, 1874-03-08
RICHARD ANTHONY PROC. r..

Chicago this week with a course OF lectures UPON
his special theme, is one OF the matvels OF our
time. The history OF men eminent in Literature
or Science usually beg ins with chronicle Of
precocious exhibitions OF genius almost as soon
as they could talk; prodieious achievements in
learning before their ''teens were reached. and
yaledictories that would have shamed Demosthe-
nes himself, triumIaaantlJ dcclaimed before
wondering college, ere their 9: teens " wero
ended. Then come the congratulations Of the
faculty, and the honors and degrees with which
graduating frat in { class Of seventy Is gen.
orally rewarded: SO the future great man Is
fairly launched.
A1r. Proctors biographer will find scant
material Of this sort, True, when bov,
he was passionately fond OF reading made
3 very creditable average during course
OF schooling not remarkably thorough, and had
q very decided taste for mathematics; but
these are also true OF thousands Of boys who
carry their virgin degrees from college to life
long obscurity; and, III young Proctor's case, no
one seemed to see in them any prophesy OF
future greatness. Nor WAS tho lad himself con-
scious that auythinglike career" WAS in store
for him,-his genius being turned into its proper
channel by subsequent events, OF character
wholly foreign to youthful experience. In hia
case, the boy did not give promise OF the man.
he did not develop q pe1chant for studying the
heavens when years old, nor did ho translate
Homer at 10, nor discover new planets at 15
He was not prodigy till after he had reached
manhood; he Was not prococious till be 1.d
grown beard and reared family. Bearing
these facta in mind, it ia doubtful whether tina
whole annals OF scientific research contain an
other such instance OF brilliant achievement
Richard Anthony Proctor was born at Chelsca.
Eng, on the 23d Of March, 1887. He must vail
another fortnight, therefore, before completing
his 37th year. His parents and grandparents,
We are TOLD, belonged to good old English fam
lies but I've do not learn that in anv OF them
smoldered the latent fire OF genius which was
destined to burn so brightly in the person Of tho
eon. It clnnot be said, therefore, that his talent
Was inherited. He could not look back upon the
history OF any one OF his ancestors, and bo
prompted to study by the thought that the
81 ethereal spark" which moved them to great
achievements might have been handcd down to
their pogterity, and perchance the germ io IN
developed in his own mind.
The reflection is here pertinent: IN how mEn3
minds among us, doomed OF an ordinary mold,
may the spark OF geuius lie forever undeyelopcd
simply because accident does not fan it into >
fame7 For it WAS accident-or Providence, il
you will-that first turned Mr. Proctot's atten-
tion to the study Of Astronomy. This was the
death Of his first child, which 30 preyed upon
his mind that be sought ii sl1cease OF sorrow"
By forcing it to such tension Of study that re-
fection upon his loss vas almost impossible. Wo
have seen that he had mathematical mind:
be had also lively and brilliant imagination;
and, resolved upon study, these two naturally
led him to explore the heavens. How well ho
has done his work, ali tho world knows. Hs
personal loss in his beloved child wAs one which
no personal gain ir. the way OF fame could cont
pensate; but it surely resulted il great gain to
every lover Of Science.
That any one nan could have accomplished 70
much in 40 short time is, as We said at the be-
ginning the marvel Of our time. Ten years ago,
be it remembered, Mr. Proctor had not coEa-
menced his studies. Seven years ago he had
not published book. Since then, in 1867, up
peared his OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES" "sun-
Views of the Enrth," and "Charts Of Mars"
"P1anotary 0rbits,' etc. In 1868 he issued
"Half- Hours with the Telescope" and in 1863
q Half-Hou1s with the Stars" In 1870 he pub
lished, through the Messrs- Lorgu,an, Of Lon
don, that most original and fascinating book,
" Other Worlds Than Ours" which achieved
instant and extraordinary success. In the Ra.ne
year appeared his Large Star Atlas" Twelve
months Inter came his works upon "Ihe Sur, !"
" Elementary Astronomy" aud the first sals,..
" Light Science for Leisure-Hours." 1nx w
published Ave books: "Essass On Astronomy"
IS School-Atlas Of Astronomy" "Orbs Arornd
Us," " Elemental and Physical Geography, ana
"a Chart OF $4,000 Stars" In 1878 he gave rs
the second series OF ''Light Science for Leisure
Hours !" and already, this year, 1.-THE Border
land OF Science" All this in addition to almost
innumerable articles in magazines and rev1e"s.
Did one man ever before build such monument
IN go short tiu1e2
At present, Mr.. Proctor is engaged upon
work on 1.-THE Transit Of Venus,"-an event
shortly to occur again. and for the oose1Tasfon .
of which the astronomers OF tha "orlo ase
mailing the most elaborate preparations. IT
Was on the subject OF these preparations
that Nr. Proctor had his famous dispute Tlta
Sir George Airy, the Astronomer Royal OF En-
gland,-a man who had achieved euainence IN Luz
profession long before Proctor was born oN
George had adopted Deisle's method fof 90.
serving the Transit; Proctor pointed out f!a'
Halleys method Was by all means the nost de-
sirable; and, further, tha:. in selecting tne
points Of observation, Sir George had over"
looked many Of the most important Ibis, no"
Proctor to Airy, was audacity itself. Had 10
been medical student attending his t1rss cAn.c'
and sign.lized tho event by coolly Informing tae
Professor that he was beginning his operaao7S
npon the subject on the table in wholly III,
scientifc way, he hardly could have astonlsne1
his tutor more than he astonished sr Geoleo'
We can magine this sardrt, venerable III ac'
ence, taking his ego from the telescope TO ea'.
upon his youthful instructor a look which h ahon4
asy, "What presumption is thisP br,
not long afterwards, ali the astronomers OF t1s
United Kingdom met at Greenwich. and ao'
Pfoctor's views we're unanimously adopted
sir George himself not attempting to stem ta'
tide, SO strongly did it set in Proctors ia7ol.
This was triumph. indeed, but it gave r1'o ~
much bad feeling. soue Of which found e1p1e@
sion in the London Times and other newspaper"
and We believe the breach is y"' hardly clofod~t
Mr. P1octor4 g1sat ambition to hA7s as7