The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-22 00:00:00

BEAM OF PROFESSOR NICHOL.

We have to record with unfeigned regret—a feel-
ing which will be shared in by a wide circle of
scientific and other friends—the death of John
Pringle Nichol, LL.D., Professor of Astronomy in
the University of Glasgow, which took place on
'Monday afternoon, at Glenburn House, Rothesay,
the hydropathic establishment of Dr. Paterson.
Dr. Nichol had been in delicate health for a con-
siderable time past, and though, during a sojourn
at Rothesay early in the summer of this year, he
appeared to have rallied somewhat, the state of his
constitution was still very feeble. On Tuesday,
last week, his condition was such as to induce his
friends to advise his removal from his town resi-
dence at the Observatory to Rothesay, where, on
the following Thursday, his illness assumed a more
alarming aspect, and from that day he continued
gradually to sink till the afternoon of Monday,
when he expired from congestion of the brain, re-
sulting from a palpitation of the heart. Professor
. Nichol was a native of Brechin, in Forfarshire,
where he was born on the 13th Jan., 1804. After
acquiring the ordinary rudiments of education, he
entered King's College, Aberdeen, where, as a
student of mathematics, he greatly distinguished
himself. He was subsequently employed as a
teacher in different towns, and filled the office of
Rector of Montrose Academy. Having originally
been intended for the Church, he went through
course of theological training ; but literature and
t
science proved more attractive than theology, and
o these he specially devoted himself. In 1836 he
was appointed by the Crown Professor of Astronomy
in Glasgow University. His various works—" The
Architecture of the Heavens," " The Solar System,"
" The Planetary System," " The Planet Neptune,"
and the " Cycloptudia of the Physical Sciences"—
were all written with great chasteness and power.
was employed on a new
edition of the "Physical
Prior to his death he
Sciences," to be published
by Messrs. It. Griffin and Co., of London and Glas-
gow. He was also engaged on the new " Cyclo-
Fedia of Universal Biography," now in course of
publication by Mr. William Makenzie, of this city.
In the " Cyclopwdia of Biographrpublished about
five years ago by Messrs. R. Griffin and Co., the
principal names in the department of the Physical
Sciences were entrusted to Professor Nichol. He
likewise wrote numerous articles for various maga-
zines and periodicals, and the columns of the Mail
have :)ccassionally been enriched with contributions
from his pen. In the domain of moral science and
philosophical investigation, Dr. Nichol has achieved
a reputation scarcely less brilliant than in the
peculiar walk of his professorship. As a public
lecturer, especially on his favourite science, Dr.
Nichol was greatly admired for the clearness and
beauty of his style, and the interest with which he
never failed to invest his theme. If we remember
rightly, the last public appearance of importance
which he made was in delivering a lecture last
winter in the City Hall on the subject of Donati's
comet. Political reform, and other ,questions of
public importance, likewise received a considerable
share of attention from the Professor. In private
he was courteous, obliging, and kind. Dr. Nichol
was twice married, and by his first wife had a son
and daughter, both of whom, with his second wife,
survive him.—Glasgow Daily Mail.