The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-25 00:00:00

milltr Lard Ellesborou7,h's Act, left it for them to say, whether
it WAS wilful)y or accidentally done.
The Jury band the prisoner Nut Guilty.
IV ilteons Briggs aged 21, stood capitally indicted, upon the
oath of James Barclay, of 11'etherby in the NVest Riding, labourer,
with feloniously assaulting and robbing him of 245. on the King's
hivh way. _ .

This'll's.. a very aggravated case on the part of the prisoner.—
The prosecutor known by the name of Scotch Jemmy, a poor
feeble old man, who described the prisoner as the gentleman at
the bars stated, that the prisoner overtook him, and knocked
him down, and kept kneeling on his breast (the old man begging
that he would not murder him); but not content with this, he
knocked his head against some stones then-, until the blood
came out of his mouth and ears, whemby he was ill for a great
length or time.
The prisoner made no defence, nor called any person to his cha-
ractez.—Guilty—Lkath.

'Co-morrow, being flood Friday. their Lordships will attend
Vain, service, and aftervarda proceed to their respective Courts.

LVFANTINE .ARITIIME77CIAN.

However frequent, of late 'team, exhibitions of precocious ta-
lent, the development of intuitive knowledge must at all times
excite a high degree of interest with the philosophical investigator
of its cause, means, or agency, whilst it cannot fail of gratification
to the curious observer of its extraordinary appearance.
These phenomena are nevertheless of considerable variety, and
their exhibition is consequently productive of sensations differing
neeording to the character of talent displayed, or the disposition or
fe, hogs with which it is approached.
. A musical infant, for instance, tea y exhibit a wonderful preco-
city of acute sensibility to sound and touch, which, duly encou-
raged, will, during its infantine state, elicit the moat enthusiastic
applause and encouragement from the admirers of that beautiful
science. And yet, how great tweet, may be the advance of the
child to musical perfectibility, there can exist little doubt of the
pOssible attainment of equal execution in an adult musician of
sufficient application, diligence, and perseverance.
An infant arithmetician, on the other hand, evinces an intuitive
knowledge of pearcely credible extent, in the development of the
astonishing faculty of precocious calculation. Whilst, therefore,
an exhibition of these powers excites admiration, it affords matter I
for the most subtle investigation of the most profound philosopher;
for wouderful as is this precocity of mental activity, ingenuity, and
accuracy, die probability of its continued existence with its intim-
tine possessor is extremely slight, and its acquisition by the un-
gaited student at lam unprecedented. if not impossible.
Herein then is to be found the difference between musical and
arithmetical precocity-the former is dependant on acuteness of
sense, and the hitter on mental intuitiveness; the one will not, the
other may, fail its possessor; the former may be attained by a dili-
gent exertion of iugentous talent, whilst to the acquisition of the
latter no talent has yet been found adequate, no ingenuity or appli-
cation commensurate with the vast extent of this mental deride-
eaten.
It is not therefore surprising that instances of an early maturity
of mind 'Moab] be more rare than these of sense, and although ,
there are at the present moment several musical prodigies under a i
Male of exhibition in the metropolis, whilst for several years no
instance of arithmetical precocity has invited the fostering patron-
age of a liberal public, that circumstance will rather justify
regret titan afford matter of astonishment to reasoning and scienti.
Nc men.
Within a period of twelve years, however, three instances of ex-
traordinary mental calculation by children have attracted public
attention. In 1815 George Bidder, a native of Devonshire, then
nine years of age, appeared in the metropolis, and acquired a very
considerable degree of notoriety. His father was a journeyman
stonemason, and sect him to a village day-school until he was eight
years old, at which time his wonderful faculty first developed itself.
He was subsequently educated at the University of Edinburgh,
through the liberal interference of several gentlemen of fortune, and
is now in the immediate employ of his Hotel Highness the Duke of
fork, retaining possession of his astonishing powers, his father and
Wilily being most liberally provided tor. In 18111 another boy,
an American, named Zerah Colborne. then about ten years of age,
made his della as a candidate for a share of public patronage. He
now holds an honourable appointment in one of the Government
Offices, but is understood to have lost the faculty of mental calcu-
lation. We believe he also is indebted to the same Royal Duke for
his liberal support and influential countenance. The third child
gifted with arithmetical precocity was a girl (we think of the name
tit Williams> about twelve years of age, end the daugher of a
spitalfichla weaver. In 1:120 and 1821 she was to be seen at most
of the low public-houses in the city, ostensibly as a hawking re.
tailor of fruit, but in reality supporting herself and a drunken '
father by the exhibition of her wonderful faculty. She was rather
a good-looking girl, and losing the intuitive knowledge she once'
possessed, she became the victim of an unprincipled man, and is
said to have died nbout a year since.
There is now in the metropolis a fourth instance of the existence
of mental precocity, in the person of a mere child scarcely six years
of age, of the name of George Noakes, the uneducated sums of
waits moving until very recently in a humble sphere of life.
From a scientific investigation of the extraordinary talent pos.
armed by this infant, entered upon by several gentlemen of high
character and attainments, it would seem that the wonderful gift of
mental maculation has never been so fully developed as in the pre.
sent cue. Against trick or deception his infantine years may surely
he considered a sufficient guarantee, and certainly, it his extreme
yputh be taken into account, his possession of the power of solving
arithmetical problems, without pen or pencil, and with perfect
accuracy, will make it self-evident that the maturity of the taculty
has never appeared at a more early age than in this instance. Anti
not only is the power of mental calculation earlier shewn to exist
limb the child, but it would seem also to be much more clearly and
intelligibly developed by him, than hitherto by those who have
peeceded him in the public favour ; for, in every instance of work. '
mg an arithmetical question, this interesting boy can and most
steadily does explain the method by which he has arrived at its so-
lution, and that too by definition so clear, and in language so
simple, that the merest tyro cannot fail of comprehension.
At the highly pleasing examination referred to. an Honourable
member of the house of Commons asked the child " the amount
of- 32,000 times 74d." To which, in about a minute, he replied,
s. 10001." The method pursued in working the proposed: questioo
being inquired, the hole fellow said. " Why 32.000 pence is
LAX. Ns. lki. ; 7i times 1001. is 750/. ; 7,1, times 33/. tie- &I. la 230!.;
' and 7501. and' 50/. is 1000 t." He atided-" And 1 can do it ten or
twelve different ways:" and it was obviously pleasing to hint to be
desired to explain that variety of means for the attainment
of the same result. The following (taken down at the time) were
then giver, by him at intervals of less than a minute:
Secow D 51ETHOD.-32,000 farthings is 33/. 6s. 841. and thirty
times 331 is. Bd. is 1000/.
Taint) Al ET11013.-Thirty times 32000 farthings is 9110.000
farthings, and there are 960 farthings in one pound-so 960,000
; farthings is 1000/.
Fa U /Tit NI ET 1110 D.-Thirty-two thousand times seven and
*WI is 240,000 pence-and as 240 peace is one pound, 240,000 is
1009/.
FIFTH MET ITOD.-32,000 sixpences in 16,000 shillings, and
32,000 times three halfpence is 4,000 shillings; 16,000 and 4,000
snake 20,000, which being shillings, is 10001.
Star 0 P.l ET11013.-32,000 times three halfpence is 4000 shil-
lings, and five times that is 29.000 shillings, which is 1000/.
SSWEN TB 31ETHOD.-32,000 halfpence is 661. 13s. 4d., and
lfteen times 66!. 13e. 4d. is 1000/.
1:1011T11 141 LT HOD.-30,000 sixpences is 15,000 shillings;
30,000 times three halfpence is 3.750 shillings: these together
snake 18.750 shillings, which is 9371. 10e., a fifteenth of 937!. 10s.
is M. 10s. and 9371. 10s. added to 02/. Ins. is wing.
Newt's 31gvtiort.-30.000 times aevenspenee halfpenny is
925.01* pence, which is 900,000 farthings, a fifteenth of which is
64,000 farthings, which make 960,000 farthings, and which is
10001.
Texan l‘letrsoD,-98,000 times 30 is 2,800,000 farthings,
which is 311410/., and a third of 3000/. is 1000/.
Rare 1: S: Tit METHOII.-Sevetipence halfpenny is 30 farthings,
and 3itettat timer 30 is 900,000 tarthingt; a twentieth part of
900,000 is 45.1100, which together make 915,1190 farthings, and one-
Meted of 45.000 is 15.000 farthings; and 916,000 and 15,000 make
960.000 farthings. whichls 1000/.
Tweet-no 51 ETHOn.-288,000 times sixpence is 144,000 Ail-
• : 288.080 thousand times three halfpence is 36,000 shillings;
000 shillings and 36.000 shillings make 160,000 shillings,
1,
is 90001. and one-ninth is 10001.
Whether or not other arithmetical prodigies have possessed the
ability of describing the means whereby they armed at the solu-
tion of given problems, George Noakes is the brat instance of such '
astonishing precocity, combined with so great order and arrange-
ment as to permit the interesting development of the manner of
cadetileting the sums proposed.
One instance of thesingalar decision of this mental phenomenon
was given a ter evenings since, on the agitation of a question
which has long punted the most able mathematicians, and on the
ulation of which, either as to the result or method of calculation,
scarcely any twoof them are agreed ; we allude to the multiplication
(4991. 19s. !ltd. by 991. 19s. Did. George, in answer, replied that
ainultiplylrg of 1001. by 100/. and deducting from the product 99
farthings 1i9991. 17s. I lld. would be given. He was informed that
odors had made it 99991. 15e. 10d. " Then," said he, " they
es* of the 100 farthings both ways, but that will not give the
sight answer." Here, then, is the decision of intuitive knowledge,
from a child unable, fro,n his infantine age, to reason the point '
which has perplexed so many wise men, or even to explain why
the course pursued by others will fail in producing a correct Yalu.
ties I The problem itself is a puzzle to mathmisticians, several
of whom declare their conviction of the child's accuracy, being
themselves unable to prove him correct, or 'thew him to be in error.
It should be added that this problem has been hitherto considered
beat solved by the laborious and prolific mode of cubcing. whereby
it is necessary to pen about 150 numerals, whereas the child arrives
at she result by the most simple means, in from 20 seconds to half
a minute.
It h a singular fact with regard to this child, that during the
tirris•axepirl by him in working a problem, his attention never
uppers abstracted from surrounding obje to or irrelevant mover.
sat Mar god, as ear aa opinion can be formed, he proceeds in his task
with the greater facility in proportion to the increase of seeming
teierraplior..
On his preliminary examination (fsw the father at its conclusion
declared bus intention of forthwith calling public attention to the
extraordinary talent of his child), lie gave *eventl instances of
the extreme tenacity of his memory in the development of a pecu-
' Rarity of very singular character, viz. the power of working diffe-
rent ptoblenx at the sante time, without the slightest appearance
0 confusion or asosyance.