The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-03-24

may aso neie DO added, that DR. had the highest
speet for the great mathematical atanments OF Chief
Justice Parsons and it may be Interesting 10 many
persons 10 know that under the Rules for Lunar Obser
vstons 10 the practical Navigator ID, n has inro
duced improved method OF correcting The apparent
distance Of the moon from the sun a star which was
suggested by that great man whom he Justly character
ises as eminenty distinguished for his mathematical
scquirements't
ID should have been before stated that after Quitting
the life Of navigator DIR b held the Office Of president
OF marine insurance company IN his native town
for several years until upon the establishment Of that
well known and invaluable institution, the Msssachu
sets Hospital Life Insurance Company, in Boston, his
talents deemed indispensable in its organization
and management and he invited to take charge OF
IT, under the title Of its Actuary The great exactness
OF calculation and the order and precision introduced
by him into that institution will long attest the conpre-
hensveness Of his and his facility in the practical
management OF It's affairs
On the occasion OF leaving his native town TO enter
upon this new Office, his spontaneously united
IN public dinner testimonial OF their respect and
grateful recollection OF his eminent services his coun-
try and OF his great private worth.
While he resided in Salem he undertook his well
known translation OF La Places seanique Celeste
companied with his invaluable Commentary upon t.
This truly gigantic task begun in the year 1915,
and has been the steady occupation Of his leisure hours
TO the time Of his death His calculation and
tares, while they show him have been thoroughly
master that mighty subject La Place himself, will
make that great work-,he most profound Of modern
timesaccessibe innumersbe students, who without
such aid would be compelled to forego the use Of IT,
The labor of translaling and commenting the
whole OF that work had de6ed the zeal and industry Of
the scientific Of Great Britain; and Of their
leading journals gives due credit America for this
traordlnary and honorable achievement the cause Of
Science, which had been accomplished by any indi
ydual among the numerous scientific associations Of
Great Britain
The idea," says the journal alluded to, Of under
taking translation OF the whole Mecaniqne Celeste,
accompanied throughout with copous running com
mcntary, is which savors FIRST sight, Of the gi-
ganfesqae !; and is certainly one which, from what
have hitherto bad to Of the popularity
and diffusion Of mathematical knowledge on the oppo-
site shores Of the Atlantic should have
peced to have found orgnsted-or, at least, carried
into execution in that quarter The part actually COM
pcted [the first voumc is with few and slight excep
tons, just what could have wished TO see-an
act and careful translation into very good Engshex-
ceedngly well printed, and accompanied with notes APP
pended TO each page which leave no step in the text,
Of moment unsuppled, and hardly any material difficult
ty either OF conception reasoning unelucidated u
The progress Of DR.. Bowdtchs last illness was so
unremtng that he was not able to complete the final
revision of the whole Of this great work He had how
ever corrected the last sheets OF the fourth vou ne
few days before his death, and while his physical pow
scarcely capable Of executing what his clear
and uncouded intellect dictated The fifth and only
remaining volume is, comparatively, Of little importance,
even if he had survived
On this great work Dr. Bowdtchs fame, throughout
the scientific world will ultimately rest And, surely,
the lofty ambition could desire solldand
lasting monuments monument, which will undure I'M
til that day Of desoation shall arrive, when one Of
the human family shall remain to contemplate the nigh
y fabric of those heavenly systems, whose structure and
laws inscribed upon it.
The long study Of the French mathematicians in
pection with DR.. BIS abors on La Places work, had
given him Partially for the French, or Continental
mathematical school, far that may be said to differ
from the English And great question, which i'll
the age of Newton raised such furious tempest OF al
terca,ion between the English and Continental mathe-
maticians-the quarrel between Newton and Leibntz
for the immortal invention Of the dferentia calculus
DR. Bowdtch did consider Newton the exclusive
dscoverer but, the candid of all parties now
generally agree that he and Lelbntz were both original
discoveries of that wonderful method OF analysis and
that neherof them plagiarst from the other, as
each had been beraly called while the controversy
was raging. ..a. ...f~
The reputation Of DR.. Bowdch was SUCH that he
had for many been member OF various learned
Societies in Europe and America and he was one Of
the few Americans who have teen Fellows OF the Royal
Society OF London. In his native State he has for
years been the President of the American Academy Of
Arts and Sciences which is indebted to him for large
share of the reputation it has enjoyed
Such is a brief outline Of the intellectual character
and scientific labors Of this eminent 1t need only
rigid integrity extraordinary energy Of character and
unremttng zeal and perseverance in whatever he UNI
dertook to accomplish; his ardent, and in
dicatlve Of that heart which has ceased TO
throb for those friends who enjoyed the happiness Of
his society his department was, extraordinary de-
gree, unaffected and simple and he had frankness in
expressing his opinions which age Of artificial civlty
would feel to be standing reproof of its heartless
ness, and would hardly consent to rank among the
virtues. ~..
How saddcning is the reflection, that these high in
teicctual and moral endowments, from which we had
fondly perhaps unreasonaby, hoped for still further
benefits to the world, should lie poweress, pros
trate and in ruins cfore u.s. Never has there been
individual in country, solely devoted to the pursuits
of science aud the Tranquil walks Of private life, and
stunning the auremens Of that political notorety which
is the dslempered and aabsorbng passion of the day,
whose death has been generally and deeply la
mented- ......".
Mul.is lille bonis febilis occidit--
We read his history in nations eyes;
and the demonstrations Of in every face are at
once spontaneous homage science, and heartfelt
tribute to eminent private worth.
In the Monthly Anthology and North American
Review. ......
Bowdtchs Navigator, p. l6l, edit, 1911
! London Quarterly Review, vol AZ, July, 1882.
PRIDE OF BIRTH--Tbe late Mr. Huddestonc
an amabe and accomplished gentleman who believed
himself to be nealy descended from Ahelstone, aud
consequently entitled to take precedence OF all, Incud-
ing the proudest mobiles, who did not paiake OF the
Blood Royal of the Hcptarcby Some Of this excellent
persons evidence bore strong resemblance TO those OF
the Scotchman who, proof Of his descent from the
admirable Cnchton, wont TO produce an ancient
Shirt marked "A. g." in the tall preserved he said, as
heir loom by the family. But Mr. Huddles,onc was
allowed to be undeniable corruption Of Ahels,one by
many Of the most distinguished amateur readers OF