Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-05-05

themselves. Ee will not only bury you,
in minute beneath a flood Of figures,
signs, targents, co-sign aud co-tangents,
bul he will use all the technical terms Of
mathematics with The greatest precision
dashing through abstrnse formulas and
narrating every step Of his work with ease,
rapidly and never failing accuracy -
When in his presence, under such circum-
stances, if any ops, even the mos. learned,
can repress the emotions of wonder that
must struggle in tPul, and not feel that he
IS in the presencg1f superior being,l con-
fess shall DE ycfy much surprised. Not
satisfied with the I'D circuitous processes
Of delay. youngSiaaord is constantly evoIv-
ing new rule for sbridging his work
He has found new rule by which to cali
culatc eciipsea, hitherto unknown, so far
as | know, 10 any mathematician. He
told me il would shorten the work nearly
one third When finding this rule, for
two or three days he seemed 10 be in a sort
Of trance.
One morning, very early he came rush
ing down stairs, Get stopping TO dress
him. poured On 10 his slate stream of
figures, and soon crsed out in the witness
OF his joy, 20! lathesI have got il have
get it! it comes! il comes!" question.
ed him respecting this rul> lie common.
ced the explanation. His eyes rolled
systematically in their sockets, and he ex-
planned his work witt readiness. To hear
him talk SO rapidly, and yetso technically
exact, and so far above the comprehension
Of al, save he most profound malhmetc-
ian, put 10 fight all my doubts and filled
me with utter aslonishment He said he
did not know as his new rule would work
in all cases, but as yetit had. He also re
marked that the nearer noon the eclipse
came on. the easier t was 10 apply his
rule. But Young Staiford's strength does
not lie wholly in mathematics. He has a
sort Of mental absorption. His infant
mind drinks in knowledge as the sponge
does water. Chemistry, botany, philoso-
ply, geography and history are his sport
Il does not make much difference what
question you ask him, he answers very
readily. ! spoke to him Of some Of the re-
cent discoveries in chemistry. He uder-
stood them. spoke TO him Of the solid-
fication Of carbonlc acid gas by Prof. John
son, 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 sur,
round himself On the floor with Morse's,
Woodbridge's Olney's, Smiths, and Malle
Bruins biographies, tracing them through
and comparing them. noting all ;heir points
Of difference,
HIS memory too is very strong. He
has pored over Gregory's Dictionary of the
Arts and Sciences SO much that serious
Iv doubi whether there can be custom
asked him, drawn fr-m either Of these i'm
mense volumes, that he will! not answer in-
stan,v. saw that he had also left bis
marks on almost every page. asked 20
see his mathematical works lie sprung
into his study and produced he q :eeneai's
Arithmetic, Perkins Algebra, Huton's
Mathematics, Gumtnere's Astronomy ane
several nautical almanacs. asked him )!
he had mastered them all. And he replied
that he had. And al examination OF h m
for tie space Of two hours convinced me
that he had; and not only SO, but that he
mad Ear outs,ripped them. His knowledge
is not intuitive. He is pure and pro-
found reasoner. In this he eXcels all 9TH
er geaiuses of whom ever read.
Ee cannot only reckon figures in his
mind with the rapidly Of lightning, but he
reasons, compares, reflects, and wades at
pleasure through all the most abtrnse
sciences, and comprehends and reduces to
to his own clear and brief rules, the h CHEST
mathematical knowledge. HIS mind is
constantly active. No recreation or a
musement can avail for any Length OF time
to divert him from mental effort. Being
accompanied by the Rev. G. n Smith, OF
Randolph, VT, who was acquainted with
Mr.. and Mrs. Stafford, ! had free access to
the boy, and ample opportunity for a long
and thorough examination. went, firm
Iy expecting to be able TO confound him, as
previously prepared myself with various
problems for his solution. Ibid not sup
pose it possible for boy of ten years only
to be able 10 play, as with all the higher
branches of mathematics. But in this
was disappointed.
Here follow some Of the questions pu
to him and his answers. | said, can you
tell me how many seconds old was las
March the 12th day, when was twenty
seven years old? lie replied instantly
85. 255, 200"
Then said |. the hour and minute hands
Of a clock are exactly together at II o'cocb
when are they next together! Said he, as
quick as bought. III. 80 11m.' Anr
here will remark, that had only 10 reac
the sum to him once He did not care Il
see il. but only to hear il announced once
no matter how long. Let this fact be re
membered n connection W III some OF the
Ieng and blind sums shall hereafter name
and see il il does not show his amazing
power Of percept on and comprehension.-
! tie would perform the sums mentally anc
also on 81 lie, worship by tie briefest anC
: ric est rules. and hurrying on 10 the an
swer with raploiiy oulstlipplng all capac
ity to keep up with him.
We axe the iberty Of emitting numer
Gus ariihmetica questions, all answer
ed satisfactorily, on account of theii
length
hen asked his parents if might Civ,
him a hard sum 10 perform men, ally
hey said ,hcy did no! wish 10 tax MS
min. too nlucl, nor too often 10 lis full
4.