Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-02-20

Dll,v and easo. He commenced
D,hle,ic on Tuesday morning and
Dll1'sned il .onp' e'ey on Friday night! And when
he finishes book, il 10 done perfectly. He would moi
fully set down his sums, lut cover his slate with q
shower of figures ana nj once bring ont the answer
The teacher would look on in asonis hment, unable
10 keep up with him. to comprehend his operations
carried IN his mind with the rapidIty of lightning
and then dnshed 10 the slate no matter which end
first His thirst for all kinds Of knowledge is very
great The whole circle Of the SCIENCES is as familiar
10 him as household work, Hi father ohtnined for
him Greeotys Dictionary of the Arts and Sciences, in
three large valumes. This work. you know, is vas
encyc opeda of knowledge. treating briefly upon az
branches Of human knowledge. This was Just the
work he wanted! for an outline Of ANYTHING Is enough
he can make the rest 1t this book that first
gave him taste for the higher mathematics. Here
he .NInd the definition OF logarlthm, and from this
alone he vent on and made almost an entire table Of
them before ever seeing one.
One day he went to his father and told him he
wanted 10 calculate the eclipscs and make an Alma
nae! He sail he wanted some books and nsiru-
mcnts. His father tried 10 put him of but the boy
followed him into the fields and whhersoever he
went. begging for hooks and instruments with most
affecting opportunity. Finally, his father promised
to accompany him to Dartmouth College and obtain
for him if possible, what he wanted. At this the boy
was quite oveflnyed; 81 much so, that when they
hove in sight nj the College he cried 'ut in raptnres,
10, there is the COLLEGE! there the book there
are the instruments ~ But they did not find oil they
wanted. Al Norwich however, they made up their
e implement. On coming hjme. the boy took Gum
meres Astronomy, opened il in the middle, rolling II
TO and fro, and dnshing through lis dry and tedious
formulas, went out n, both ends. By the way, this is
his usual mode of study He docs not bacin any book
at tho beginning but always in the middle, and then
goes with rush both ways. ! asked HIM II, when he
opened Gnnmare's Astronomy in the mild che could
comprehend those complicated formulas which TO.
pended on previous demonstrations. He replied, he
could generally, bu, sometimes he Looked back a
little" On arriving home, he projected several e,ip-
ses and also calculated them through oil their tedious
operations by figures. This as all maIhenaticiaes
know, involves knowledge OF labyrinths of matho.
ma,ics md also Of formulas and processes most com.
plicated and difficult. He has recently made an Al
manac for A. D. 1916. Two editions, the first OF
seven thousand COPIES and the second Of seveetern
thousand, have arsady been published and nearly all
sold.
II is but Just 10 young Stafford to say, that the mis-
eeaneous part Of the Almanac, so foolish and devoid
Of taste, was prepared by a young man employed by
10 TO be hoped that such twaddle will not be carried
through third edition. The contrast between The two
authors is too awful. In the Almanac are the calcu
iatons Of two eclpses of he sun. wrought out who'll,
BY its infant author besides other iuab'e tables
especially one showing the amount Of duties on wool
under all the tariffs since the formation Of the govern
ment up to The act Of 1872 This table the boy calcu
lated alone And that he calculated without aid, The
two eclpses Of the sun, is atesed by the published
certificates Judges, doctors, LAWYERS and clersymen
II any sill doubt the BOYS ability to calculate ar
eclipses and explain in all its parts, l would recon
mend them 10 go to Royal,on w. where he is now
10 be seen, and by personal examination, satisfy
themselves. He will no, only bury you in minute
beneath food of figures signs, tangents, CO signs
and co-tangents but he vii use all the technical terms
Of mahenaucs with the greatest precislon-dashlnl
through abstruse formulas and nnrrang every step o.
his work with ease, rapidly and never falling accura
cy. When IN his presence, under such crcumston
ees il any one even the most learned, can repress
the emotions OF wonder that must struggle in his soul
AMI not feel that he is in the presence Of superior
being, confess | shall be very much Surprised
No, salisie with the Old "rcuitous processes of delay
young Sa'tDrd IS constantly evolving new rules io
abrligng his work. lie has found new rule By
which to calculate eclipses, hitherto unknown so IA
rs know. TO any Mathematician. lie told me
would shorten the work nearly one third. WheT
finding this rule, for two or three days he seemed Il
be IN sor, IF trance
One morning, very early, he came rushing dowr
stairs. not stopping 10 dress him, poured on to M
slaie a stream Of figures, and soon cried out in tn
wildness of his Joy, " o! father, have GO, il hav
20, it! il comes! il comes!' questioned him res
pectlng this rule. He commenced the ex plana'ion
His ewes rolled spasmo1lcay in their sockets, anJ
he explained his work with readiness. To hear hin
talk rapidly. and yet so technically exact, and 8
far shove the co,nprehen sion of all save the mos
prorpuni matme,cisn, put to fight all my doubt
and A led me with utter astonshment He SAID h
did no, know n, ms new rule would work in all cases
but AS yet it had lie also remarked that the neare
noon the eclipse came on. the easier Il was to appl
his rnle. Blu, young Saiford's strength does not U
wholly in mathematics. He has sort OF ment'
absorption. II infant mind drinks IN kn,wiede
Us the sponge does water. Chemistry, bo'anl
philosophy, geography and history are his sport.
docs not make much difference what question: va
ask him. he answers very readily. spoke 10 M
some Of the recent discoveries in chemistry. lie ur
derstood them. spoke to him Of the soidlfca'lo
of cnrhonic aid gas by Prof Johnson, of the We
leyan Univer.ily. He said he understood il. Hei
his eyes flashed fire. and he began TO explain III
L. h.. IL
himself on the Aoor with Morse's, Woodbridge
Oineyes, Smith's. and Matte Bruins geographic
tracing Them through and comparing them, nolir
oil their points of difference.
HIS memory too is very strong. He has por'
over Grcgory's Dictory Of The Arts and Sciences
much that 1 seriously doubt whether there can ne
question asked him, drawn from ei'her Of those IL
msnse volumes, dat he will not answer instantly
cav the volumes, aud also noticed that he had ais
left his marks on almost every page asked 10 9
his mahemalic'l works. He sprung into his stu
and produced the Greenleaf's Arithmetic, Perkil
Algebra, Huttons Mathematics, Gummere's As,ro
omy and several nautical almanacs. asked hir
he had mastered them all. And he replied that he h
And an examination Of him for The space of two ho'
convinced me that be had; and not only so, bh, II
he had far outs,npPed them; HIS kno"ledge is
in,uitivc. He is a pare md profound reasoner.
this he excels all other genluses of whom ever re
He cannot only reck on figures in his mind with
yapidity OF lightning, but he reasons, compares,
hects and wades at pleasure through all the IN
his own clear and brief rules, the highest mshem
cal knowledge. His mind is constantly active.
recreation or amusement can avail for any length
time 10 divert him from mental effort. Being acct
pan ed bv the Rev e. n. Smith, Of Randolph,
Who was acquainted with Mr.. and Mrs. Saflord,l
free access to the hoy, and ample opportunity f.
long and thorough examination. went firmly
peeing TO be able 10 conlound him, as prevoI
prepared myself with various problems for his $
lion. did not suppose il possible for q boy OF
years only to be able to play, as with oil the his
branches of mathematics. But in this was di
pointed.
Here follow some of the questions put to him
his answers I said, can you tell me how many.
onds old wac last March the i2lh day, when
twenty. seven years old? He replied instantly, "
255,20o"
Then said |, the hour and minute hands of c
ara exactly together al IL o'clock when are
next together Said he, as quick as thought
NJ" And here will remark, that had
\, read The sum to him once. tie did not care Ia
!, but only 10 hear i, announced once no matter
inrv Lei this fact be remembered in connec
wmh .oms Of the long and blind sums shall he
,or name, and sec il it does not show his anna
c,wsr of perception and comprehension. he "
= rErm ths sups mentally and ale on :
xorkias By the brNfss, end sGic'ssi rules, and