The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1864-07-08
Tho wonserTu, rropertics Of Figures.


Tho Wonderful Propertics Of Ftsures-
Though figures constitute . universal iang,iae,
among tho civilized nations of the earth, AMI p,a n.
tain such an exalted character Tor honesty sue
truth. that II has passed into = proverd that "tg
ur'f never lIc," yet they treated a. tho mere
slaves NJ calculation, without any regsri for tha,
rcspcci and consideration To which their peculia,
qualities entiilc thsIn. To rescue them from the
degradation of boipg looked upon "a mere oouvcn.
fence. let II they not posse,sed of certain
properties which shall excite our wo der and cd.
mrailon.
Fow people have n clear conception II even "s
mill ~. ~ dollars" which we hear expresssd 90
cy,r' sto. shoasyo. the cost of this 'cruel var
= 'r'cr dis.,'sdoD. Let us mako . very simple
rncn Al ca'"ulatuu, sud see II arc not asonishad
'. ,hr ul,. Mr. LjnYwor', who recently die6
cno.uni, "Sa said D. lie worth si., NO,d do0
,.'v .- .R.s world , rto TO count -. eur,
Ct n, 2" O.. dollars u ,n'n"'o, ',vEsi.- s'e.S
ils ''I o. =. 'ntL CAV VIZ lo ~ me arr r7'.ss %
.ur ~ ~ pgys ano'h- . Neek, slo;L.i t,ys
",cSt ~ is.h, ,Lv upc-r' ou ell g Carl ,,
ives 'nIe. hunur,o lousnnd m.nui,S Il viJca b
mNty s"V,t uve thousnni hour, d vlued / ,ep
- hlpdrc' d.ys! Al answer W
sur, 'rikc yuui yucs crs with puissen,
eu,s.uv nuJ 49, Linz,
Tic powers Of ,lr hi. .nnn understandable an
limited IT,. increase of figures bp, no limits
Our kpo " lctye nf uumberA therei,,re, must noes,
s,iily b nnied. but, like every o,her Nl.pcct
H., ~. no n,udy and thjnl nj o,t n. q more -
shall 49,. , 'sihcuished nj iio, ,,,e, n whovv
the world - ,s,'e,,,d ia, ,I,oo : ,ic grxnds~
,..iiis of ~ .,,,e hLs said ,haI W....it nv ,xtr.
ord 'nary endowment ~ mine, ~ :, nj ing long
aud deeply on his suhlec'. point var - mt gradu
" as able to comm, ,ucnd tLo mighty laws vh,ct
control tLc uuiyc,ee
The chili Who hns lenrn.d IN ool,p, as f.r 4
H. rec hn. an ii,, Of Tint nuu,her bit the nurotr,
thiIi.,u (. quite bcyond bls cotnrrobension. m,
s,yspe yctr along y,rv we'll vt,h his arNhmetic n
Inng A. ho IA moi reoiii,cd IN 90 lrvond the ann
n ,iaiiu!i OF his fingers aud tosa but any grease,
ut!le, N IL. l.o-il iers his in,aginaf afion a,ni 4,
dcspa, 10 ,acrs 10 ihc hairs OF his brsd shs
leny,s rf #, tort ar the sand. of the ~. shore
To- @ -prt,.tnh nv ,lIo'uy seprs of its msgni.
uifc. E.r,. ,ou, ,i,ideuI If history has laughed
1 iau ", n %, ,h,,.p een, 10 Finland 10 nee ths
o',ui-v aui md ort how many ~ oplc were there
~ I rs lhe Shea ,f Fngnru were roacheti, ths
,.nror Indiu" lrp.irrd n ionx stick and com
ucnccd to cut u uotch on /, ior every ono he ssw
On rnurse m, ,,,Ys s.on al lgtsi 20 stop
On M. refnrp pn-'h,,n1, among many questions
asL'i ho. 80 ,o,,,ic he hn,i seen .S,ouut m,
s,,r. ~, ,he sr .! ,.as .he rcply, stbe leaves Or
,bc ,,rca he ,,,di on the shore, for such is tb,
n,,,,i 81. If he Eugi sh." Perhaps this ,ntutore6
ct,J f tbe tired " .s not 40 very fnr astrIy af,r,
o or ,ho stars In both henisphercs Wis bls to In.
nnsoI eye do not exceed the number u ten thou.
s,pJ The hairs Of the head and tho leaycs Of IN,
tr 90 may be easly counted, and the sands on tb.
grs shore ure by no means innuu,or.Lle.
I'olcer Of Ciphers.-The emil yhtenud tnan ma,
havc u clear Understanding Of 'lo,.-..d, nrl ever
millions, but much beyond ,hai he @. .'rIp Ao
itait tT.ti ilau A m ax Ali a.