Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-30
To iAs Editors o. Ils mAi,.

MeSsrs. Editors My attention has b,o, ,,,,,.,.g
| ny an "uele ~ the Wing, under the si.n,tur. al
| aiumnus Recommending Pike Powers, ESQ for The
chair vi Mathematics in the University oc V,,s;,i,
Vi what IL sid OF Mr.. Powers 4 know mo
thlng, nor would express opinion as to his o,,
heatons Tor the Office. But the article referred 4,
contains The following declaration, upon which
would beg leave to comment: "Hayin, ,,,n son,c
what and heard more, of the systems Of M them,,,
(" hSuucuon at the other chief colleges of Tins
country, do not hesitate to declare NV conv;.,ia
u". no man. educated at any OF them is comneten,
70 MI that chair (Mathematics) IN our Uniye,s;,y
Even Cambridge aud West Point stand,ns T,rt ~
10 the University, in respect Of Mathomatics mr., ,
yet vastly its interiors, aud not more in ,risI 81 ~,
IN the mode of study" Asnin-"I b,,,r't H M'"
IN declaring this advancement IN the course
10 DC impossible, under the auspices of one ,ducn
Su a, any other school in America than the Univer
sy." These are important facts and f,r The e.,
time known 10 me, for until this article nnpe.,. I
had been led tn believe that If any Ins,i,u,on in a.
country was deserving of pre-. emnence ns we'll Cor
~. 'N'I" as 'ne MODE OF instruction in Maizena,
yes, mat institution was the u, = M;;t,ry
Academy. But according to the ..deliber,,. 60
N'eusns' OF "Alumnus," not one of its Graduates -
eompetentto the duties Of the chair of N,tbcn,o,i.
=" t"e on,otsity' and the illuSu ious Bowditch who
hau not The advantage of liberal educn,iop Inn,
who was honored with an invitation ,o Ib,, cho
oy Nr' Jefferson, IS thus pronounced by your cor,
respondent unqualified.
~ may nor 9s sn'.s to inquire into the peculiar
sys'e" =" 'he University, which gives II this sun
posed pTe.eminence. AS Far rs 1 am advised III.
system OF instruction Is by lecture with occasion,
Rotations In this respect, it does not differ from,
many other Institutions, while 1t wants the thorn.h
S'teehitieal instruction OF the West Point scbnsI
i's tekt-oooks are peculiar u itscf-ond this 4 an,
.eu 10 believe, both hom the communication of
"us anu common report, constitutes the
man CLAIM set up for the course of the ITniy.r;,
L ne iHaheh1e Geometry of MIR. Bonnycastle has
not yet found ITS way into any other Institution no,
10 think II ever wall, for with all the talents oos
~ us author, 1t Is as little suited Tor the in
-.
as nave heard members OF his class confess. con.
famed many things that il was hard Ia cxrI,;r
Dnt at the University, the .Neediique Celeste oC l.,
lace is taught aud the appointment OF Mr. Pow
CTS urged upon the ground that he had made thi,
VOL his peculiar study know moi what mar,
OF In Flce's wo,k is studied at the Uniyersitv
Out presume t1om the parade that is often mad. oi
H. that It is thoroughly examined. The Mccanioue
celeste Is work on the laws which govern the M,
tons OF the Heavenly bodies The Frcnrh .I;,;a,
~ IN large volumes, while the trans alton of d.,
Dowd'tch is IN quario volumes, and only co,s az
W ns 'he enc OF the 9TH volume OF the French. Its
u'i, . ,or textbook will be apparent, when
mention mat II was common remark of Bowditcb |
whenever meet with the words "thus i, pl,inI, |
appears am sure that hours and petha ps DAYS of
hard study Will alone enable me 10 discover ho,p !
us panty appears" and the Edinburg Review of !
ISIS, says; We will venture To say that the mum,
DER ol those who can read this wosk with any toIc
raD'e iIelIty, is small indeed. ID we reckon2 or
ia London and the military school IN It's vicinity |
20 S''o "uhioer AT each oil the English UNIVERSE !
hes' anu perhaps four in Scotland, we shall |
ha'dIY exceed dozen; and yet we are fully |
persuaded that our reckoning is beyond The I
Huth.' The main difficulty in the work ns lar |
as am acquainted, land do not profess to know |
great deal about ~ is this: the resiilis alone nrc
'aii down by La Place-thc steps in the cham NJ
rsasnnng being lett TO be filed up by the student
bowditch III his notes has supplied these stems. but
.l'l me work requires n minute acquainta nee with
'he SUBSIDIARY branches of mathematics, to be read
win facility. Now, what advantage is attained by
sHch work being the text book in he University
pid no other objection weigh against it, lis extreme
enSth' embracing nearly 10000 pages, is sufficient
pu' tue ihct IS, such work was never intended for
a text BOOK IL suits the Professor very well. md
some parts OF Il have been introduced into other
reauses on Mechanics, and taught with much profit
OUT Is rather an argument against the University
mat inns book Is taught there. | am aware that
me opinion has been entertained by the Board of
Siters mat the system OF Mathematical instruction
III the University Is pre- emincntly good, and il is
win view OF directing their attention TO what
conceive 10 DC mistaken view of its importance
mat nave written these remarks The tone of |
your correspondent while i, detracts from the repu-
tAuun OF the other Institutions of the country ada.
nothing TO the fame of the University. IL fosters
preJndice a. inst H. which may at times take from
II mat credit TO which IN many respects IL is en- IL
lied Public opinion, which cannot be diregarded
IN TINS matter, will tolerate such shirt nor
viii II give to the University any other Insttu
''o" the right TO prominence unless that right can
he clearly established. ytunIHtA