garden. It is a beautiful place, though at present much -neglected. The different walks are made to meet in the centre, and -form the figure of a star, each one of the rays of which is formed by -thirty-four mango trees, placed from twelve to fourteen feet apart. All -the houses of the island are built very low; they have no chimneys. They -are two stories high (about ten feet), have lattice windows, outside -of which are wooden ones to keep off the sun and rain. The floors are -made of the wood of the country, on which they rub wax, as the women of -America do on their furniture. It makes them very slippery.” There are -other places of which he speaks, and in them he finds flower-gardens in -abundance, intermixed with groves of coffee and orange trees, &c. - -He afterwards alludes to the poor slaves, who, it appeared, suffered as -much there as they do in some other places at the present day. - -[Sidenote: HABITS THERE.] - -He visits the people of the place, and finds them superstitious and -vicious. Alluding to the vice he found there, he writes, “I was reminded -of the beautiful words of Solomon, in the Proverbs.” This was not the -only occasion on which he remembered his Bible; and it seemed always to -have a kindly influence over him. On one occasion, several young men -argued with him about its truth; and, having heard them patiently, he put -his hand over his heart: “Talk no more about it. I know that the Bible is -true; that it is capable of doing to me the greatest good. I know so by -the feelings I have here.” - -After remaining in this place until July 25, he set sail for home, and -arrived in Salem January 11, 1796, having been absent exactly twelve -months. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -_From 1796 to 1797—age, 23-4._ - - Second voyage.—Visits Lisbon.—Island of Madeira; festival and - games there.—Anecdotes of his skill as an accountant.—Doubles - Cape of Good Hope.—Albatrosses.—Arrival at Manilla.—Extracts - from Journal.—Curious boat.—Earthquake.—Voyage home. - - -[Sidenote: AT SEA AGAIN.] - -[Sidenote: SECOND VOYAGE.] - -After remaining at home about two months, he again sailed in the same -ship, and with Captain Prince. On the 26th of the following March, they -prepared to sail from Salem harbor; but, being prevented by contrary -winds from getting out of the bay, the anchor was dropped during the -night, and on the following morning, under fair but strong breezes, -Mr. Bowditch was again on his way across the wide Atlantic. His course -was towards Lisbon, situated at the mouth of the River Tagus, in -Portugal. The first part of the voyage was unpleasant, because cloudy -and stormy weather prevailed most of the time; but during the latter -part, under pleasant and mild breezes from the south, the ship rode gayly -onwards, and, on the morning of April 24, the vessel was within sight -of Lisbon, with its beautiful and romantic country behind it. Lisbon is -the chief city of Portugal, and presents a very superb appearance when -viewed from a vessel which is entering the harbor. It is the principal -commercial place in the kingdom. Its inhabitants are among the richest. -In consequence of its being the place of residence of the kings of -Portugal, many magnificent country-seats, or villas, are seen on all the -vine-covered hills of the adjacent country. - -The stay at this city was short, and the opportunities for visiting -the interesting places in it very limited. Mr. Bowditch seems not to -have been particularly pleased with its appearance. At the time he was -there, probably, much less attention was paid to the cleanliness of the -streets than there is now. But he spent the 28th and 29th of April in -walking about the city, and says in his Journal, that he “found nothing -remarkable.” - -[Sidenote: LISBON, INCIDENT.] - -It was at Lisbon that Mr. Bowditch discovered the advantage of having -learned to _speak_ French, to which I alluded at the close of the second -chapter. Though a Portuguese port, the custom-house officers understood -French; and no one on board but he could speak any other language -than the English. The consequence was, that he acted as interpreter, -which was, of course, a great help to the captain. This incident made -a deep impression upon his mind; and in after-life, when a person in -conversation expressed a doubt about the importance of any kind of -knowledge, because for the time it seemed useless, he would reply, “O, -study everything, and your learning will, some time or other, be of -service. I once said that I would not learn to _speak_ French, because I -thought that I should never leave my native town; yet, within a few years -afterwards, I was in a foreign port, and I became sole interpreter of -the ship’s crew, in consequence of my power to speak this language.” - -[Sidenote: MADEIRA.] - -[Sidenote: GAMES.] - -On the 30th, having taken on board a quantity of wine, they again were -ready for sea; but, owing to bad weather, they did not sail until the 6th -of May, when the ship dropped down the river. On the 6th it was on its -way to the Island of Madeira, which is a small island, situated about -three hundred and sixty miles from the northern part of Africa. At eleven -o’clock, May 15, the island was discovered; and, under full sail, the -ship swept along the shore until nine in the evening, when they hailed -a pilot, who came on board, from the town of Funchal. Mr. Pintard, the -American consul of the place, greeted them very cordially. The ship spent -six days there, taking in more wine,—for which the country is famous,—and -sailed from it on Thursday morning, May 26, 1796. During this residence -at Mr. Pintard’s, Mr. Bowditch saw some feats of horsemanship, about -which you may like to hear. They are thus described in his Journal: “A -ring being suspended by a small wire, about ten feet from the ground, at -the entrance of the gate of the public garden, a horseman attempted to -strike it, and carry it off, while upon full gallop. If he gained the -prize, he was attended by the master of ceremonies, mounted on a small -colt fantastically adorned with ribbons, &c., with a most deformed mask, -who generally gave him a reward fully proportioned to the merit of the -action; perhaps a whistle, a small flower, or some little image. During -the next day, no business was done by the inhabitants; but the whole of -it was devoted to amusements similar to those of the preceding. Again -there were masquerades, and some of the richest men in the place joined -with the crowd, masked like the people. Others were very richly dressed, -like Turks, East Indians, &c. One of them wore a head-dress worth, it was -said, forty or fifty thousand dollars.” From this description, slight as -it is, we may see the difference in the customs between these inhabitants -of Madeira and the Americans. - -[Sidenote: ANECDOTE.] - -Captain Prince relates the following anecdotes, which occurred during -their residence at Madeira. I shall use Captain Prince’s words. - -“I was one day walking with an American shipmaster at Madeira, who, in -the course of conversation, asked me who that young man (alluding to Mr. -Bowditch) was. I replied, that he was clerk of the ship under my command, -and remarked that he was a great calculator. ‘Well,’ said the gentleman, -‘I can set him a sum that he can’t do.’ I answered that I did not believe -it. The gentleman then proposed a wager of a dinner to all the American -masters in port, that he could set him such a sum. The wager was accepted -by me, and we repaired to the hotel, where we found Mr. B. alone. The -gentleman was introduced, and the question stated to Mr. Bowditch, with -the interrogatory, Can you do it? The reply was, Yes. The great sum which -had puzzled the brains of the gentleman and all his friends at home, for -a whole winter, was done in a few minutes. I remember the question. It -was this: To dig a ditch around an acre of land, how deep and how wide -must that ditch be, to raise the acre of land one foot? - -[Sidenote: KNOWLEDGE OF NAVIGATION.] - -“One day, Mr. Bowditch and myself received a visit from a Mr. Murray, -a Scotchman, who was at that port, having under his charge a valuable -cargo of English goods, and who made many inquiries concerning the -Americans. He asked particularly what passage we had made against the -north-east monsoon, and remarked that it was very surprising that the -Americans should come so far, and undertake such difficult voyages, with -so little knowledge as they possessed of the science of navigation. In -reply to his remark, I told him that I had on board twelve men, all of -whom were as well acquainted with working lunar observations for all the -practical purposes of navigation, as Sir Isaac Newton would be, should -he come on earth. Mr. M. asked how my crew came by that knowledge. I -told him, in the same manner that other men came by theirs. He thought -it so wonderful, that (as he afterwards told me) he went down to the -landing-place, on Sunday, to see my _knowing_ crew come on shore. During -all this conversation, Mr. Bowditch remained silent, sitting with his -slate pencil in his mouth, and as modest as a maid. Mr. Kean, a broker, -who was also present, observed to Murray, ‘Sir, if you knew what I know -concerning that ship, you would not talk quite so fast.’ ‘And what do -you know?’ asked Murray. ‘I know,’ replied Kean, ‘that there is more -knowledge of navigation on board that American ship (the Astræa) than -there has been in all the ships that ever came into Manilla Bay.’” - -[Sidenote: TEACHES THE SAILORS.] - -Mr. Bowditch, during this and the previous voyage, had been in the habit -of teaching navigation to the sailors; so that it is probable that, -considering the number of persons then on board who really understood -practical navigation, Mr. Kean was not so extravagant in his remark as at -first sight he seems to be. - -[Sidenote: LUNAR RAINBOW.] - -May 26, as we have already said, he sailed for India. On July 1, the -Island of Trinidad was within sight. They did not stop there, but -keeping on their course steadily, two days afterwards crossed the -Tropic of Capricorn, in the Southern Hemisphere. On the 17th, during -the night, it having rained during the day, the young sailor observed, -what we rarely see in this part of the world and on land, but which is -not uncommon at sea, a beautiful lunar rainbow. It is caused in the same -manner as those rainbows which are seen after a summer shower in the -daytime, when the sun is just coming out brightly, and the clouds, which -cause the bow to be formed, are passing away afar off in the opposite -part of the heavens. But the difference between the solar and lunar -rainbows is very great. The solar is grander and has more brilliant -coloring, while the lunar bow has a more delicate outline and lighter -tints. - -August 1, the Journal says, “All the latter part of these twenty-four -hours, fine breezes and pleasant, smooth sea. Ever since crossing the -Cape [of Good Hope], we have seen a great number of albatrosses, but no -fish.” These birds are the largest of marine birds. They at times fly -and swim (for they are web-footed) to a great distance from land, living -upon the fish and other things which may fall in their way. It is said -that, as they come gently rising over the waves of the sea, they present -a very pleasing sight to the sailor who has been for many months upon the -ocean, separated from living things. - -[Sidenote: PHOSPHORESCENT LIGHT.] - -For some weeks afterwards, the ship met with severe weather, until -September 7, when, according to previous expectation, they saw the land -of the Island of Java. The day before their arrival at that place, a -curious phenomenon was observed, the account of which I will copy from -the Journal. “At seven P. M., the water, as for the two nights past, -became of a perfect milk color, through the whole extent of the horizon. -We drew a bucket of it in order to determine whether there was anything -in it to account for the curious phenomenon. When seen by candlelight, -nothing could be observed; but, when carried into a dark place, it -appeared full of small, bright, cylindric substances, of the nature of a -jelly, about the size of a small wire, and a quarter of an inch long. -Some large jellies floated on the water at the same time, and looked -like long pieces of wood. The sky all this time was perfectly clear; not -a cloud to be seen. About three A. M. the water began to take its usual -color. Next morning we examined the water which had appeared so shining -in the night; but nothing could be discovered in it, although it was -viewed in a very dark place. In the forenoon the sea appeared somewhat -colored, of a greenish hue; but some of it, being taken up and carried -from the light, appeared colorless.” - -[Sidenote: ISLAND OF JAVA.] - -[Sidenote: ARRIVAL AT MANILLA.] - -The next morning the high lands of the Island of Java came in sight on -the horizon, at the distance of about twenty miles towards the east. -The Journal kept during his passage through the Straits of Sunda is -interesting, because the greatest care was necessary to keep the ship -off from the shoals which abound there. The current runs at times very -swiftly, the strait being between the large islands of Sumatra and -Java, and on the 9th, the force of this current, and strong headwinds, -compelled the captain to cast anchor two or three times. Finally, on the -17th, the ship was fairly out of the Straits of Sunda and Straits of -Banca, having been ten days, during sultry weather, toiling, with much -danger, amid coral reefs and shoals. The remainder of the voyage along by -the coast of Borneo to the city of Manilla, the capital of the chief of -the Philippine Islands, was more speedy. At six in the morning of Sunday, -October 2, 1796, the Island of Luzon was in sight towards the east, about -eighteen miles off. That same evening they cast anchor in Manilla Bay, it -being a little more than six months since the sailor had left his home in -Salem. - -[Sidenote: COSTUMES OF THE PEOPLE.] - -The following are some extracts from his Journal while in the city. -Under date of October 4, he says, “No coffee can be procured here; the -Spaniards, not being very fond of it, cultivate the cocoa instead. The -common drink of the natives is sweetmeats and water, which beverage, they -say, is wholesome and agreeable. Large quantities of wax are produced -here; but it is very dear, owing to the great consumption of it in the -churches, of which there are a great number in Manilla and its environs. -There are a few bishops in the island, and one archbishop, whose power is -very great. The priests are very powerful, every native wearing the image -of the Virgin Mary, a cross, or some such thing. No books are allowed -to be imported contrary to their religion. The commandant who makes the -visit examines every vessel.... The inhabitants of the city and suburbs -are very numerous, amounting to nearly three hundred thousand. In the -Philippines there are about two or three millions. A great number are -Chinese; and in general they are a well-made people. Their common dress -is a shirt, and trousers, or jackets and trousers. The women have great -numbers of handkerchiefs about them, so as to be entirely covered. The -natives are well used by the Spaniards, the King of Spain, in all his -public papers, calling them his children.” From these extracts you may -judge of Mr. Bowditch’s mode of studying a people when residing with -strangers. He afterwards speaks of their games, &c. - -[Sidenote: SINGULAR BOAT.] - -The following description of a boat appears on record of October 5: “At -twelve, set sail for Cavite in one of the passage-boats, which is very -inconvenient for passengers; being nearly three hours before arriving -at Cavite, during which time I was basking in the sun. Their boats and -manner of sailing are very curious. Having generally light winds, they -make their mat sails very large, and the boats, made of the bodies of -trees, are very long and narrow; so that there would be great danger of -upsetting, if it were not for “out-riggers,” which they have on each -side, consisting of two bamboos about eight or ten feet long, whose -ends are joined to another long bamboo, running lengthwise of the boat. -The lee one, on a flaw of wind, sinks a little in the water, and, being -buoyant, keeps the boats from upsetting; and on the weather [that is, -towards the wind] ones the persons in the boat are continually going out -and in, according to the force of the breeze. In a fresh breeze there -will be six or eight men at the end of the bamboo, there being ropes -leading from the top of the mast to different parts of the bamboo, to -support them as they go. By this means they keep the boat always upright, -and make it sail very fast, in a good breeze going five or six knots.” -After this, a good account is given of the mode of counting used by the -Malays. - -[Sidenote: EARTHQUAKE.] - -“November 5. About two P. M. there came on, without any preceding noise, -a very violent shock of an earthquake. It commenced towards the north, -and ran very nearly in a southerly direction. It continued nearly two -minutes; everything appeared in motion. When it happened, the captain and -myself were sitting reading, and we immediately ran out of the house. -All the natives were down on their knees, in the middle of the streets, -praying and crossing themselves. It was the most violent earthquake known -for a number of years. It threw down a large house about half a league -from the city, untiled one of their churches, and did considerable -damage to the houses about the city and its suburbs. Nothing of it was -felt on board the shipping.” - -[Sidenote: HOME AGAIN.] - -On Monday, December 12, having sold their wines and laden their vessel -with sugar, indigo, pepper, and hides, the party set sail from Manilla, -heartily tired with the vices and superstitions of the place. Retracing -their course through the Straits of Sunda, with much difficulty they -regained the Indian Ocean, and then, setting full sail, they once more -looked towards home. - -In coming round the Cape of Good Hope, the wind was very favorable. -During their passage, several ships were met with, all of whom told them -of home, and of the beginning of troubles between America and France, and -England. Finally, at six A. M., they saw Cape Ann towards the north-west, -and at two P. M., May 22, 1797, the vessel was riding at anchor in Salem -harbor, having been about half round the world, and nearly fourteen -months from Salem. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -_From 1797 to 1800—age, 24-7._ - - Marriage.—Third voyage; visits Spain.—Dangers.—Earl - St. Vincent’s fleet.—Arrival at Cadiz.—Observatory at - Cadiz.—Sails for Alicant.—Passage through the Straits of - Gibraltar.—Privateers; chased by one; anecdotes of Mr. B.’s - love of study shown then.—Hears news of the death of his wife; - consoles himself with mathematical studies.—More troubles with - privateers.—Leaves Alicant.—Advantages derived from his visit - to Spain.—Fourth voyage; to India.—Extracts from Journal on - viewing a ship that was engaged in the slave trade.—Arrival - at Java; introduction to the governor; respect formerly paid - to him.—Anecdote of English navy officers.—Goes to Batavia - and Manilla.—Observations of Jupiter while becalmed near the - Celebean Islands.—Voyage home. - - -[Sidenote: TRADES FOR HIMSELF.] - -[Sidenote: FIRST MARRIAGE.] - -During these two voyages, Mr. Bowditch had been engaged in trade for -himself; and having thereby gained a little property, he wished to remain -at home and enjoy the blessings of domestic life, from which he had -been separated at the age of ten years, when he left the abode of his -parents. In accordance with this wish, on the 25th day of March, 1798, -he married an excellent and intelligent woman, named Elizabeth Boardman. -But in a few months he was again called to a seafaring life. His young -and beautiful wife was already beginning to show symptoms of that disease -which eventually removed her from her husband and friends. It was a hard -struggle for the tenderly attached couple to separate; but duty called -the husband, and obedience to duty was always his watchword. Accordingly, -by August 15, 1798, he was prepared for sea, in the same ship, with -the same owner, Captain Derby, and his friend Captain Prince. On this -occasion he went as joint supercargo. It was on the 21st of August—nearly -five months from the date of his marriage—that he bade adieu to his wife. -He never saw her again. Full of devotedness to him, she, however, urged -him to do what he thought right, unconscious that she should never more -embrace him. During his absence she died at the age of eighteen years. - -[Sidenote: VOYAGE TO SPAIN.] - -One of the objects of the present voyage was to go to Cadiz, the chief -southern port in Spain. It was rather dangerous at this time for any -vessel to sail towards Europe, as the revolution in France had taken -place only a short time before, and most of the nations of Europe were -beginning to rise against that country; but as Spain was united with -France, an English fleet was hovering about the Straits of Gibraltar. The -consequence was, that it was of great importance to avoid all vessels, -for fear of meeting a privateer. - -On the 19th of September, after nearly a month’s voyage, they came within -sight of the shores of Spain; and at seven A. M. the next day, they -discovered the English fleet, under command of Earl St. Vincent, several -leagues to the eastward of them. On this same day they were boarded by -the captain of an American vessel, who informed them that the privateers -were very numerous in the straits. - -[Sidenote: CADIZ.] - -By Mr. Bowditch’s Journal we learn the following:— - -“On Thursday afternoon, 20th of September, the winds continued light -and variable to the westward. Captain Prince steered directly for Earl -St. Vincent’s fleet, and at two P. M. the Hector, of seventy-four guns, -Captain Camel, sent his lieutenant on board, ordering us to bear down to -him. Captain Prince went aboard, was treated politely, and received a -passport to enter Cadiz.” On the 21st, at four P. M., anchor was cast in -that harbor. - -The state in which poor Spain was at this time was miserable enough. -There was but one newspaper in the whole kingdom, and that was printed at -Madrid. Everything was degraded about that once noble and brave-hearted -people. Upon the appearance of Cadiz the Journal says thus: “The streets -of the city, although narrow, are very neatly paved, and swept every day, -so that they are very clean. They have broad, flat stones at the sides. -All the houses are of stone, with roofs but little sloping. There are -fortifications all around the city.” - -[Sidenote: BATTLE OF THE NILE.] - -“September 29, 1798. This day news came of the destruction of the -French fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, by Lord Nelson.”[3] Of this -event you will read in history at some future time; but it was deemed -very important at that time by the whole world. It was one of the most -formidable checks received by the French after they had begun to overrun -Europe. - -This news, of course, was very interesting to our voyager; but, although -excited by the political and military contests of the day, he did not -forget the subject to which, from earliest years, he had devoted himself. -You will perceive from the following extracts from his Journal, that -he now was studying astronomy. In fact, he had been reading, during -his previous voyages, many of the greatest works on mathematics and -astronomy. - -[Sidenote: OBSERVATORY AT CADIZ.] - -“November 12. During our residence in Cadiz we formed an acquaintance -with Count Mallevante, who, before the revolution, commanded a French -frigate at Martinico, and at present is a post-captain in the Spanish -navy. He carried us to the New Observatory, built on the Island of Cadiz, -where we were shown all the instruments they had mounted. There were not -any of them very new. The person who went with us was named Cosmo de -Churruca. I promised to send him, on my arrival in America, the works -of Dr. Holyoke on Meteorology. I gave him my method of working a lunar -observation, which he was to print at the end of the Nautical Almanac.” - -[Sidenote: FRENCH PRIVATEERS.] - -“At half past four P. M., got under way, and beat out of the harbor of -Cadiz, in company with three other American vessels, which sailed under -the protection of the Astræa.” They were destined for Alicante, and -consequently their course lay through the Straits of Gibraltar, up along -the south-eastern coast of Spain. On the afternoon of the 14th, they fell -in again with the English fleet, which, with those under their convoy, -consisted of forty-five vessels. As the fleet was steering in the same -direction, they kept company with it, being all bound for the Straits of -Gibraltar. Next day they saw another convoy of twenty vessels, and two -of those accompanying the Astræa joined it. The Astræa was obliged to -fall behind, because the remaining vessel under its protection sailed too -slowly. On the 18th the whole convoy entered the Straits, except one, -which was chased by French privateers, ten of which could be counted in -full view; but, on the approach of the Astræa, the enemy retreated. - -[Sidenote: FEARLESSNESS.] - -[Sidenote: DANGERS FROM PIRATES.] - -The moon was shining brightly on the night of the 19th of November, 1799. -Many times had the bell broken over the silent sea from the ship’s deck, -telling of the passing hours, when suddenly the crew of the Astræa was -called to quarters, for a suspicious sail was seen bearing down towards -them. The cannon, of which nineteen were on board, were all cleared -for action, and every sailor, placed at his post, watched anxiously as -the privateer came rapidly towards them. Captain Prince assigned to -Mr. Bowditch a station in the cabin, through which the powder was to -be passed to the deck. When all on deck was ready, and that deep and -solemn silence which always comes over every part of a ship that is -just approaching the enemy, was beginning to creep over those on board -the Astræa, the captain stepped for a moment into the cabin to see if -everything was in order; and “there sat Mr. Bowditch at the cabin table, -with his slate and pencil in hand, and with the cartridges lying by -his side.” Entirely absorbed with his problem, he forgot all danger, -thus showing that his love of science, even when in imminent peril, -was superior to all feelings of fear. This anecdote, doubtless, will -amuse you. It reminds me of the geometrician Archimedes, who lived two -hundred years before Christ, who, as some of you may know, was slain by -the soldiers of the Roman General Marcellus, when they sacked the city -of Syracuse. Archimedes had labored much for his countrymen during the -siege, but finally, it is said, became so engaged in his studies that -he did not know that the soldiers had taken possession of the town until -they attacked and killed him. Fortunately, in the case of Mr. Bowditch, -no evil ensued. Captain Prince could not restrain himself, but burst into -a loud laugh, and asked Mr. Bowditch whether he could make his will at -that moment; to which question Mr. Bowditch answered, with a smile, in -the affirmative. Captain Prince adds, “But on all occasions of danger he -manifested great firmness, and, after the affair of the privateer (which, -by the by, did not molest us), he requested to be stationed at one of the -guns, which request was granted him.” - -[Sidenote: SORROW RELIEVED BY STUDY.] - -In this way they continued cruising along the beautiful Mediterranean, -but perpetually exposed to danger. Now they come within sight of the high -lands of Malaga, and shortly they fly away from some pirate on the broad -sea. Now they are quietly sailing along under the warm and sunny skies -of an Andalusian climate, and again, in the course of a few hours, are -driven by the current and tempest far away to the south-west. Finally, -after a tedious passage, the ship was moored, on Friday evening, November -23, in the harbor of Alicante. After considerable difficulty and delay -because the city authorities were afraid of disease being brought into -the place by the crews of the ships, they were at length allowed to go -on shore. Here melancholy tidings awaited our voyager. By a Salem vessel -that had arrived at Cadiz, news came of the death of his wife some time -in the preceding October. He made no complaints, however, but quietly -sought to interest his mind in his favorite pursuit of astronomy. He -always did so whenever any trouble came upon him. In this way he consoled -himself, and was not a burden to others by allowing his sorrows to -disturb them. - -[Sidenote: INSOLENCE OF PRIVATEERS.] - -January 24, 1799, having finished loading the ship with brandy, they -would have sailed, had not the wind prevented. On February 11th they were -still detained by head winds; but now, to their discomfort, they saw a -French privateer cruising off in the bay at the mouth of the harbor. It -was evidently waiting to intrap some one of the American vessels. On the -next day the daring of the privateer commander arose to such a height, -that he rowed in his barge all around the American fleet, and insulted -some of the seamen. Towards evening of February 13, Mr. Bowditch narrowly -escaped serious difficulty with them, as the privateer barge and the -American boat coming from shore came in contact; but the former received -the most damage, and Mr. Bowditch got safely on board the Astræa. On -the 14th, the brigand of the sea departed, and his ship was soon seen -gradually losing itself in the distance over the blue Mediterranean. - -[Sidenote: TO INDIA.] - -On the next day the convoy sailed. It consisted of five vessels, and by -twenty-four hours of favorable breezes they were brought within thirty -miles of the coast of Barbary; and, after some trouble in consequence -of being obliged to take in tow those of the convoy which sailed more -slowly, the Astræa was fairly out from the Straits of Gibraltar by -February 24, that is, three days from the time of leaving Alicante. - -During half the passage home, some of the convoy were in company with -them. They had rough seas; but on the 6th of April, at ten o’clock at -night, Mr. Bowditch arrived in Salem harbor, having been absent nearly -nine months. - -This visit to Spain was of service to him in many respects. He there -obtained many books on astronomy and navigation, and some celebrated -works on history, all of which he studied with care on his voyage home. -He, moreover, had gained some knowledge by his visit to the Observatory. - -[Sidenote: STUDIES DURING THE VOYAGE.] - -He was not destined to remain at home a long while; but the Astræa having -been sold to a merchant in Boston, Mr. Bowditch sailed with Captain -Prince from that city on the 23d of the following July, bound for India. -It was a long, and to most persons a tedious voyage that he was about to -undertake; but to Mr. Bowditch it was the means of improvement. While -the ship was sailing quietly along, or sinking lazily from one swell of -the sea to another, or being tossed about by the most violent gale, Mr. -Bowditch was still laboring at his books. During this voyage, as during -the preceding, he did not perform much duty, except when in port, and, -consequently, on board ship he had a great deal of time to be devoted -to study. And he worthily filled every moment with reading and study -to improve himself or others. During this voyage, as in previous ones, -he taught the sailors practical navigation. Very few incidents worth -mentioning occurred during the voyage; but on the 15th of September, -1799, we find the following in his Journal: “The ship in sight yesterday -soon proved to be an English Guineaman. As we came up with him he fired -a gun to leeward, which we returned. As we came nearer, he fired one to -windward. We returned the compliment and nearly hulled him. When within -hail, he ordered our boat out, which Captain Prince refused, telling him -to come on board if he wanted anything. Finally, he requested Captain -Prince to haul out our boat, as his was calking, which we could plainly -see. Mr. Carlton went on board with the clearance, and the surgeon came -aboard of us, and, after examining our papers and acting in a manner -becoming a Guineaman, they made sail.” - -[Sidenote: SLAVE SHIP FROM GUINEA.] - -[Sidenote: ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.] - -In order to understand this allusion to the Guineaman, you should -know that, at the time we are reading of, the greater part of English -merchants, especially those of Liverpool, were engaged in the horrid -traffic called the Slave Trade. Immense numbers of vessels were annually -sent from Liverpool and other places in England for the sole purpose of -sailing to the coast of Africa, there to get a cargo of the poor natives, -whom they carried to the West Indian Islands and America, in order that -they might be sold, as slaves, into perpetual bondage. Men, women, and -children, were taken indiscriminately, and crammed together, like bales -of cotton or any other goods, between the decks of the vessels. You may -imagine that those who could engage in such abominable proceedings must -have lost all the feelings of humanity. They were used to blood and -rapine; hence you can understand the reason why Mr. Bowditch uses the -term of reproach that he does. I thank Heaven—and I feel sure you will -agree with me—that, by the efforts of devoted men and women in England -and elsewhere, that trade has been formally abolished by Great Britain, -and that every man who now sets his foot on British soil becomes free. -Thank God, also, that our late civil war has destroyed every vestige of -American slavery, and that we can claim, that no slave can now breathe on -the soil of England or America. But to return to the Astræa. - -[Sidenote: BATAVIA.] - -On December 17 they arrived at Batavia, the chief city of the Island of -Java. The following will give you some idea of the place and persons in -it:— - -“Upon our arrival, after making our report to the custom-house, we -proceeded to the Saabandar, who introduced us to the governor and the -governor-general, who is commander-in-chief, and formerly lived in -all the splendor of an Asiatic monarch. At present the outward marks -of respect are far less than they were twenty or thirty years ago. In -former times he was attended by his guards, preceded by two trumpeters. -Every carriage was forced to stop, and the persons within obliged to -dismount, under the penalty of one hundred ducatoons (about one hundred -and sixty-seven dollars). Captain —— refused even to stop his carriage, -and forced his coachman to drive on. The officers of an English squadron -lying at Batavia, in order to show their contempt of the procession, -formed a party similar to that attending the governor, only, instead -of the aids with their staves, one of the officers bore a staff with a -cow’s horn tipped with gold, and another an empty bottle. The rest of the -officers of the fleet met this procession, and made their respects to -it, as the natives did to the governor. At present, all these practices -are brought into contempt, so that none now stop for any officers of -government.” - -[Sidenote: THE PLANET JUPITER.] - -The Astræa remained but four days at Batavia, the captain finding that -he could not fill his vessel with coffee, as he intended. Consequently, -after taking a fresh supply of provisions and of water, they weighed -anchor, and bore towards the north, with the intention of visiting -Manilla, as on his second voyage. Traversing the Straits of Macassar, -they passed slowly up through the China Sea, and anchored in Manilla Bay -on the 14th of February, 1800. During this passage we find Mr. Bowditch -still occupied in the study of science. When floating, becalmed, among -the islands, during the quiet night, he is observing the appearance of -the planet Jupiter, and studying the motions of its beautiful satellites. -As he was thus occupied, he thought of the immense power of that Being -who first put the bright planet in its appropriate place, and caused it -to revolve around our sun, while its own little satellites, like four -moons, were to keep it company, silently and grandly, in its mysterious -course. - -[Sidenote: DEATH OF WASHINGTON.] - -After remaining at Manilla long enough to get a cargo, the ship was -prepared for home. On the 23d of March it sailed, and during a passage -of six months very little occurred to interrupt Mr. Bowditch’s daily -labors. It arrived on the 16th of September, 1800. About a fortnight -before this,—September 2, a ship was observed to windward, which bore -down upon them. By the captain they were informed of the melancholy -news (as Mr. Bowditch says in his Journal) “of the death of our beloved -Washington. Thus,” continues he, “has finished the career of that -illustrious man, that great general, that consummate statesman, that -elegant writer, that real patriot, that friend to his country and to all -mankind!” - -During these different voyages Mr. Bowditch gained more property. Having -obtained, likewise, what was much better, a reputation, among his -fellow-citizens, as a man of great learning, perseverance, extraordinary -skill in the transaction of business, and unyielding uprightness, he -determined to remain at home. He therefore bade farewell to the sailor’s -life, as he supposed, forever. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -_From 1800 to 1803—age, 27-30._ - - Second marriage; character of his wife.—Mr. Bowditch engages - in commerce for two years.—School committee.—East India - Marine Society; a description of the annual meeting of this - society.—Mr. Bowditch becomes part owner of ship Putnam, and - sails for India.—Anecdote, occurrence a few days after leaving - Salem.—Studies during the long voyage.—Begins to study and make - notes upon La Place’s “Mécanique Céleste.”—Arrival off Sumatra; - difficulties there.—Boarded by English man-of-war.—Revisits - Isle of France.—Journal extracts about modes of procuring - pepper; seasons for it, &c.—Incident on approaching Salem - harbor.—Decision of Mr. Bowditch. - - -[Sidenote: SECOND MARRIAGE.] - -[Sidenote: CHARACTER OF HIS WIFE.] - -On the 28th of October, 1800, Mr. Bowditch married his cousin, Mary -Ingersoll. She was destined to live with him thirty-four years, and -was the source of much of his happiness in life. She was a person in -some respects as remarkable as her husband. She was possessed of -excellent judgment, unwearying kindness and love. She had also an elastic -cheerfulness which scarcely anything could subdue, and very strong -religious feelings. She was constantly trying to aid him. Instead of -seeking for enjoyment in display, she preferred economical retirement, -and great but respectable frugality, in order that her husband might -pursue more thoroughly and easily his favorite studies, and might -purchase books of science. Instead of collecting beautiful furniture, she -called her visitors to see the new works of learning that her husband -had imported from foreign lands. Yet, with all this devoted love, with -all this reverence for his talents and virtues, she remained his true -friend, and never shrunk from fully expressing her own opinion upon every -matter of duty; and if, perchance, she differed from him, she maintained -her side of the question with the zeal of a saint. It has been often -said, that, had Mr. Bowditch been united with a woman of a different -temperament, he would have been an entirely different person. He loved -study, it was true; but none enjoyed more than he the delights of a -family circle. None needed more than he did the kindness of a wife and -children. She lived with him thirty-four years, and on the 17th of April, -1834, she died of consumption, after long and severe suffering. - -[Sidenote: REPUTATION AT HOME.] - -[Sidenote: EAST INDIA MARINE SOCIETY.] - -But I am anticipating my story. For two years after his arrival from his -last voyage, Mr. Bowditch remained at home, and engaged as a merchant -in commerce. We find him generally, in connection with his old friend -Captain Prince, trying his fortunes by adventures of money sent to -different parts of the world. In 1802 he owned one sixth of a small -schooner and its cargo, valued at nine hundred and eleven dollars. During -this long residence in town, his fame had increased. He had become -known among his fellow-citizens as an “able mathematician.”[4] He was -therefore appointed to offices of honor and trust. He was a member of -the school committee of the town. This boy, who had been obliged to -leave school at the age of ten years and three months, was now, at the -age of twenty-five years, appointed to superintend the instruction of -others. He was secretary of the East India Marine Society of Salem. -This society had one of the most interesting collections of East Indian -curiosities that can be found in America. It is now in the possession -of the Essex Institute. The East India Marine Society was composed of -the most influential men in Salem. No one could be enrolled among their -number unless he had sailed, as captain or supercargo of a vessel, -around either Cape Horn or the Cape of Good Hope. It was intended as a -benevolent society, for the relief of the families of deceased members, -and also for the promotion of the art of navigation. Mr. Bowditch was -one of its most active members. In the early part of this century, the -society was accustomed, on the days of its annual meeting, to have a -public procession. A description of one of these processions may not -be uninteresting to you. I quote the words of an eye-witness[5] of a -celebration that occurred two years later than the period of which I am -speaking; but the date is unimportant, as the ceremony was the same. -“January 4, 1804. This day was the annual meeting of the East India -Marine Society. As the clergy attend in turn, this occasion afforded me -an opportunity to enjoy the day with them. After business, but before -dinner, they moved in procession, but the ice limited the distance. -Each of the brethren bore some Indian curiosity, and the palanquin was -borne by negroes dressed nearly in the Indian manner. A person dressed -in Chinese habits, and masked, passed in front. The crowd of spectators -was great. Several gentlemen were invited to dine. Instrumental music -was provided in the town, for the first time, and consisted of a bass -drum, bassoon, clarinet, and flute (!), and was very acceptable. There -was no singing.” ... “It is a most happy arrangement,” continues this -writer, “to deliver all the papers of this company into the hands of Mr. -Nathaniel Bowditch, lately returned from his voyage to India, that they -may be prepared for public inspection.” - -In July, 1802, Mr. Bowditch bought a part of a small vessel engaged in a -sealing voyage; but he lost, by this adventure, half of his investment. -In September of the same year, he, with three others, bought the new ship -Putnam, built a short time previously, at Danvers. This purchase probably -caused a change in his determination of never going to sea again. - -[Sidenote: SAILS HIS LAST VOYAGE.] - -[Sidenote: ANECDOTE.] - -[Sidenote: STUDIES MÉCANIQUE CÉLESTE.] - -On the 21st of November he sailed as master, and owner of one small -part of the whole ship and cargo, valued at fifty-six thousand dollars. -Though he went in the capacity of captain, he was determined to do -nothing more than direct the course of the ship. He meant to leave to -the officers under him all the labor usually expected of commanders. He -made an agreement with two skilful persons to take upon themselves these -duties. He did so in order that he might be able to pursue his studies -more uninterruptedly than would have been possible, had he been obliged -to watch every favorable breeze, or the first appearance of a gathering -storm. But, as we shall see, whenever real danger called him to duty, he -then stood firm, and gave his commands like one who was satisfied that -the time had come for him to do so. A few days after leaving the port of -Beverly, he was seen walking “fore and aft” the vessel, with rapid steps, -and deeply absorbed, apparently, in the solution of a problem. The wind -had been blowing freshly for some time; and, while he was meditating, -and forgetful of everything else, the mate of the vessel had been hoping -that he would see the severe squall which was threatening, and was, even -then, skimming fiercely over the troubled water. He feared to suggest to -Mr. Bowditch the importance of taking in sail, because the discipline -on board ship prevents an inferior officer from interfering with the -superior, when the latter is on deck. At length, aroused by the danger -of the vessel, he ventured the remark, “Captain, would it not be better -to take in the topgallant sails?” These words aroused Mr. Bowditch from -his reverie, and he instantly ordered all hands to duty, and fortunately, -by his activity and energy, was enabled to furl the extra sail before -the gust struck the vessel. But this event taught Mr. Bowditch a lesson; -and he gave strict orders to the two officers mentioned above to waive -all ceremony with him, and to take the command of the ship whether he -was on deck or not. This rule was afterwards always observed, except -on difficult occasions; and then Mr. Bowditch assumed the authority of -commanding officer. On these occasions, by his calmness and sagacity -he gained the respect and confidence of those in employment under him. -Before the termination of this voyage, we shall see a striking example -of this. But now let us proceed on our expedition with him, and again -cross the Atlantic, pass around the Cape of Good Hope to the islands -of the Indian Ocean. But I should premise, that, as he had become more -acquainted with mathematics and philosophy, he had imported from Europe -most of the great works on these subjects; and he now was prepared to -devote himself more closely than ever to the darling object of his -life—the attainment of a knowledge of the truths of science. He was -determined, on this voyage, to undertake the thorough study of one work -on the heavens—a book which he had understood was above anything ever -before written by man on that subject. Imagine, if you can, the zeal and -delight with which he must have approached this book upon a subject that -had interested him from earliest years. Doubtless he thought not, then, -of the fame he was to gain from it. The name of it you will like to know. -I shall speak of it again; but, meanwhile, I will merely mention that -it was called “A Treatise on the Mechanism of the Heavens,”—_Mécanique -Céleste_,—and was written, in French, by a mathematician named La Place, -the greatest scientific man, after Newton, of modern times. But this was -not the only work Mr. Bowditch took with him. He had many of the most -important works which had been published on the same subject, they having -been imported for him by a bookseller named Blunt, in payment of services -rendered. - -[Sidenote: STUDIES AT SEA.] - -These various studies of course influenced his Journal. He was an -observer of passing events; but he recorded less of them than on the -preceding voyages. - -By the first record, it appears that on “Sunday, November 21, 1802, at -one o’clock P. M., sailed from Captain Hill’s wharf, in Beverly. At two, -passed Baker’s Island lights, with fine and pleasant breeze.” This fair -weather lasted but a few days, and by far the greater part of the voyage -was uncomfortable, in consequence of the prevalence of rain and wind. On -January 25, 1803, he saw the islands of Tristan d’Acunha, and, whilst -coursing along under easy sail, took several observations of them, and -made a chart of their various positions. - -[Sidenote: ARRIVAL AT SUMATRA.] - -[Sidenote: VISIT TO ISLE OF FRANCE.] - -[Sidenote: PEPPER ISLANDS.] - -On the 2d of May he arrived among the Pepper Islands, near the coast of -Sumatra. He found several American captains there, all actively engaged -in loading their vessels with pepper. He had considerable difficulty -in making any arrangement with the Rajahs of different places; but at -length, having touched, without success, at several ports, he began -to load at Tally-Poo, on the 9th of May. There he continued until the -18th of July, when, by his Journal, it appears that, having wasted a -number of days, expecting that more pepper would be brought to the -shore, he at last was informed by the Rajah he would not be allowed any -more. Knowing that he should meet with equal trouble at every place -on the coast, he concluded to quit it, and call at the Isle of France -on his homeward passage. During their voyage, amid the various shoals -and islands which abound here, they met with no inconvenience and no -interruption, save that they anchored once or twice, towards night, and -on the 25th of July were obliged to heave to, under the fire of two -English ships of war, one named the Royal George, the commander of -which took the liberty of searching, for the purpose of seeing whether -there were any Englishmen on board.[6] The officer on this occasion was -very polite, and the Putnam soon resumed its course, and in seventy-two -hours more was on the open sea, under full sail, with the aid of the -steady trade-winds of that place and season. On the 24th of August the -vessel was in sight of the Isle of France. He there met his old friend -Bonnefoy, whom he had left there on his first voyage, in 1795, and -likewise many American friends. After purchasing some bags of pepper, and -taking on board some provisions, which employed his time for four days, -he sailed, for the last time from any foreign port, on Wednesday, August -31, 1803. The voyage homeward was very disagreeable, in consequence -of much severe weather. Nothing remarkable happened to enliven the -scene; but Mr. Bowditch disregarded the storms and waves. His mind -was calm and tranquil, for he was daily occupied with his “peaceful -mathematics.” He wrote in his Journal but seldom. There is, however, -the following account of the Pepper Islands. “There are several native -ports on the north-western coast of Sumatra, where the Americans trade -for pepper—Analaboo-Sooso, Tangar, Tally-Poo, Muckie, &c., and several -smaller ports, including about fifty miles of the coast. On your arrival -at any of these ports, you contract with the Datoo for the pepper, and -fix the price. If more than one vessel is at the port, the pepper which -daily comes to the scales is shared between them, as they can agree, -or they take it day by day, alternately. Sometimes the Datoo contracts -to load one vessel before any other one takes any, and he holds to his -agreement _as long as he finds it for his interest, and no longer_; for -a handsome present, or an increase in the price, will prevent any more -pepper from being brought in for several days; and the person who has -made the agreement must either quit the port or offer an additional price. - -[Sidenote: PEPPER TRADE.] - -“The pepper season commences in January, when they begin to take from the -vines the small kernels at the bottom. In March, April, and May is the -height of the crop, at which time the pepper taken from the top of the -vines is larger and more solid than that gathered at an earlier period. -Many suppose that the pepper is all gathered in May; but I was in some of -the gardens in July, and found at the top of the vines large quantities -which would be ripe in a few days. The young crop was in considerable -forwardness at the bottom of the vines. Some calculate on two crops, but -from the best information I could procure there is only one. - -“The pepper is generally weighed with American scales and weights, -one hundred and thirty-three and a third pounds to a _peccul_. What -is weighed each day is paid for in the evening, the natives not being -willing to trust their property in the hands of those they deal with. And -they ought to be dealt with in the same manner, it not being prudent to -pay in advance to the Datoo, as it would be often difficult to get either -the pepper or the money again from him. Spanish dollars are the current -coin, but they do not take halves or quarters. They have a pang or piece, -of which we could get but eighty for a dollar at Tally-Poo, though at -other places they give one hundred or one hundred and twenty for the -same.” - -[Sidenote: NEARING THE COAST.] - -[Sidenote: DANGERS OF THE COAST.] - -[Sidenote: SKILL IN NAVIGATION.] - -[Sidenote: ENTHUSIASM OF THE SAILORS.] - -[Sidenote: HOME.] - -During the whole voyage, as I have already stated, the weather had been -very uncomfortable. The approach to the American coast is at all times -hazardous during the winter. The bold and rocky shore, the intense cold -and severe snow-storms, which make the day shorter even than common, -are so many terrors for the sailor. You may judge of the anxiety of the -crew of the Putnam, when, after a tedious absence of more than a year, -they at length, towards the middle of December, 1803, after a long -period of stormy weather, came upon the shoal grounds off Massachusetts -near Nantucket. The sleet and rain had been driving over the ocean -for many days. No sun appeared to guide them by day; no star lighted -up the night. Groping, as it were, in darkness, they coasted along up -the shore, yet not within sight of it, now throwing their sounding-line -upon Nantucket, and soon afterwards upon George’s Shoal. There seemed -no end to the storm. At length, on the 25th of December, they had -approached, according to Mr. Bowditch’s reckoning, from observation -made two days before, near to the outer part of Salem harbor. The night -was fast closing in. Mr. Bowditch was observed to be on deck, anxiously -looking towards the bow of the vessel, as if trying to see something -that would enable him to know more exactly the position of the vessel -and the precise course it was running. With clear and decided tones, -he gave his orders. The seamen heard him, and obeyed promptly. “There -is something in the wind,” whispered one; “the _old man_[7] is above.” -“Stand every man at his post,” is the command; “and look out for land -ahead.” Fierce gusts of wind swept over Massachusetts Bay, bearing the -vessel irresistibly onwards. The snow-storm beat heavily, and at every -moment the darkness increased. At length, for a moment, the clouds of -drifting snow-flakes parted, and Mr. Bowditch and his mate, who were -watching, saw distinctly the light of Baker’s Island. “Light, ho! on -the larboard bow,” was passed from one to the other on board that ship, -in which were many almost breathless with suspense. It was but for a -moment, and again all was obscured. “I am right,” said Mr. Bowditch; “the -direction in which we are now steering will carry us soon into Salem -harbor.” His prediction was fulfilled, and it was an extraordinary proof -of his skill in navigation. He had had no opportunity for observing the -sun or moon for two or three days; yet, so accurately had he marked his -position in the ocean at the last time of observing, that, by steering -in the direction pointed out by the chart, and observing the rate at -which the vessel moved, he had been able to calculate so exactly, that, -after seventy-two hours of darkness, as it were, he came up within sight -of the light-house almost as easily as if he had been steering in open -day, with the object distinctly in view. The old tars could not restrain -their expressions of admiration; and as, at nine o’clock in the evening, -they dropped anchor in safety from the gale that was now beating with -tenfold violence outside of the island, they whispered with one another, -so that he overheard them, “The _old man_ has done well to-night.” It was -the 25th of December, and throughout Christendom the Christmas festival -in commemoration of the birth of the Saviour had been celebrated, and -friends had all been gathered. Sadness marked their countenances at one -home, from which the husband and friend was absent, though long expected. -As the blasts beat through the streets, and as the family clustered -around the bright, shining fire upon the hearth-stone, as the wind -whistled through the casement, the thoughts of the wife were turned from -the fireside to the rough ocean on which her husband was tempest-tossed. -Many weary weeks had she watched; but day after day had the sun gone -down, and, like Rachel, she could not be comforted. She feared that he -was lost. One after another of her friends had left her late at night, -and finally she was alone. Suddenly she springs up from her seat, aroused -by the sound of quick knocking at the street door. She recognizes the -tap, and in a few moments she is hanging on his neck from whom she was -destined never to be long separated, until death removed her from him for -four years, at the end of which time he was placed by death in quietness -at her side. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - Review of the labors, &c., performed by Mr. Bowditch, during - these voyages.—Habits while at sea; studies; desire to teach - others; kindness to sailors and to the sick.—Discovers errors - in a book on navigation.—Origin of “American Practical - Navigator;” success of it; industry of Mr. Bowditch upon - it.—Investigates higher branches of science.—“Mécanique - Céleste.”—Mr. Bowditch reads history.—Learns Spanish, French, - and Portuguese languages.—Anecdotes.—Chosen member of American - Academy.—Receives honors from Harvard College. - - -[Sidenote: A REVIEW.] - -[Sidenote: HABITS AT SEA.] - -[Sidenote: TEACHES THE SAILORS.] - -[Sidenote: CARES FOR THEM WHEN ILL.] - -Thus finished Mr. Bowditch’s career as a sailor, after he had been about -eight years engaged in this pursuit. Let us now review a little, and see -what he was doing during these voyages, and how he occupied his time. He -was very regular in his habits. During the first two voyages he attended -to the duties of mate of the vessel. This, of course, prevented him from -studying as much as he otherwise would have done. He, moreover, as we -have seen, took fewer books with him. But during the next two voyages, -the captain excused him from the watches, and he was able to read with -less interruption. After the deck had been washed in the morning, he -walked for half an hour. He then went into the cabin to study, until the -time arrived at which he was to observe the sun. This was done every day -at noon, in order to tell whereabouts in the ocean a vessel is at the -moment of the observation. Having finished this, he usually dined. After -this he slept a few moments, or took a walk, and then studied again until -tea time. After supper he was again at work until nine, when he used to -walk for some time, cheerfully talking with his comrades. Afterwards he -usually studied until late at night; and in order not to disturb his -fellow-passengers, he did not keep a light in the cabin, but frequently -stood upon the cabin stairway, reading by the light of the binnacle lamp, -where the compass was kept. Whenever the vessel arrived at a port, he -was still engaged, but in a different way, perhaps. The instant he was -freed from the duties of weighing pepper on the coast of Sumatra, he went -to his books. No time was wasted, either in foul or fair weather. It made -no difference to him whether the ship was resting motionless upon the -water, or tossing upon the heaviest swell, he was always a worker. But -there was yet another and still more pleasant trait in his character. -He not only loved study himself, but he was determined to persuade all -others to love it also. During his first voyage, he used to go to the -forecastle, or sailor’s cabin, and carry his books of navigation, and -teach the seamen how to guide a ship by the rules found in these books. -He then went on deck, and explained to each one the method of using the -quadrant and sextant, two instruments used by a sea captain. There was an -old man formerly living in Salem, who, when speaking of this disposition -of Mr. Bowditch, said, “I was the steward onboard the vessel, and Mr. -Bowditch frequently scolded me because I did not come to study with him -more steadily.” It is a fact that every sailor on board the ship during -that voyage became afterwards captain, and probably some of them would -never have risen so high, had it not been for the kindness of their -friend. I like to think of this trait in his character. He delighted in -learning for its own sake, and he was always pleased when he could find -some one upon whom he could bestow all his acquirements. He had no mean -standard of comparison between himself and his fellows, but desired to -give and receive as much good as it was possible for him to bestow or -accept. - -He was beloved for this by all: but his kindness of heart led him not -merely to teach those who knew _less_ than he, but he did all he could -to relieve them when ill. One of them wrote in a letter answering my -inquiries, after alluding to Mr. Bowditch’s willingness to teach others, -“But kindness and attention to the poor seasick cabin-boy are to this day -[April, 1838] uppermost in my memory, and will last when his learning is -remembered no more.” He might have been as learned, without displaying -this regard for others. But he would not then have had such tributes of -love as was displayed by this old sailor, who remembered his kindness -rather than his instruction. - -[Sidenote: STUDY OF MATHEMATICS.] - -[Sidenote: BOWDITCH’S NAVIGATOR.] - -[Sidenote: ORIGIN OF IT.] - -[Sidenote: SUCCESS.] - -[Sidenote: FAVORABLE NOTICE.] - -But let us examine his particular studies pursued while at sea. We have -already seen that from a boy he had liked simple arithmetic, and on -becoming older had studied deeply into mathematics—a kind of learning -similar in character to arithmetic, only much more difficult and -important. During the long voyages to India, he had ample opportunity -for following this branch of science; consequently we find that he was -chiefly occupied with that subject. On the first voyage he discovered -many errors in a book on navigation, some of which were so important, -that in consequence of them, not a few vessels had been shipwrecked. -This erroneous work was originally published in London, by a man named -Hamilton Moore, and it was almost the only one in use among seamen. It -had been reprinted in America, in 1798, by Mr. Blunt, then living in -Newburyport. One edition had been published, and a second was about -to be issued, in 1799, when Mr. Blunt learned, by means of a mutual -friend, that Mr. Bowditch, during his two first voyages, had detected -many of these errors, and was willing to inform him of them. Mr. Blunt -immediately made application to the young navigator, and received the -assistance he wanted. Finding that Mr. Bowditch had within him the -means of rendering essential service, Mr. Blunt proposed to him, when -starting on his fourth voyage,—that is, to India,—to examine all the -tables, and see what number of errors he could find. Mr. Bowditch agreed -to the proposal, and during this voyage his time was much occupied with -this task—a very wearisome, but, as it proved eventually, a profitable -one, as it regards reputation and pecuniary success. The mistakes -were so numerous that he found it much easier to make a new work, and -introduce therein his own improvements: so that Mr. Bowditch, before -the termination of the voyage, decided to make some arrangement for -this purpose. The consequence was, that, instead of publishing a third -edition of Moore’s Navigator, in 1802, the first edition of the “American -Practical Navigator” was published by Mr. Bowditch, under his own name, -Mr. Blunt being proprietor. Thus was laid, at the age of twenty-nine, the -foundation of a work on navigation that has kept constantly before the -public, as one of the best of the kind, either in America or England. -It passed through its tenth edition a short time before Mr. Bowditch’s -death.[8] It soon superseded entirely Mr. Moore’s, and was early -republished in London. And it was not only obtained by every American -seaman, but even English ships sought for Bowditch’s Navigator as their -safety during their long voyages. Many amusing anecdotes are related in -reference to this book. An American captain once took passage in an -English ship from the Isle of France for St. Helena. After, being a few -days out, the passenger, about noon, brought on deck his “Navigator” (one -of Bowditch’s editions) for the purpose of using it. While thus engaged, -the English captain of the vessel walked up and looked at the work. -“Why,” says he, “you use the same work that we do. Pray, where did you -get that?” And great was the surprise of the Englishman, when he learned -that the author of the book he was using every day of his life was the -near neighbor and friend of the person he was talking with. Little did he -imagine that he was dependent upon the efforts of a son of an American -cooper for the information by which he was enabled to go from sea to sea -in comparative safety. But how is it that this work has been able to -remain so long one of the best works of the kind? Because Mr. Bowditch -bestowed very great pains upon it, and with every new edition made all -the improvements possible. He moreover brought all his learning to bear -upon it. To use a common phrase, he put, for the time being, his “whole -heart into” making it as perfect as possible. In the explanations of the -rules he was simple, so that the most ignorant could understand them. -But, in addition to all this, as we have already stated, he introduced -all the new methods which he himself had discovered. One of these was -favorably noticed by a celebrated French astronomer, in a Journal -published in 1808. - -[Sidenote: PEACEFUL MATHEMATICS.] - -But, although his attention was much devoted to this book on navigation, -he evidently considered it as of little moment, compared with more -important objects. During the long voyages he had been studying the -higher branches of the mathematics and their applications to the -calculation of the motions of the heavenly bodies. The interest he felt -in these pursuits had a most pleasing effect upon him. If he were sad or -disturbed, he found quiet and cheerfulness in “his peaceful mathematics.” -As arithmetic had been the darling pursuit of his boyhood, so now the -curious and intricate problems of mathematics, and the sublime theories -of the planets, occupied his best leisure hours. We have seen that, long -before going to sea, he studied French for the purpose of reading a -work on mathematics. He continued to read with much interest the works -of that country. Some of you may know that about the close of the last -century, at the revolution in France, all the nation was aroused; every -branch of learning and of art received new life. The consequence was, -that many men of the highest genius arose, and, being patronized by -government, they put forth to the world extraordinary works of learning. -Most of these, when upon astronomy, Mr. Bowditch procured for himself, -by means of the publisher of the “Navigator.” He was still engaged in -extracting from various works, or, in other words, in filling up his -volumes of manuscripts, though now, from the increase of his property, -he was enabled to buy the originals; and of course his manuscripts were -chiefly his sea journals, and the notes made by himself upon the various -authors he read. But he did not confine himself entirely to science. He -read history, and some works of a literary character, but he never spent -much time upon inferior books. “Why read anything you cannot speak of?” -he used frequently to say. He likewise studied the Spanish, Italian, and -Portuguese languages. - -[Sidenote: METHOD OF STUDYING LANGUAGES.] - -[Sidenote: GERMAN VOCABULARY.] - -His mode of learning languages is instructive. As soon as he determined -to study one, he bought a Bible, Grammar, and Dictionary in that tongue. -After learning a few of the pronouns and auxiliary verbs, he began to -translate, and usually commenced with the first chapter of the Gospel of -St. John, because in the few first verses there are many repetitions. -Having studied them thoroughly, he proceeded to other portions of the -Bible, with which he was most acquainted. He always carried to church -a Bible in the language he was studying, and used it, instead of an -English one, during the services. But he had another plan, which is very -useful to one who has a bad memory. I will now explain to you one of -his vocabularies, or collections of words, with their meanings attached -thereto, so arranged that he could refer much more easily to them than -to a common dictionary. He did not learn German until a long time after -the period of his life of which we are now speaking; but as the German -vocabulary is the most perfect, I will describe it. It is made upon two -large sheets, one foot broad, and more than a foot and a half high, -which, with the inside of the covers, make six pages. The pages are -divided into columns about one and a half inches wide, that is, large -enough to admit, in very small writing, a word with its signification -by its side. Of course the columns are divided for the letters of the -alphabet, in a manner proportioned to the number of pages of each letter -in the dictionary. Having thus prepared his book, whenever he found that -he was obliged, for want of memory, to look at the dictionary more than -once for the meaning of a word, he wrote it in his vocabulary, and, by -the act of writing, strengthened in some measure his memory of that -word; and, moreover, he could find it immediately, and not lose time as -in turning over the leaves of a larger book. The number of words thus -seen at a glance, as it were, is remarkable. In the above-described six -pages, there are eleven thousand German words, all written distinctly, -but in small letters, and without any repetitions, and with as many -abbreviations as he himself chose. I have been thus minute upon this -subject, not because I think that all ought to make vocabularies, but -because some may be benefited by so doing. Moreover, I wished to speak to -you of them as proofs of his perseverance. - -[Sidenote: ACADEMY OF ARTS.] - -[Sidenote: HARVARD COLLEGE HONORS.] - -Two important events took place during this period of Mr. Bowditch’s -life, which it becomes our duty to record. On the 28th day of May, 1799, -he was chosen a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This -society was the first which bestowed upon him the honor of membership -of its body. It is composed of men of science, combined for the purpose -of improving themselves and the community in knowledge. He continued a -member of this body during his life; and in May, 1829, just thirty years -after becoming a member, he was chosen its president, in which office he -was continued until the day of his death. - -[Sidenote: RESULTS OF GOOD USE OF TIME.] - -Another honor, and one which was more pleasant to him than any received -at any time afterwards, was bestowed during this period. In 1802 his ship -was wind-bound in Boston, and he left it for the purpose of attending the -annual commencement at Cambridge College. He knew but few individuals -there, though he had corresponded with some of the professors; and one -of the corporation of the college, Chief Justice Parsons, was one of -his kindest friends. He went alone, and, while listening in the crowd -to the names of those upon whom the honors were conferred, he thought -he heard his own pronounced; but he supposed that he might have been -mistaken, inasmuch as the notice was given in Latin. But how great was -his emotion, when he heard from a friend that his suspicions were well -founded! It was to him the proudest day of his life. And we, who know his -humble origin, his simplicity and modesty, can in some measure understand -the thrill of pleasure that ran through him, when he found himself thus -noticed by the first and oldest university in the land. And why was he -thus noticed? Because he had well improved the hours of his life; because -his days and nights had been spent in activity and earnest study. In -after-life, when his fame was established, and the great societies of -Europe bestowed upon him their diplomas, he always looked upon them as -of small moment, compared with this his first, earliest proof of esteem -from his fellow-men. I will take this opportunity to state that very many -years afterwards he was elected one of the corporation of the college. -This he deemed his highest honor, and his estimate was a just one, for -it placed him among the select few who manage the whole affairs of the -university—a place doubtless coveted by many, but to which few are -called. - -[Sidenote: NEW SCENES.] - -Having now completed his sea life, let us enter upon his new scene of -energy and benevolence as a citizen and father; and our next chapter will -include several years of his residence at Salem. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -_From 1803 to 1817—age, 30-44._ - - Mr. Bowditch translates a Spanish paper; is chosen president - of a Fire and Marine Insurance office.—Habits of life.—Becomes - interested in politics.—Federalists and Democrats.—Great - excitement.—Division between him and old friends in - consequence of his zeal.—Feelings of Mr. Bowditch when war - was declared.—Decision of character.—His charity.—Earnestness - in aiding others; ludicrous instance of the effects of - this.—Boldness towards a truckman.—Zeal for improving the - libraries; unites the two.—Dr. Prince’s church.—Performance - of duties of president of Insurance Office.—Answer to an - overbearing rich man.—Appointed professor of mathematics at - Harvard College; same at West Point.—His modesty.—Hints about - leaving Salem. - - -[Sidenote: KNOWLEDGE OF SPANISH.] - -[Sidenote: ADVANTAGE OF STUDY.] - -[Sidenote: PRESIDENT OF INSURANCE COMPANY.] - -[Sidenote: REGULAR HABITS.] - -Mr. Bowditch, on his arrival from sea, met with one of those events to -which he always referred when any one doubted the expediency of any -kind of knowledge. In his voyages to Portugal and Spain, he had become -acquainted with the Spanish language. It so happened that no one else -in Salem was acquainted with it, and an important paper came to the -care of a sturdy and sensible old sea captain; but it was unfortunately -unintelligible to him, for it was written in this same unknown tongue. -A friend suggested to him that probably Mr. Bowditch would decipher it -for him. The document was handed to Mr. Bowditch, who in a few days -returned it with a free English translation accompanying it. The old -sailor was delighted, and immediately supposed that any one who knew so -much about a foreign language must be a very superior person, and capable -of performing any duties. Moreover, he was delighted with the apparent -generosity of Mr. Bowditch, in making the translation without charge to -his employer. It happened at this time that an insurance office in Salem -was in need of a president. The captain was one of the directors of this -institution, and used all his influence in promoting the election of -his young friend. This influence succeeded, and in 1804, when he was -thirty-one years old, we find Mr. Bowditch installed as president of the -Essex Fire and Marine Insurance Company. In this office he continued, -with entire success, until 1823, when he removed to Boston, and took -charge of other similar but much larger institutions. The relief was -great which he experienced from not being obliged to seek subsistence -for his family by continuing in the sailor’s life. The duties of the -office in which he now engaged _seemed_ to occupy all his time; yet -he did not neglect science. He arose at six in the morning during the -year, and took a walk, either before or after breakfast, of at least -two miles. Afterwards he studied mathematics until nine, and he then -went to the office, where he continued until one. After another walk he -dined, and after a short sleep he again visited his office until tea -time. From tea time until nine in the evening he was at the same place -occupied with business. He was not, however, all the time, during office -hours, actually engaged in the necessary work incident to his position -as president; but he was constantly liable to interruption, as much as -he had been when an apprentice. Yet he found leisure enough for study by -early rising and by regular habits. He used to say, “Before nine o’clock -in the morning I learned all my mathematics.” He kept some of his books -on science at his office, and whenever a moment of leisure occurred, -spent the time in reading them. At home he had no private room for many -years; and, as his family of young children grew up around him, he -studied at his simple pine desk, in the midst of their noise and play. He -was never disturbed, except when they failed in kindness to one another, -and then he could never work until quiet was restored. In truth, the -influence of his studies was felt by his children, whose greatest reward -was to receive from him, in token of his approbation, the drawings of -various constellations upon their arms or forehead. It was a sad day for -them when they did not receive from his pen the representation of the -Belt of Orion, the Great Bear, or of some other beautiful constellation -in the heavens. - -[Sidenote: POLITICAL EXCITEMENT.] - -[Sidenote: PARTY POLITICS.] - -But, in addition to the duties of his office, he became interested in -the political affairs of the day. After the revolution, and the new -government of the country went into operation under the presidency of -General Washington, there had been but little political excitement in -Essex County. There were no great parties, which were destined soon -afterwards to spring up and excite the bitterest animosity between -individuals who had been from birth the warmest friends. It would be -impossible, were it useful, to tell all the causes that led to the -formation of the two great sects in politics, called the Federalists and -Republicans. Suffice it to say, that even during Washington’s connection -with the government, the seeds of this division were beginning to -spring up, and, upon the accession of John Adams, as his successor, the -political rancor between these two parties increased with tenfold energy, -until at length the republican party triumphed in the election of Thomas -Jefferson to the office of President of the United States. In Salem the -violence of party spirit rose as high as in any city of the Union. It -would have been surprising, with his desire for aiding any public cause, -if Mr. Bowditch had not been influenced by the excitements of the day. We -frequently find at the bottom of a page, or at the end of some theorem, -brief memoranda of the results of an election. He was, moreover, for -two years a member of the State Council. He was likewise proposed by -the Federalists as a representative to the General Court, but at that -election they were defeated. - -[Sidenote: PEACEFUL MATHEMATICS.] - -We have scarcely any idea of the violence with which the two parties -contended. Persons who had been, during life, sincere and devoted -friends, were separated by this virulence. Mr. Bowditch suffered as -much as others on this account, and two of his longest and best-tried -friends he did not have any intercourse with for many years. Dr. Bentley -and Captain Prince were these persons, and with both of them you -are already acquainted. It was not until 1817, when President Monroe -visited these Northern States, that harmony was restored between the -two great divisions, and friends once more embraced each other. But, -in the midst of all this excitement with politics, Mr. Bowditch never -neglected the duties of his office, or his studies. In fact, the pursuit -of learning had, as before, a sweet influence over his character. It -still gave calmness when circumstances around him tended to disturb him. -An illustration of this you may find in what follows. In 1812, after -a long series of supposed insults and wrongs from Great Britain, the -American government declared war against that power. Mr. Bowditch was -much distressed by the news, and for two days was so much overcome that -he was unable to study. Friends who knew him had never seen him look -so sad before on any public emergency. He could speak of nothing but -the disasters that he foresaw war would entail upon his country. On the -morning of the third day he got up, and, going down into the parlor, -said to his wife, “It won’t do for me to continue in this way. I _will -not_ think any more about it.” Saying this, he retired again to his -books. The difference in his whole manner was very perceptible. He rarely -afterwards allowed himself to be disturbed by the unfortunate state of -affairs. Such should always be the benign influences of the study of -science and of Nature’s laws. - -[Sidenote: CHARITY.] - -[Sidenote: ANECDOTE.] - -[Sidenote: A RIDICULOUS JUDGE.] - -[Sidenote: KINDNESS TO ANIMALS.] - -Amid all these various engagements, he was full of sympathy for others. -Wherever he saw he could aid with his counsel, he did so; and many widows -and orphans have felt the influence of his charity. This charity showed -itself chiefly in a desire to improve others. There was scarcely one -of those connected with him in friendship upon whom he did not devote -some time for their instruction. To one young lady he taught French, -and another studied Italian with him. If a young man needed funds, he -knew upon whom he could call with a certainty of substantial aid, even -if he had no money of his own to give away, for throughout life it was -one of the remarkable attributes of Mr. Bowditch’s character, that he -could persuade many to open their hearts to the poor, who, upon other -occasions, were deaf to the common feelings of humanity. For one young -person of this kind Mr. Bowditch obtained a subscription sufficient to -enable him to continue at the university, whereas his young friend would -have been unable to do so without assistance. He was always so zealous -in these undertakings, that one scarcely felt under any obligations to -him. It was his delight to help, and every one saw that his heart was -engaged in the cause. His zeal for humanity was at times immoderate, and -the following laughable law case occurred in consequence of it. One day -he was informed that a little girl, who lived with him, had been run over -by some careless driver; and a crowd, which he could perceive at a little -distance from him, was a collection of individuals drawn together on her -account. He immediately ran forward, and getting to the outside of the -circle, began very energetically to make his way into it. In doing so, -he pulled one of the bystanders so forcibly, that the individual, as it -will appear in the sequel, was offended. Arriving, however, by dint of -hard pushing, at the object of his search, he took his little domestic -with him, and led her safely home. On the next day he was much surprised -at receiving a summons from a justice of the peace, to appear before him, -to answer to the charge of assault and battery upon the individual above -mentioned. He answered the call and paid his fine of a few dollars; but -the judge, who had been notorious for always making both parties suffer, -when it was possible for himself to gain thereby, said, on receiving -the fine, “But you say that Mr. —— _pushed_ you, after you had _pulled_ -him.” “I did, sir.” “Very well; then, if you wish to complain of him, -I will fine him likewise.” The ludicrous nature of the whole action -struck Mr. Bowditch so forcibly that he was not unwilling to increase -the folly of it. The plaintiff was then fined, and the affair was ended. -It is but right to say, that the judge was considered, previously to -this, one entirely unfit for the office. Probably no other would have -issued a summons on such an occasion, and the plaintiff was not unjustly -punished for having called upon such a person to aid him in prosecuting -an individual who, in exerting himself to help another, had slightly -disarranged the dress of a bystander. - -Mr. Bowditch’s desire to aid the unfortunate was exhibited on -another occasion, when a poor, overladen horse was the object of his -commiseration. A truckman had been violently beating the animal, in order -to induce him to pull along a very heavy load, which was too large for -his strength. Mr. Bowditch had watched the driver for some time, and at -length he stepped earnestly forward, and in abrupt and decided tones -ordered him to desist. The truckman was much superior to Mr. Bowditch in -personal strength, and was, at first, disposed to ridicule the attempt -of his inferior to restrain him. Full of indignation, Mr. Bowditch cried -out, “If you dare touch that horse again, and if you do not immediately -go and get another to assist him, I will appeal to the law, and you will -see which of us two will conquer.” The man yielded, and Mr. Bowditch went -home. - -[Sidenote: MARINE SOCIETY.] - -The public institutions of the town felt his influence. The East India -Marine Society, of which I have already spoken, improved very much -under his auspices as president. It had fallen considerably during high -political times, and, when he was chosen chief officer, he instilled such -zeal among the younger members of it, and obtained so many new members, -that it revived; and soon after his removal to Boston, the splendid hall -was erected, containing the most remarkable collection of East India -curiosities, of which I spoke in Chapter VI. - -[Sidenote: SALEM LIBRARIES.] - -In the libraries he had always felt very much interest. You already -know what reason he had for being devoted to the Philosophical Library, -for from it he drew most of his knowledge of science. But there was -another, which had been in existence much longer than this, called the -Social Library. The books contained in these two collections were almost -wholly distinct in their characters. In one only works of science were -to be found, while the other was chiefly devoted to literature. Mr. -Bowditch saw that both of them united would be of great service to the -community, for it would not merely combine the books, but the energies -of the proprietors. Consequently it appears that he, with another of the -Philosophical Library proprietors, was chosen a committee for the purpose -of providing for a union. This was happily effected (1810), and the Salem -Athenæum arose from the combination. The rooms over his office were -chosen as the place for their deposit, and for many years he was one of -the most active of the trustees. - -There was another institution with which he was intimately connected -during the whole of the time he lived in Salem. I allude to the church -in which his early friend, Rev. Dr. Prince, officiated. He was one of -the committee of the parish, and, though never a member of the church -strictly so called, he was a constant attendant upon the services, and -had great influence in keeping up the harmony and supporting the true -interests of the congregation. - -[Illustration: DR. BOWDITCH’S RESIDENCE AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH.] - -[Sidenote: DEFENDS THE WEAK.] - -In the performance of his duties as president of the insurance company, -he was faithful and prompt in action. He was frequently placed in -circumstances which required great decision of character. At times a -disposition was shown to deceive him; at others, a richer stockholder -would attempt to gain advantages over a poorer one. I well remember an -anecdote in which it is said a purse-proud rich man tried to browbeat Mr. -Bowditch into doing an act which Mr. Bowditch thought would be unjust to -another poorer one. The nabob pleaded his riches, and amount of his stock -in the office, and intimated that he would have his way. “No, sir, you -won’t. I stand here in this place to see justice done, and, as long as -I am here, I will defend the weak.” He seldom met with difficulties of -this kind, for few dared approach him with the intention to be unjust or -untrue. Nothing aroused him so much to an almost lion-like fierceness as -any appearance of wickedness in the transaction of public business. He -had much wisdom, likewise, in the selection of risks, so that the office, -while under his control, succeeded admirably and he left it prosperous. - -[Sidenote: PROFESSORSHIP OF MATHEMATICS.] - -[Sidenote: EXTREME MODESTY.] - -During his residence in Salem he was often invited to seats of honor -and trust. We have already mentioned his political course. In 1806, by -the agency of Chief Justice Parsons, then in the corporation of Harvard -College, he was appointed professor of mathematics in that university. -In 1818 he was requested by President Jefferson, in very flattering -terms, to accept of a similar office in the University of Virginia. In -1820, he was called upon by the secretary of war of the United States, to -consent to an appointment at the Public Military School at West Point. -All of these he refused, as not congenial to his mind. He always declined -talking in public. He would teach all who came to him, but he could not -deliver a public course of lectures. His extreme modesty prevented. For -it will be remembered that he was as remarkable, from his youth, for his -modesty, amounting, in early life, to diffidence, as he was for his other -qualities. Moreover, it should be stated that, at times, he had a certain -hesitation in his mode of speaking, which probably would have prevented -him from addressing easily a public audience. - -In 1818, he was urged to take charge of an insurance office in Boston, -but he preferred living in his native place. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -_From 1803 to 1823—age, 30-50._ - - Papers published by Mr. Bowditch in the Memoirs of the Academy; - account of some of them.—Total eclipse of the sun in 1806; - effect of it.—Anecdote of Chief Justice Parsons.—Meteor that - fell over Weston, Ct.; account of its curious appearance; - effect of these papers upon his fame in Europe.—Chosen member - of most of the learned societies of the Old World.—Quits Salem - to become connected with larger institutions in Boston. - - -[Sidenote: EMPLOYMENT IN POLITICAL TIMES.] - -[Sidenote: TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.] - -[Sidenote: MR. BOWDITCH OBSERVES IT.] - -[Sidenote: EFFECTS OF THE ECLIPSE.] - -It should be remembered, that, during these stormy political times, Mr. -Bowditch was chiefly engaged in making his notes on the great work to -which we have already alluded, La Place’s “Mécanique Céleste,” and that -it was between the years 1800 and 1820, that is, during this same time, -that he wrote twenty-three papers, which were published in the Memoirs -of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Of some of these last I -will give you an account. Of the others, were I to mention them, you -could understand but little. They relate chiefly to observations made -upon the moon; the comets of 1807 and 1811; the eclipses of the sun -which took place in 1806 and 1811; measurements of the height of the -White Mountains, in New Hampshire; observations on the compass; on a -pendulum supported by two points; and the correction of some mistakes -in one of the books studied first by him in early life, called Newton’s -“Principia.” A few of these papers I will try to explain to you, at -least in part. I commence with his observation upon a total eclipse of -the sun, which occurred June 16, 1806. I shall quote nearly the words -of the observer. “On the day of the eclipse the weather was remarkably -fine, scarcely a cloud being visible in any part of the heavens. I -made preparations for the observations in the garden adjoining the -house in which I reside, near the northern part of Summer Street, in -Salem. Having been disappointed in procuring a telescope of a large -magnifying power, I was obliged to make use of that attached to my -theodolite, which gave very distinct vision, though its magnifying -power was small. An assistant was seated near me, who counted the -seconds from a chronometer, and thus enabled me to mark down with a -pencil, the time when the first impression was made on the sun, without -taking my eye from the telescope till four or five seconds had elapsed, -and the eclipse had sensibly increased, after which I examined the -second and minute hands of the chronometer, and took every precaution -to prevent mistakes. Four or five minutes before the commencement of -the eclipse, I began to observe that part of the sun where the first -contact [of the moon’s shadow] was expected to take place; and eight -minutes twenty-eight seconds after ten o’clock, I observed the first -impression. As the eclipse advanced, there did not appear to be so great -a diminution of the light as was generally expected; and it was not -till the sun was nearly covered that the darkness was very sensible. -The last ray of light disappeared instantaneously. The moon was then -seen surrounded by a luminous appearance of considerable extent, such -as has been generally taken notice of in total eclipses of the sun.” A -number of stars became visible. The observer mentions that the light -in the garden was not entirely gone; but in the house candles were -needed, as if it were evening. At thirty-two minutes eighteen seconds -after eleven o’clock,—that is, at a little more than an hour from the -beginning of the eclipse,—the first returning ray of light burst forth -with great splendor. I have heard that the effect upon those who saw it -was surpassingly grand. Suddenly the light of midday seemed to break in -upon the quiet of evening. So completely were all the animal creation -deceived, that the cows returned lowing homeward, and the fowls sought -their roosts, and quietly placed their heads under their wings. All human -beings were looking in mute amazement, and deep silence prevailed, as -the dark shadow of the moon came stealing over the surface of the sun -at noon. There was something fearful when the sun was wholly covered. -Suddenly a bright ray shot forth mid heaven, and fell upon the earth, -and with it arose a loud shout from the assembled crowd. Aged men[9] and -women joined in the chorus, and saluted again the beautiful sunlight. - -This paper, though short, is one of the most important he ever wrote. In -a note to it he first mentions publicly a mistake he had discovered in -the “Mécanique Céleste.” - -[Sidenote: METEORS.] - -[Sidenote: OBSERVATIONS OF ONE OF THEM.] - -In 1815, Mr. Bowditch published another paper, which I may be able to -explain to you in some degree. You have all heard of falling stars, -or meteors, and probably most of you have seen them frequently, when -walking at night, when the sky is clear. Some of these are very small; -they seem at a great distance. They suddenly appear in our heavens, -and as suddenly disappear, and perhaps nothing more is heard or seen -of them. Others, on the contrary, appear larger, and fall to the earth -after having traversed a great portion of the heavens. On the 14th of -December, 1807, one of the most curious exploded, and fell over Weston, -in Connecticut. Mr. Bowditch, in his Memoir, writes thus:— - -“The extraordinary meteor which appeared at Weston, in Connecticut, on -the 14th of December, 1807, and exploded with several discharges of -stones, having excited great attention throughout the United States, -and being one of those phenomena of which few exact observations are -to be found in the history of physical science, I have thought that -a collection of the best observations of its appearance at different -places, with the necessary deductions for determining, as accurately -as possible, the height, direction, velocity, and magnitude of the -body, would not be unacceptable to the Academy, since facts of this -kind, besides being objects of great curiosity, may be useful in the -investigation of the origin and nature of these meteors; and as the -methods of making these calculations are not fully explained in any -treatise of trigonometry common in this country, I have given the -solutions of two of the most necessary problems, with examples calculated -at full length. The second problem is not, to my knowledge, given in any -treatise of spherics. The observations of the meteor, which, after many -inquiries, were found to have been made with sufficient accuracy to be -introduced in the present investigation, were those made at Wenham, about -seven miles north-easterly of Salem, by Mrs. Gardner, a very intelligent -lady, who had an opportunity of observing it with great attention; those -at Weston, by Judge Wheeler and Mr. Staples; and those at Rutland, in -Vermont, by William Page, Esq.” After giving the requisite solutions, -he proceeds: “Some time after the appearance of the meteor, I went -with Mr. Pickering to Mrs. Gardner’s house, at Wenham, where she had -observed the phenomenon. She informed us that on the morning of the -14th of December, 1807, when she arose, she went towards the window of -her chamber, which looks to the westward, for the purpose of observing -the weather, according to her invariable practice for many years past. -The sky was clear, except a few thin clouds in the west. It was past -daybreak, and, by estimation, about half an hour before sunrise, or seven -o’clock. The meteor was immediately observed just over the southern part -of the barn in her farm-yard, nearly in front of the window; its disk -was well defined, and it resembled the moon so much, that, unprepared as -Mrs. G.’s mind was for a phenomenon of that nature, she was not at first -aware that it was not the moon, till she perceived it in motion, when her -first thought (to use her own words) was, ‘Where is the moon going to?’ -The reflection, however, was hardly made, when she corrected herself, and -with her eye followed the body with the closest attention throughout its -whole course. It moved in a direction nearly parallel to the horizon, and -disappeared behind a cloud northward of the house of Samuel Blanchard, -Esq. She supposed the meteor to have been visible about half a minute. - -“The attention of Judge Wheeler was first drawn by a sudden flash of -light, which illuminated every object. Looking up, he discovered, in -the north, a globe of fire just then passing behind the cloud which -obscured, though it did not entirely hide, the meteor. In this situation -its appearance was distinct and well defined, like that of the sun seen -through a mist. It rose from the north, and proceeded in a direction -nearly perpendicular to the horizon, but inclining by a very small angle -to the west, and deviating a little from the plane of a great circle, but -in pretty large curves, sometimes on one side of the plane and sometimes -on the other, but never making an angle with it of more than four or -five degrees. Its apparent diameter was about one half or two thirds the -apparent diameter of the full moon. Its progress was not so rapid as that -of common meteors and shooting stars. When it passed behind the thinner -clouds, it appeared brighter than before; and when it passed the spots -of clear sky, it flashed with a vivid light, yet not so intense as the -lightning of a thunder-storm. Where it was not too much obscured by thick -clouds, a waving, conical train of paler light was seen to attend it, -in length about ten or twelve diameters of the body. In the clear sky -a brisk scintillation was observed about the body of the meteor, like -that of a burning firebrand carried against the wind. It disappeared -about fifteen degrees short of the zenith, and about the same number of -degrees west of the meridian. It did not vanish instantaneously, but -grew, pretty rapidly, fainter and fainter, as a red-hot cannon-ball would -do if cooling in the dark, only with much more rapidity. The whole period -between its first appearance and total extinction was estimated at about -thirty seconds. About thirty or forty seconds after this, three loud and -distinct reports, like those of a four-pounder near at hand, were heard. -Then followed a rapid succession of reports less loud, so as to produce a -continued rumbling. This noise continued about as long as the body was -in rising, and died away, apparently, in the direction from which the -meteor came. Mr. Staples observed that when the meteor disappeared, there -were apparently three successive efforts or leaps of the fire-ball, which -grew more dim at every throe, and disappeared with the last. From the -various accounts which we have received of the appearance of the body, at -different places, we are inclined to believe that the time between the -disappearance and report, as estimated by Judge Wheeler, is too little, -and that a minute is the least time that could have intervened. - -[Sidenote: OBSERVATION OF THEM.] - -[Sidenote: THEIR NATURE.] - -“The observations made at Rutland were procured by the kind offices -of Professor Hall, of Middlebury College, Vermont, to whom Mr. Page -communicated his valuable observations, in a paper expressed in the -following terms: ‘I was at the west door of my house, on Monday morning, -the 14th of December, 1807, about daylight; and perceiving the sky -suddenly illuminated, I raised my eyes and beheld a meteor of a circular -form, in the south-westerly part of the heavens, rapidly descending to -the south, leaving behind it a vivid, sparkling train of light. The -atmosphere near the south part of the horizon was very hazy; but the -passage of the meteor behind the clouds was visible until it descended -below the mountains, about twenty miles south of this place. There were -white, fleecy clouds scattered about the sky, but none so dense as -to obscure the track of the meteor. I now lament that I did not make -more particular observations at the time; and I should probably, until -this day, have considered it to be what is commonly called a “falling -star,” had I not read in the New York papers an account of the explosion -of a meteor, and the falling of some meteoric stones near New Haven, -Connecticut, which, by recurring to circumstances then fresh in my -recollection, I found to be on the same morning that I observed the -meteor at Rutland. I am indebted to my learned friend Dr. Samuel Williams -for his aid and directions in ascertaining the situation of the meteor -when I first observed it, and its course, and also for the order of my -observations: Form, circular; magnitude, less than a quarter of the -diameter of the moon; color, red, vivid light; tail, or train of light, -about eight times the length of its diameter, at the least, projected -opposite to its course.’” - -I quote these to give you some idea of the appearance of this meteor, and -likewise of Mr. Bowditch’s diligence. From the examination of all the -accounts given him, he came to the conclusion that the body moved at the -rate of more than three miles per second, and at the height of eighteen -miles above the surface of the earth. With regard to the magnitude of the -body, the results were less accurate; and the probability is, that all -the body did not fall, but merely passed through the air, and continued -on its course into unknown regions of space.[10] - -[Sidenote: EUROPEAN FAME.] - -[Sidenote: ACADEMIC HONORS.] - -The other papers I shall not mention, because they are upon subjects -difficult to be comprehended. The last appeared in the volumes of the -Memoirs of the Academy published in 1820. All these papers were read by -the astronomers and mathematicians of Europe, and the consequence was, -that Mr. Bowditch was chosen a member of many of the learned societies -instituted there for the promotion of science. In 1818 he was chosen into -the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh, and in the year following -was enrolled on the list of the Royal Irish Academy. While I am upon -this subject, I would state that he afterwards was elected associate -of the Astronomical Society of London, of the Academies of Berlin and -Palermo, and had a correspondence with most of the astronomers of Europe. -The National Institute of France was about choosing him one of its -candidates for the position of foreign member, only eight of which are -chosen from the whole world. He died before any election was held. - -[Sidenote: LITERARY LABORS.] - -In addition to the papers to the Academy, Mr. Bowditch published several -articles in reviews, &c. One of them is an interesting history of modern -astronomy, which is intended to give us an account of the lives and -doings of the most celebrated astronomers of modern times. Such were his -principal literary labors, and the greater part of them were performed -during his residence in Salem. - -The article on modern astronomy was prepared a few years after his -removal to Boston. To that removal let us now turn. In 1823 overtures -were made to him to control two institutions in Boston, one for life -insurance, the other for marine risks. The offers were too liberal for -him to refuse. His duties to his family compelled him to accept them. On -his determination being known, his fellow-citizens paid him a pleasant -tribute of respect and love by inviting him to a public and farewell -dinner. - -[Sidenote: REMOVAL TO BOSTON.] - -As the family left Salem, Mr. Bowditch and his wife often thought that, -after remaining eight or ten years at Boston, they would return, in order -that their bodies might be laid by the side of those of their ancestors. -But new friends awaited them in Boston; new ties were formed there; and -although they always looked to their native place as the seat of many of -their most beloved associations, they both lived in Boston until their -deaths. - -His engagements of a public nature, during his residence in Boston, were -similar to those he had whilst at Salem. For many years he managed both -of the institutions to which he had been called. But the directors, -finding that the duties of one were sufficient to occupy all his -attention, broke up the Marine Insurance Company, and Mr. Bowditch (or -Dr. Bowditch, as he was now generally called, having received the degree -of Doctor of Laws from Harvard University in 1816) devoted himself to -the life insurance office. This he raised to be one of the greatest -institutions in New England. By an alteration in the charter, proposed -by Dr. Bowditch, this became, in fact, a great savings bank, where -immense sums are now yearly put in trust for widows and orphans. The -only difference in his habits, caused by his removal to Boston, was an -enlargement of his sphere of labor. All objects of public utility still -engaged his attention. - -The system of popular lectures, of which we have now so many, commenced -with the Mechanic Institution of which he was the first president. He -was zealous for the improvement of the Boston Athenæum, and was very -influential towards getting for it large sums of money, and in making it -more liberal in its rules. - -[Sidenote: SERVICES TO HARVARD COLLEGE.] - -An honor was conferred upon him, after his arrival in Boston, which he -thought as high as any ever received. Having had two honorary degrees -from Harvard University, and having been one of the board of overseers -of that institution for many years, he was finally chosen a member of -the corporation, or council of seven men, who guide the whole of the -concerns of that important institution. How different the commencement -and termination of the career of the poor son of a cooper, who at ten -years of age left school, and yet at the end of life was one of the chief -directors in the first literary institution in America! - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - Sketch of the life of La Place, author of the “Mécanique - Céleste.”—Newton’s labors.—Halley’s comet.—The importance of - astronomy to navigation.—Comets; Dr. Bowditch translates the - Mécanique Céleste; difficulties attending the undertaking; - objects he had in view; first volume analyzed; Newton’s error - pointed out. - - -[Sidenote: MÉCANIQUE CÉLESTE.] - -In a former part of this story of Dr. Bowditch’s life, you will remember -that I stated that on his last voyage he commenced his notes upon the -“Mécanique Céleste” of La Place. It was on the first day of November, -during his disagreeable voyage homewards, in 1803, that he wrote his -first note to the work which was destined to occupy much of his time from -that moment until his death, thirty-five years afterwards, in Boston. -This work certainly deserves some of our attention, if he thought it -worthy of receiving the attention of so many years of his life. A brief -account of the life of the author of the original work may interest you, -and will serve as an introduction to the book itself. - -[Sidenote: LA PLACE.] - -[Sidenote: SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.] - -Pierre Simon La Place was born on the 23d of March, in the year 1749, -at Beaumont, on the borders of the beautiful and fertile country of -ancient Normandy, situated in the north-western part of France. He was -the son of simple peasants in that country, and from his earliest years -was remarkable for the extraordinary powers of memory, and intense -love of study, with which he was endowed. In early life every branch -of learning was delightful to him. He seemed eager to gain knowledge -merely, without regard to the object of his study. But he soon began to -distinguish himself upon the subject of theology. This pursuit, however, -was soon ended, and by some means, of which no details now remain, his -mind was led to mathematics, and from that moment he was devoted to -them. After spending his youth at his native place, and having taught -mathematics there, he, at the age of eighteen years, went to Paris, to -seek a wider sphere in his pursuit of knowledge. Bearing several letters -of recommendation as a youth of great promise, he presented himself at -the abode of D’Alembert, who at that time was the first mathematician -of France, and contended with Euler, at Berlin, for the honor of being -the first in the world. But the letters upon which the youth depended -so much proved of no use. D’Alembert passed them by in silent neglect, -without even deigning to receive at his own house the bearer of them. -But La Place was fully bent upon success, and relying upon the force of -his own genius as a more powerful recommendation than any letters, he -sent to D’Alembert an essay, written by himself, upon a very abstruse -subject relating to mechanics. The professor, struck with its elegance -and the great learning displayed by it, soon afterwards called upon the -writer, and addressed him in these words: “You see, sir, that I think -recommendations are worth but very little; and for yourself they are -wholly unnecessary. By your own writings you can make yourself better -known than by any other means. They are sufficient. I will do all I -can for you.” In a few days after this conversation, the young man -was appointed professor of mathematics in the public military school -at Paris. From this period until the end of his life he was occupied -upon the science which he was thus called, at this early age, to teach -publicly at the capital of France. He became daily more acquainted with -the great men of the nation, and was himself making additions to the -scientific acquirements of the age, thus giving eminent proofs of his -genius. He was chosen member of the French Academy, a society of learned -men united for the purpose of advancing the cause of learning, and he -stood soon very high amongst them. - -[Sidenote: MÉCANIQUE CÉLESTE.] - -[Sidenote: GENIUS OF LA PLACE.] - -His chief work, the “Celestial Mechanics,”—“_Mécanique Céleste_,”—he -began to publish in 1799, and finished the fourth volume in 1805.[11] -This placed him much above all his contemporaries. In it he had not only -combined many things which he himself had discovered, but likewise gave a -history, as it were, of all that had been done by geometricians from the -time of Sir Isaac Newton until his own day. La Place found many things -detached, but his genius proved that many apparently discordant facts -could be explained by Newton’s theory of universal gravitation. His labor -must have been immense. All Europe rang with the fame of this production, -which was said to be beyond anything ever performed before by man. The -echo of its fame reached America, and Dr. Bowditch obtained the volumes, -as they were successively published. The first two he received in part -payment for his labors on the “Navigator.” - -Soon after his arrival home from his fourth voyage, Dr. Bowditch was -taking his accustomed walk towards the lower part of the town of Salem, -and met his old friend, Captain Prince. They entered into conversation, -and Dr. Bowditch remarked that he had, a short time before, received a -book from France, which he had long wished for, having heard that it was -superior to anything ever before written by man, and which very few were -able to comprehend. This work was that to which I have been alluding, -and it now renders Dr. Bowditch’s own name familiarly known among -mathematicians. - -[Sidenote: SYSTEM OF THE WORLD.] - -Later in life, La Place published a work called the “System of the -World.” In this, which, comparatively speaking, is not difficult to be -read by almost any one, he attempts to give a plain and simple statement -of all that is known in regard to those wise and magnificent laws, -whereby this solar system is kept together in perfect harmony, while at -the same time it is sailing onward through fields of space. - -[Sidenote: LA PLACE A SENATOR.] - -[Sidenote: DR. BOWDITCH’S LABORS.] - -La Place, however, was not a truly noble man, because he was not strictly -just. It is said that he was willing to attribute to himself the -discoveries of others. On Napoleon Bonaparte’s becoming first consul in -France, La Place was made one of the ministers of the state; but he was -soon found to be better fitted for study than for the practical duties -of a public office. Accordingly he retired after a few weeks’ service, -but was made a member of the Senate, of which he became president. -After finishing his political career, he published other works of -great moment; but of those I shall not speak. About the year 1827 he -was seized with an acute disorder, which soon terminated his life. His -last words are remarkable, as conveying the same truth that every wise -man has upon his lips at the hour of death. As he reviewed the amount -of his learning, which was in one respect greater than that of any man -living, he exclaimed, “What we know here is very little, but what we are -ignorant of is immense.” Every man is compelled to become silent and -modest as he sees death approach. La Place was like other common men. He -died as a man, and was buried, and the men of science felt sad that one -so learned and of so strong an intellect should have departed. Endowed -by the Almighty with the loftiest powers of intellect, he stood alone, -and commanded the respect, if he did not always gain the love, of his -associates. Dr. Bowditch, though he regarded La Place as the greatest -mathematician that had ever lived, had little real sympathy with his -character. - -[Sidenote: LAWS OF GRAVITY.] - -[Sidenote: HALLEY’S COMET.] - -[Sidenote: GRANDEUR OF MAN.] - -[Sidenote: MOON’S MOTIONS.] - -We must now try to give you a short account of the “Mécanique Céleste,” -and of Dr. Bowditch’s labors upon it. The original work consists of -five volumes, but Dr. Bowditch lived to finish the translation of and -commentary upon only the first four. There are about fifteen hundred -pages in the original, while there are three thousand eight hundred and -eighteen in the American translation. The object of the original work -may be known from the following introductory remarks by La Place, on -the occasion of printing the first volume, in 1798: “Newton, towards -the end of the last century, published his discovery of the laws of -gravity, or of the power by which the solar system is held together. -Since that period, geometricians have succeeded in bringing under this -law all the known phenomena of the system of the universe. I mean to -bring together those scattered themes and facts upon this subject, so as -to form one whole, which shall embrace all the known results of gravity -upon the motions, forms, &c., of the fluid and solid bodies that compose -our solar system, as well as of those other similar systems that are -spread around in the immensity of space.” You probably all understand -from this quotation the general object of the “Mécanique Céleste.” La -Place likewise informs us that the work is divided into two parts. In the -first he proposes to give the methods for determining the motions of the -heavenly bodies, their forms, the motions of the oceans and seas upon -their surfaces, and finally the movements of rotation of these spheres -about their own axes. In the second part, he promises to apply the rules -which he has given in the first to the planets and the satellites which -move around them, and likewise to the comets. The first part is found in -the first two volumes, the second part occupies the last two. From these -few remarks you will perceive the immense task imposed upon himself -by La Place, and at the same time the grandeur of it. How wonderful, -that a simple man can attempt to mark out the course of the heavenly -bodies, which we see clustering around us at night! But how much more -wonderful does man become, when we find he has the _power_ to foretell -to us the return of comets that have never been seen by any one living -now—comets that have been, during our lives, travelling into the far-off -fields of space! Strange that a simple man can prophesy, to a day, their -return! Many of us now living remember a beautifully bright and clear -comet, which in 1835 appeared, as had been predicted, after an absence -of seventy-six years. It was called Halley’s comet, after its first -discoverer. At first it seemed like a bright speck in the heavens towards -the north; but the next night it was larger. It seemed to approach, with -fearful rapidity, from evening to evening, and, sweeping in majesty -across our western sky, disappeared gradually in its progress towards the -sun, around which it whirled, and again appeared, more faintly visible -than before, just over our eastern horizon, as if to give us one more -glimpse of itself, a strange messenger of the Almighty, before it passed -off on its far-distant journey, not to return until those who were then -young and free as air, are all laid quietly in the grave, or have become -enfeebled and decrepit by the approach of age. Truly, great is God, who -made the comet; but to me man also seems full of grandeur, when I find -him capable of even _foretelling_ the exact passage of such a body. -Yet La Place enables any man to prophesy this; and in his “Mécanique -Céleste” we may find all the methods of investigation necessary for this -object. But he likewise tells us the forms of the planets; he enables -us to measure the ring which surrounds the planet Saturn, and enables -us to decide, at least in some degree the form and mass of the sun. In -this same work he treats of those curious phenomena, which, as we see -them daily, we think of little moment—the flow and ebb of the sea, or, -in other words, high and low tides,—and the causes of them. He treats -of the motion of the earth about its centre, and of the same motions in -the moon and planets. These are the chief objects of the first and second -volumes. The third volume, as we have already hinted, contains questions -of great intricacy, and of immense importance; namely, the exact motions -of the planets around the sun, as affected by all the attractions exerted -upon them by the various bodies of the universe; and the still more -important motions of our moon around the earth. I say important, because -the exact knowledge of the course of this body is of the greatest moment -to every sailor who attempts to go from one country to another over the -trackless ocean. By means of observations upon this planet, the seaman -can sail over distant waters for many months, and be able to return, -when he may wish, to his own home in safety. Hence the importance of -the astronomer to the simple navigator of our planet. The history of -Dr. Bowditch is another proof of the truth of this statement. By his -accurate knowledge of astronomy, by his ability to follow La Place in -his investigations of all the motions of the solar system, he was enabled -to produce a work on navigation which is sought for wherever the English -language is spoken, as it combines the best methods of using the results -of pure astronomy in the art of navigation. The “Practical Navigator” -would never have maintained its hold upon the community as it has done, -if Dr. Bowditch had not been as skilful in mathematics and astronomy as -in the details of navigation. - -[Sidenote: JUPITER’S SATELLITES.] - -[Sidenote: PLANET NEPTUNE.] - -But to return to the “Mécanique Céleste.” The fourth volume contains -similar investigations, namely, the motions of the satellites, or moons, -about the other planets. Our moon’s motions about the earth, and the -revolutions of Jupiter’s satellites are the most important. Jupiter has -four satellites. These were the first that the invention of the telescope -by Galileo revealed to man; and by their frequent revolutions around -the planet, they have in their turn shown to us many of the laws which -govern the whole planetary system, besides many curious and interesting -facts in regard to their own forms and masses. From the eclipses or -disappearances of the first satellite, when it passes on the side of the -planet opposite to that at which the observer from the earth is looking, -it has demonstrated the velocity of light. Finally, the author treats of -the seven moons, or satellites, of Saturn, and likewise of those of the -planet Herschel, about which much less is known.[12] - -[Sidenote: POWERS ACTING UPON COMETS.] - -After attending to these subjects, La Place investigates the powers -which act upon comets, which tend to turn from their courses those -bodies, which, as I have before said, are flying in very many directions -throughout the universe, and which are liable to be moved out of their -direction by the actions of some planets near which they may come. This -was the case with a comet in 1770, whose course was wholly changed by -the planet Jupiter drawing it towards its own body. To investigate the -various laws of these disturbing forces is one subject of this volume. -Some other subjects are treated of, but of these I shall now not speak. - -[Sidenote: NOTES ON MÉCANIQUE CÉLESTE.] - -From this brief account of the “Mécanique Céleste” you may judge of the -difficulties which the original writer had to overcome in making it, and -of the immense labor requisite. But La Place frequently supposes that -a proposition is perfectly intelligible to his reader because it is so -to him. Having such a powerful mind, he is able to see at a glance that -for which any one else would require a long demonstration, before he -could become thoroughly master of the subject. The consequence of this -is, an obscurity in the work, which has made it doubly difficult of -comprehension. Several years ago, but a long time after Dr. Bowditch -had read and made notes upon the whole work, an English writer said that -there were scarcely twelve men in Europe capable of comprehending it. -Dr. Bowditch, feeling that it was the most valuable work upon astronomy -published in modern times, had undertaken the translation of it, and -had made notes thereupon, for the purpose of “amusing his leisure -hours.” Upon its being known that he had finished the task, the American -Academy offered to publish it. Dr. Bowditch would not allow this, and -reserved the publication until he was able to do so at his own expense. -Let us see, now, what service Dr. Bowditch intended to perform by his -translation and commentary. His first object was to lay before America -the greatest work on the science of astronomy ever published. Secondly, -his aim was to bring that work down to the comprehension of young men, -and students of mathematics, by filling up the places left by La Place -without demonstration. Thirdly, he meant to give the history of the -science of astronomy for the interval between the publication of the -original work and that at which the translation appeared. Fourthly, he -wished to collect together all the discoveries which he had made during -the forty years of his life that he had devoted to science. His first -aim was gained by the translation. His second was completely successful, -for he was assured by correspondents, both in America and Europe, that -he had enabled several to read the immortal work of La Place, who never -would have done so had not Dr. Bowditch published his Commentary. The -royal astronomer at Palermo says, in a printed work published after -the first two volumes of the translation had reached him, “Bowditch’s -Commentary should be translated into Italian;” and Lacroix, a celebrated -French mathematician, advised a young Swiss to read La Place in the -American edition rather than in the original. But what pleased the -commentator more than anything else, were the frequent letters from young -men residing in various parts of America, expressing gratitude for the -benefits they had received from his work. When I think of these, I am -reminded of the epithet bestowed upon Dr. Bowditch since his death, and -by one well capable of judging, namely, “Father of American Mathematics.” -He has given a tone to the study of science which will be long felt. - -In regard to the third object, all critics allow that he was eminently -successful in giving the history of science up to the time proposed. - -Upon the fourth point, we might refer, first, to the immense increase of -bulk of the work, as a proof, but I prefer to mention a few details; and -in order to this, let us examine the Commentary, and let it speak for -itself. But it must be remembered, that, in making this examination, I -must omit many circumstances, because you would not understand or feel -interested in any greater detail. - -[Sidenote: ERRORS IN IT.] - -[Sidenote: PERMANENCE OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.] - -[Sidenote: ERROR IN PRINCIPIA.] - -In the first volume he points out two errors of La Place, one of which -relates to the motion of the earth; and the other is of much importance. -It relates to the permanency of our solar system, as it is commonly -called. You all doubtless know that the sun is situated in the centre, -and the planets, with our earth, revolve around this luminary, which -gives light and heat to all. Now, these bodies revolve in certain fixed -“nearly circular” directions, and La Place thought that they would always -continue to do so, and that Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, -Saturn, and Herschel would forever continue to wheel around in their -accustomed orbits. Dr. Bowditch proves, however, that though this may -be true of the three larger planets,—Jupiter, Saturn, and Herschel,—it -is not equally certain, _from the proofs given by La Place_, that our -earth, or any of the other smaller planets, may not fly off into regions -far remote from those in which they have been revolving for ages. This -error had been made the subject of a paper to the American Academy at an -earlier period of his life. But it must not be supposed that there is -any proof that the solar system will not continue to exist for many long -ages. On the contrary, there is no doubt that it will last millions of -years. Dr. Bowditch merely wished to assert that La Place’s argument and -calculation did not prove as much as the French mathematician thought -they did. In this volume Dr. Bowditch likewise alludes to a topic which -he had made the subject of a communication, a long time previously, to -the American Academy; I refer to a mistake in Newton’s “Principia,” -which he discovered when quite young, and had sent an account of to the -president of Harvard College. This gentleman referred the question to the -professor of mathematics, who believed the youth was mistaken. Doubtless -he thought it very strange that a simple youth should presume to correct -anything published by so eminent a man as Newton. The error of the -professor will become less singular when you learn that the same mistake -escaped the notice of all the commentators on the “Principia,”—that -is, for more than a century,—and that the cause of the original -communication being made to the Academy was the attempt of Mr. Emerson, -an Englishman, to prove the correctness of the English philosopher. Every -one, I believe, now allows that Dr. Bowditch was correct, and that a -considerable error would result, in calculating the orbit of a comet, -from using Newton’s calculations. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - Commentary continued; second volume.—Discussion between - the English and French mathematicians; Dr. Bowditch’s - criticisms.—Errors in La Place in regard to the earth, - &c.—Third volume; motions of the moon.—Fourth volume; many - errors discovered in it.—Halley’s Comet.—Curious phenomena of - capillary attraction. - - -[Sidenote: CRITIC OF IVORY AND POISSON.] - -[Sidenote: “I HAVE GOT IT!”] - -In the second volume of the Commentary, Dr. Bowditch makes very copious -notes, in which he shows a perfect knowledge of the works of the chief -mathematicians of Europe. He stands as critic between two of the eminent -men of science of that day—Messrs. Ivory and Poisson, the former an -Englishman, the latter a Frenchman; and in reference, likewise, to a -difficult subject, namely, the revolution or the turning of a fluid mass -upon its own axis, as our earth does. He not merely agrees with Mr. -Poisson, but, by a very simple illustration, proves the total inaccuracy -of Mr. Ivory’s views. I well remember the earnestness with which he -studied this subject. Day after day, he returned to the task of finding -out some “simple case,” with which to prove to the satisfaction of others -the truth of his own view. At length, when he did discover it, he jumped -up in ecstasy, and, rubbing his hands and forehead with delight, walked -about the library-room, crying out, “I have got it!” - -Dr. Bowditch in this volume points out five errors or omissions made by -La Place, some of which are very important. One refers to the form of -our earth, and had been previously communicated to the Academy. There is -another of some moment, relative to the time occupied in the revolution -of one of Saturn’s rings, La Place having made it longer than was true. - -Finally, on the subject of the motion of the earth about its centre of -gravity, he points out an error, in which La Place gives to two numbers -only one third of their true value. - -[Sidenote: OLBERS AND GAUSS.] - -In the third volume, occupied as it is with the motions of the planets -and of the moon, and with all the phenomena accompanying these, Dr. -Bowditch shows much learning, and his power of bringing modern science -to the thorough study of any topic. As in the previous volume, he labors -without fear upon subjects treated of with much earnestness by La Place, -Poisson, and Pontecoulant, in France, and Plana in Italy. - -On the theory of the motions of the moon,—a very difficult and -interesting subject,—Dr. Bowditch makes very copious notes; and the -volume terminates with an appendix of more than two hundred and fifty -pages, in which he gives the history of modern astronomy, in reference -to the calculations of the movements of planets and comets. In this he -speaks of Olbers and Gauss. The former, from having discovered three -planets since the beginning of this century, was called “The fortunate -Columbus of the Heavens.” The latter was one of the most remarkable men -in the world for the rapidity with which he was able to perform the most -tedious and troublesome calculations.[13] - -[Sidenote: ERRORS IN LA PLACE.] - -We come now to the last volume, in printing the thousandth page of which -he died. It was the most difficult to him of the whole, and probably -will raise him higher, in the estimation of the scientific world, than -either of the others. In the first place, I would remark, that either -from the difficulty of the subject, or from the inattention of La Place, -an unusual number of errors was discovered. No less than twenty-four -errors or omissions are pointed out. Many of these seem insignificant, -but often, as may be supposed, they materially affect the calculation. -Most of them refer to the derangements and the motions of Jupiter’s -satellites—a subject which occupies three hundred and fourteen pages of -the volume. The keenness of Dr. Bowditch’s criticism is again perceived -while treating upon a subject in dispute between Plana and La Place. Dr. -Bowditch points out one mistake, and Poisson another, whereby Plana’s -views are proved to coincide entirely with La Place’s, instead of being -opposed to them. - -[Sidenote: NOTE ON HALLEY’S COMET.] - -I find a note upon Halley’s comet, to which I alluded as presenting -a grand spectacle in our western sky a few years since, and I cannot -forbear mentioning the coincidence. Dr. Bowditch, when making his notes -upon the subject of the motions and revolutions of comets, speaks of -Halley’s comet, and mentions all that is known about it, and its probable -appearance. This note was prepared some time before it was printed. It -terminates thus: “Since writing the preceding part of this note the comet -has again appeared, and, _at the time of printing this page, is visible -in the heavens_, not far distant from the place corresponding to the -elements of Mr. Pontecoulant.” - -[Sidenote: CAPILLARY ATTRACTION.] - -[Sidenote: LA PLACE AND POISSON.] - -The work, so far as Dr. Bowditch is concerned, finishes with the most -curious and difficult subject of capillary attraction, or that power -whereby a liquid rises in narrow tubes beyond the level of the fluid -outside, as we see familiarly in sponges, and cloths, and in very minute -glass tubes. You may think this subject of little moment; yet La Place -thought it more curious than almost any other, and he earnestly calls -the attention of mathematicians to it. It is a subject so difficult -of investigation, that it requires the keenest efforts of the best -intellects to rightly understand it. After La Place’s investigations -were published, Gauss considered the subject, and arrived at results -similar to those presented by La Place. But in 1831, Poisson, the first -mathematician then living, of whom we have already spoken, put forth -a work in which he announced many new views. This he thought himself -justified in doing, after taking into consideration certain particulars -which La Place had neglected. Dr. Bowditch received the work while -engaged in printing this volume. He ceased printing, and devoted six -months or more to a thorough perusal of the new French work. The result -was, that he proved that without an exception, unless where an evident -error was made by La Place, the principles of this mathematician, when -fairly carried out, would produce all the results which Poisson had given -as new in his work. By this labor Dr. Bowditch proved that Poisson’s -so-called new theory of capillary attraction was founded in error. This -is decidedly the most important work of the translator. It places him -much higher than before in the scale of mathematical rank. - -I would willingly give a further analysis, but I forbear, because it -would not be interesting to you. It was in correcting this, his noblest -task, in the full strength of his intellect, that he was destined to die. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - Sketch of the life of La Grange, the equal of La Place; love - Dr. Bowditch had for this person’s character; comparison - between him and La Place; also between him and Dr. - Bowditch.—Conclusion of the Memoir - - -[Sidenote: BOWDITCH AND LA GRANGE.] - -During this history I frequently have spoken of different individuals; -but there is one about whom little mention has been made, but of whose -life I wish to give you a short account, as his character resembles very -much that of Dr. Bowditch. His mind and heart were always regarded by the -American mathematician with feelings of respect and love, such as he felt -towards no other mathematician whose works he had studied. An equal of La -Place, it seems not improper to mention him; and I know you will excuse -the slight interruption in my story when you perceive how the noble -nature of La Grange seems to harmonize with, and to illustrate, as it -were, the life of Dr. Bowditch. - -[Sidenote: LIFE OF LA GRANGE.] - -[Sidenote: HIS INTELLECT AND MODESTY.] - -[Sidenote: LA GRANGE AND LA PLACE.] - -[Sidenote: LA GRANGE AND BOWDITCH.] - -[Sidenote: DEATH OF LA GRANGE.] - -Joseph Louis La Grange, one of the most famous geometricians of modern -times, was born at Turin, January 25, 1736. He was one of eleven -children of parents who became very poor, so that Joseph had in early -life to gain his own subsistence. When young, he devoted himself to -the classics, and read Latin constantly. At seventeen his taste for -abstruse mathematics and geometry first showed itself; and from this -period he continued studying by himself, without aid. In two years he -had acquired a knowledge of all that was known upon the science, and -began to correspond with the scientific men of other lands. In 1755 -he sent to Euler, then the greatest mathematician in the world, and -residing in Berlin, an answer to a problem proposed by Euler, ten years -before, to the learned men of Europe, and which they had been unable -to solve. He was appointed professor of mathematics at Turin, at the -age of nineteen years, and soon afterwards originated the Academy of -Sciences at that place. In their Memoirs he published papers in which -he not merely criticised Euler and D’Alembert and others, but brought -forward some very curious new views of science, discovered by himself. -Europe soon resounded with his praises, and he was chosen member of all -the learned societies. In 1766, he was called to the court of Frederick -the Great, King of Prussia, to take the place of Euler, who was summoned -by the Emperor of Russia to St. Petersburg. Frederick wrote to him thus: -“Come to my court, for it is right that the greatest mathematician in -Europe should be near the greatest king.” He accepted the situation thus -offered, and remained there until Frederick died; and soon afterwards -he was invited by the French government to go to Paris. From this time, -with slight interruptions, his fame continued to increase, and every -one delighted to honor him; for his labors did honor to his adopted -country. One of the most beautiful compliments, perhaps, ever paid to -man, was the message sent by the French government to the old father of -La Grange at Piedmont, when that country fell, by a revolution, under -French influence. “Go,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs to his -ambassador, “go to the venerable father of the illustrious La Grange, -and say to him, that, after the events that have just taken place, the -French government look to him as the first object of their interest.” -The answer of the old man was touching: “This day is the happiest of my -life, and my son is the cause of it!” And thrice blessed must be such a -son, for he fills the last hours of his father’s life with peace. When -Bonaparte came into power, new honors were showered upon him. But what -was it that charmed Dr. Bowditch in the character of La Grange? It was -the combination of a giant intellect with extreme modesty and simplicity, -a sincere love of truth, and almost feminine affections. He was a pure -being, whose intellect equalled La Place’s, but who at the same time was -full of the utmost gentleness and strict justice. He was at Berlin during -the earlier part of La Place’s career in Paris. In after-life, the two -were friends. Both were great geniuses; both were capable of the highest -flights of thought, and of bringing down to the comprehension of mankind -the vast and wise laws impressed by God on the system of the universe. -La Place became interested in political life. La Grange stood aside, -quiet and pleased with his own high thoughts. If his fellows wished him -to take upon himself any public duties, he took them cheerfully, and -as cheerfully resigned them. La Place courted honors; La Grange meekly -received them. La Place sometimes assumed the fruits of other men’s -labors to cover himself with their glory. In the heart of La Grange sat -humility, justice, and philanthropic love. In fact, La Grange was full -of the loftiest qualities and genius combined. La Place had the latter. -His genius alone recommended him to the scientific men around him. Such -were two men whose works Dr. Bowditch read with the greatest pleasure. He -often spoke with great feeling of the noble traits in the character of -La Grange. The features and form of the head of Dr. Bowditch resembled -those of the great Italian. I have often thought that, as they were like -each other in countenance, so their dispositions and fortunes in life -were more nearly similar than is usual in this world. Both were born -poor, and early had to seek subsistence for themselves. Each devoted -himself early to the science of mathematics, and both became eminent in -it. Love of truth and a longing for it were strong traits in both; order -and regularity of life, and simplicity of food and regimen, belonged -to them equally. Above all, a sincere reverence for goodness, for true -modesty and delicate refinement, and a fine respect for the female sex, -were strikingly manifest in both. Both were moderate in their desires, -and both had the highest good of humanity at heart. Each sought for quiet -and retirement from the turmoil of life in his “peaceful mathematics.” -As the lives of both were beautiful, so was the serenity of their death -scenes. La Grange was attacked near the end of March, 1813, by a severe -fever, and the symptoms soon became alarming. He saw the danger he was -in, but still preserved his serenity. “I am studying,” says he, “what -is passing within me, as if I were now engaged in some great and rare -experiment.” On the 8th of April, his friends Messrs. Lacépède, Monge, -and Chaptal visited him, and in a long conversation which he entered -into with them, he showed that his memory was still unclouded, and his -intellect as bright as ever. He spoke to them of his actual condition, -of his labors, of his success, of the tenor of his life, and expressed -no regret at dying, except at the idea of being separated from his wife, -whose kind attentions had been unremittingly bestowed upon him. He soon -sank and died. Three days afterwards his body was deposited in the -Pantheon, as it is called, the burial-place for the great men of France; -and La Place and his friend Lacépède delivered their tributes of praise -and admiration over his grave. So peaceful and calm was the death of Dr. -Bowditch, whose life I have been trying to place before you. - -[Sidenote: MRS. BOWDITCH.] - -Dr. Bowditch’s health had been generally good, though he never was -robust. In 1808 he was dangerously ill with a cough, and by the advice -of a physician, he took a journey in an open chaise. He was driven -towards Pawtucket and Providence, thence in a westerly direction through -Hartford and New Haven to Albany, and back again across the interior of -Massachusetts, as far as the fertile valley of the Connecticut River. -Thence passing upwards, he crossed on the southern borders of Vermont and -New Hampshire to Newburyport, and back to Salem. This journey restored -him, and he never afterwards suffered much from cough, and generally -enjoyed good health until his last illness. - -In 1834 his wife died. His heart was borne down by the loss. She had -been to him always a loving and a tender companion, faithful and true -even to the minutest points. She had watched all his labors. She had -urged him onward in the pursuit of science, by telling him that she -would find the means of meeting any expense by her own economy in her -care of the family. She had watched the progress of his greatest work, -which, with his dying hands, he afterwards dedicated to her memory. She -had listened with delight to all the praises that had come to him from -his own countrymen and from foreign lands; and now, when he was full -of honor and yet active in business, she was called to leave him. With -her the real charm of life departed, and many sad hours would have been -the consequence, if his sense of duty and devotion to science had not -prevented them. He attended now more closely to active engagements. He -always spoke of his wife with extreme fondness, and sometimes his tears -would flow in spite, apparently, of his efforts to restrain them. There -was a degree of sadness, however, which was perceptible only to his -family, that settled upon Dr. Bowditch during the last four years of -life, in consequence of this deprivation. - -[Sidenote: LAST ILLNESS.] - -[Sidenote: FAREWELL TO FRIENDS.] - -[Sidenote: LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN.] - -In the latter part of the summer and early days of autumn of 1837, -he began to feel that he was losing strength, and had occasionally -pains of great severity. He continued to attend to the duties of his -office, however, without yielding to his suffering. In January, 1838, -he submitted to medical advice; but it was of no avail. He sank rapidly -under a severe and torturing disease, which, for the last fortnight of -life, deprived him of the power of eating or even of drinking anything, -except a small quantity of wine and water. Until the last moment of his -life, he was engaged in attending to the duties of the Life Office, and -to the publication of his Commentary on the “Mécanique Céleste.” During -this time, after he lost the power of visiting State Street, he used to -walk into his library, and there sit down among his beloved books, and -pass the hours in gentle conversation with his friends, of each one of -whom he seemed anxious to take a last farewell. He received them daily, -in succession, during the forenoon; and towards those whom he loved -particularly he showed his tenderness by kissing them when they met and -when they parted. His conversation with them was of the most pleasant -kind. He told them of his prospects of death, of his past life, and of -his perfect calmness and reliance on God. He spoke to them of his love -of moral worth. “Talents without goodness I care little for,” said he to -one of them. With his children he was always inexpressibly affectionate. -“Come, my dears,” said he, “I fear you will think me very foolish, but I -cannot help telling you all how much I love you; for whenever any of you -approach me, I feel as if I had a fountain of love, which gushes out upon -you.” He spoke to them at the dead of the night, when he awoke, pleasant -as a little child, yet with the bright, clear mind of a philosopher. He -told them of his life, of his desire always to be innocent, to be active -in every duty, and in the acquirement of knowledge, and then alluded to a -motto that he had impressed upon his mind in early life, that a good man -must have a happy death. On one of these occasions he said, “I feel now -quiet and happy, and I think my life has been somewhat blameless.” - -[Sidenote: WORDS OF COMFORT.] - -It was noon, and all was quiet in his library. A bright ray of light -streamed through the half-closed shutter. He was calm and free from -pain. One of his children bade him good by for a time. Stretching out -his hand and pointing to the sunlight, he said, “Good by, my son; the -work is done; and if I knew I were to be gone when the sun sets in the -west, I would say, ‘Thy will, O God, be done.’” Observing some around him -weeping, while he was quiet, he quoted his favorite passage from Hafiz, -one of the sweetest of the poets of Persia:— - - “So live, that, sinking in thy last long sleep, - Calm thou mayst smile while all around thee weep.” - -On another occasion, when one who was near him had a sad countenance, he -told her to be cheerful; and then, taking Bryant’s Poems he read the four -last verses of that exquisite little poem called “The Old Man’s Funeral.” -It is so beautiful in itself, that I want you to read it; and perhaps you -may like to see how he thought it applied to his own condition. I have -placed in parentheses his remarks. - -[Sidenote: THE OLD MAN’S FUNERAL.] - - THE OLD MAN’S FUNERAL. - - I saw an aged man upon his bier; - His hair was thin and white, and on his brow - A record of the cares of many a year— - Cares that were ended and forgotten now. - And there was sadness round, and faces bowed, - And women’s tears fell fast, and children wailed aloud. - - Then rose another hoary man, and said, - In faltering accents, to that weeping train, - “Why mourn ye that our aged friend is dead? - Ye are not sad to see the gathered grain, - Nor when their mellow fruit the orchards cast, - Nor when the yellow woods shake down the ripened mast. - - “Ye sigh not when the sun, his course fulfilled, - His glorious course, rejoicing earth and sky, - In the soft evening, when the winds are stilled, - Sinks where his islands of refreshment lie, - And leaves the smile of his departure spread - O’er the warm-colored heaven and ruddy mountain head. - - “Why weep ye then for him, who, having won - The bound of man’s appointed years, at last, - Life’s blessings all enjoyed, life’s labors done, - Serenely to his final rest has passed? [I cannot agree to the next - two lines.] - While the soft memory of his virtues yet - Lingers like twilight hues when the bright sun is set. - - “His youth was innocent, [yes, I believe mine was innocent; - not guilty, certainly,] his riper age - Marked with some act of goodness every day, [no, not every - day—sometimes,] - And watched by eyes that loved him, calm and sage, [O, yes, watched - by eyes that loved him; and O, how calm, but I cannot add - sage,] - Faded his late declining years away. - Cheerful he gave his being up, and went - To share [he hopes] the holy rest that waits a life [he hopes] well - spent. - - “That life was happy; every day he gave - Thanks for the fair existence that was his; [yes, every morning, - when I awoke and saw the beautiful sun rise, I thanked God - that he had placed me in this beautiful world,] - For a sick fancy made him not her slave, - To mock him with her phantom miseries. - No chronic tortures racked his aged limb, - For luxury and sloth had nourished none for him. [Yes, that is all - true.] - - “And I am glad that he has lived thus long, - And glad that he has gone to his reward; - Nor deem that kindly nature did him wrong, - Softly to disengage the vital cord, [O, how softly, how sweetly, is - the cord disengaging!] - When his weak hand grew palsied, and his eye - Dark with the mists of age, it was his time to die.” [Yes, it was his - time to die; remember this; do not look sad or mournful; it - is his time to die.] - -[Sidenote: LOVE OF FLOWERS AND MUSIC.] - -One of the pleasant effects of his illness was his new love for flowers. -He had never shown any great pleasure in them during life, although -a rose, or lily of the valley, was frequently in his vest during the -summer. One day during his illness, Miss —— sent him a nosegay, in the -centre of which was a white camellia japonica. “Ah! how beautiful!” he -exclaimed; “tell her how much I am pleased; place them where I can see -them. Tell her that the japonica is to me the emblem of her spotless -heart.” Music, too, as it had been his delight in early life, now served -to soothe his last hours. One evening, when surrounded by his family, and -he was free from all pain, the door of the library was suddenly opened, -and his favorite tune of Robin Adair was heard coming from some musical -glasses in the entry. Its plaintiveness was always delightful to him: and -after listening to it till it died away, he exclaimed, “O, how beautiful! -I feel as if I should like to have the tune that I have loved in life -prove my funeral dirge.” - -[Sidenote: HIS DEATH.] - -It was on the 15th of March, 1838, that, being too feeble to walk, he was -drawn for the last time into the library. On the next day he was confined -to the bed. On that day an incident took place which I cannot forbear to -mention. He had called his daughter his Jessamine, and about twenty-four -hours before his death she obtained for him that delicate white flower. -He took it and kissed it many times. He then returned it with these -words: “Take it, my love; it is beautiful; it is the queen of flowers. -Let it be for you, forever, the emblem of truth and of purity. Let it be -the Bowditch arms. Place it in your mother’s Bible, and by the side of La -Place’s bust, and to-morrow, if I am alive, I will see it.” - -In the evening he drew a little water into his parched mouth. “How -delicious!” he murmured. “I have swallowed a drop from - - ‘Siloa’s brook, that flowed - Fast by the oracle of God.’” - -On the morrow, 17th of March, 1838, he died. Had he lived nine days -more, he would have exactly completed his sixty-fifth year. On the next -Sabbath he was laid quietly by the side of his wife Mary. Snow-flakes -fell gently upon the coffin as it was carried into Trinity Church vaults. - -There both the bodies remained until a few years since, when they were -removed to Mount Auburn. - - - - -FOOTNOTES - - -[1] You will know better, by and by, about the Revolutionary War. I will -merely state now, that this war was between America and Great Britain, -in order to free ourselves from the power of England. The reason why the -British King had anything to do with America was this: Many years ago, a -number of people came over from England, and settled in this country; and -of course the small colony needed the aid of the government from which it -originated. After a time the people here wanted to govern themselves, and -they therefore went to battle about it, because England would not grant -them all their wishes. This contest, which lasted for several years, was -terminated by the United States becoming free from the power of Great -Britain. - -[2] It is now in existence, and was kept in his library during his -lifetime, and for many years afterwards. His library, at the time of -his death, consisted of several thousand books, which, during his long -life, he had collected. Yet, to my mind, the little Almanac is the most -valuable book of the whole, because it was the first evidence he gave of -his perseverance, and of the tendencies of his mind. It is now, with his -other manuscripts, preserved in the Public Library of the City of Boston. - -The manuscripts and his whole library were given to the city when the -opening of Devonshire Street, in continuation of Winthrop and Otis Place, -required the removal of the house where they had been preserved from the -time of Mr. Bowditch’s death. - -[3] This was the famous battle of the Nile. It won for Nelson the title -of “Baron of the Nile.” - -[4] From Rev. Dr. Bentley’s manuscript Journal. - -[5] Dr. Bentley’s Journal, above cited. - -[6] This and similar acts committed by Great Britain were the prominent -causes of the war between the United States and England in 1812. - -[7] An expression of which sailors make use when speaking of the captain -of the vessel, and on this occasion overheard by Mr. Bowditch, as two -sailors whispered one to another, as they passed him on the deck. - -[8] It is still (1869) used in the American, and often in the English -marine service. The twenty-eighth edition was only recently published; -about seventy-five thousand copies have been issued since the first -edition was printed under the special direction of Mr. Bowditch. - -[9] Chief Justice Parsons, it is said, used to say that moment was one -of the most exciting of his life; and he could not forbear throwing up -his hat and joining in the shout with which the boys saluted the first -returning light of the sun. - -[10] Since the first edition of this memoir, the whole subject of -meteoric stones has been more thoroughly investigated by astronomers. -Professor Loomis, of New Haven, says (Elements of Astronomy, 1869, -page 209), “In the year 1833, shooting stars appeared in extraordinary -numbers, on the morning of November 14. It was estimated that they fell -at the rate of five hundred and seventy-five per minute. Most of these -meteors moved in paths, which, if traced backward, would meet in a point -near Gamma, in the constellation Leo. A similar exhibition took place -on the 12th of November, 1799, and there are recorded ten other similar -appearances at about the same period of the year. - -“There was a repetition of this remarkable display of meteors on the -morning of November 14, 1866, when the number amounted to one hundred -and twenty-six per minute; also November 14, 1867, when the number of -meteors for a short time amounted to two hundred and twenty per minute; -and November 14, 1868, the display was about equally remarkable.” - -Professor Loomis concludes that “these meteors belong to a system -of bodies describing an elliptic orbit about the sun, and making a -revolution in thirty-three years.” - -The Weston meteor, or aerolite, observed by Dr. Bowditch, is mentioned -by Professor Loomis, as one of “great brilliancy.” “The entire weight of -the fragments discovered was at least three hundred pounds.... The length -of the visible path of this meteor exceeded one hundred miles. It moved -about fifteen miles per second.” - -[11] A fifth was printed several years afterwards, on which Mr. Bowditch -made some notes, and which he meant to have published, but death -prevented him from so doing. - -[12] Since the first edition of this memoir, one of the most -extraordinary results ever obtained in astronomy by the use of these same -methods of investigation has been made known. Messrs. Leverrier, a French -astronomer, and Adams of England, calculated very exactly the general -characteristics and course of a planet, which, from the disturbances of -the courses of other well-known planets, was _supposed_ to exist. In -1846, Leverrier requested a German astronomer to point his telescope, at -a certain time, towards a certain part of the heavens, and there was the -long-suspected planet, previously never seen! It was named Neptune. It is -sixty times larger than our earth, and its orbit is nearly thirty times -farther distant from the sun. - -[13] Within the last few years numerous other smaller bodies (asteroids) -have been discovered—not less than eighty being now known. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Nat the Navigator, by Henry Ingersoll Bowditch - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NAT THE NAVIGATOR *** - -***** This file should be named 61092-0.txt or 61092-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/0/9/61092/ - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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