The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-03-20

and he explained his work with rea-
diness. To hear him talk so rapid
ly, and yet so technically exact, and
so far above the comprehension Of
all, save the most profound mathe-
matician, put to flight all my doubts
and filled me with utter astonish-
ment. He said he did not know
as his new rule would work in all
cases, but as yet it had. He also
remarked that the nearer noon the
eclipse came on, the easier it was to
apply his rule.
But young Safford's strength does
not lie wholly in the mathematics
He has sort Of mental absorption
His infant mind drinks in knowledge
as the sponge does water. Chem
istry, botany, philosophy, geography
and history are his sport. 1t does
not make much difference what
question you ask him, he answers
very readily. Ispoke to him of some
of the recent discoveries in chemis-
try. He understood them. spoke
to him Of the solidifcation of carbo-
mic acid gas by Prof. Johnston, of
the Wesleyan University. He said
he understood it. Here his eyes
flashed fire, and he began to explain
the process! When only four years
old, he would surround himself up
on the floor with Morse's, Wood
bridges, Olney's, Smiths and Matte
Bruins Biographies, tracing them
through and comparing them, no.
ting all their points OF difference.
His memory, too, is very strong. He
has porcd over Gregory's Dictiona-
ry Of Arts and Sciences so much,
that seriously doubt whether there
can be a question asked him, drawn
from either of these immense VOL
umes, that he will not answer in
StantIy. saw the volumes, and no.
ticcd he had left his marks on almost
every page. asked to see his
mathematical works. lie sprung
INTO his study, and produced me
Greenleais Arithmetic, Perkins
Algebra, Playfair's Euclid, Pixies
Arithmetic, Davies Algebra, Hut
toms Mathematics, Gummerc's AS
tronomy, and several Nautical AL
manacs / asked him if he had mas
tered them all. He replied that lie
had. And an examination OF him
for the space Of three hours conyin-
ced me he had +; and not onl, 50,
but that he had far ou,strippcd them.
His knowledge is not intuitive. He
IS a pre- anu prJJ"na reasoncr.
In this he eXcels all other geniuses
OF whom | ever read /; he can not on
ly reckon figures in his mind with
the rapidity of lightning, but he rea-
sons, compares, reflects, and wades
at pleasure through all the most alb
struse sciences, and comprehends
and reduces to his own clear and
brief rules the highest Mathematical
knowledge; his mind is constantly
active. No recreation or amuse-
nent can avail for any length of tune
t. divert him from mental effort.
Being accompanied by Rev. c. n.
Smith, of Randolph, VT, who was
acquainted with Mr.. and Mrs. SAT-
ford, | had free access to the boy,
and ample opportunity for long
and thorough examination. went
firmly expecting to be able to con-
found him, as | had previously pre-
pared myself with various problems
for his solution. | did not suppose
it possible for boy of ten years on
ly to be able to play, as with top,
with all the higher branches of math-
ematics. But in this | was disap-
pointed. Here follow some of the
questions ! put to him, and his an
swers. | said, Can you tell me how
many seconds old was last March,
the twelfth cay, when | was twenty
seven years old? He replied, in
stantly, $50, 255, 200.' Then said /,
| The hour and minute hands of a
clock are exactly together at II o.
clock; when are they next topeth-
err? Said he, as quick as thought,
81 h. 5 sill M And here | will re-
mark, that | had only to read the
sum to him once he did not care to
see it, but only to hear it announced
once, no matter how long. Let this
fact be remembered in connection
with some of the long and blind
sums shall hereafter name, and see
if it does not show his amazing pow
er of perception and comprehension.
Also, he would perform the sums
mentally and on slate, working by
the hriefest and strictest rules, and
hurrying on to the answer with ra-
pidity outstripping all capacity to
keep up with him, The next sum
gave him was this: a man and hi,
wife usually drank out cask of bee.
in II days; but when the man was
from home, it lasted. the woman 80