The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-02-14
The Uiroinia State Jolrnal
SATURDAY EvENG, FEB. IA. 1874.
Mary somervilIe.

her whose name heads this article, and
who has recently died. Her scientific
works were among the best published in
England, and she held high rank in lit
erature. Her life, written by daughter,
has just been issued from the press by 4
Roberts, of Boston.
In the personal recollections of so re-
Inarkable a woman as Mrs. Somerville, we
have work of great value, while the
freshness and simplicity of the narrative
makes it very attractive. Mary Fairfax
was born in 1880, and spent her childhood
at Burntsland, quiet seaport town
opposite Edinburgh, where she amused
herself by studying the habits of birds and
marine animals and collecting shells and
minerals. She had few books to read, and
devoted every spare moment to Shakespeare,
But maiden aunt, who was deeply i'm
bued with the prejudces Of the day, said
to Mrs. Fairfax, 81 wonder you let Mary
waste her time in reading, she never sews
more than if she were man." Where
upon she was sent to school to learn to
sew. If the village girls were able to read
the Bible their education was considered
complete, aud but few were taught to
write. !. About this time the young girl
SDtlll lhIly upulS otuo1lht3 tAO otuio W
aid of celestial globe. And soon after
She writes:
sat Jedburg, for the first time in my
life, | met in my uncle, DR.. Somerville,
with friend who approved of my thirst
for knowledge. During long walks with
him in the early mornings, he was so kind,
that had the courage to tell him that
had been trying to learn Latin, but / feared
it was in vain, for my brother and other
boys, superior to me in talent, and with
every assistance, spent years in learning
it. He assured me, on the contrary, that
in ancient times many women--some of
them of the highest rank in England-had
been very elegant scholars, and that he
would read Virgil with me if | would come
to his study for an hour or two every
morning before breakfast, which | gladly
did. l never was happier in my life than
during the months l spent at Jsdburg.
"My aunt was charming companion
witty, full of anecdote. and had read more
than most women of her day, especially
Shakespeare, who was her favorite author
My cousins had little turn for reading, but
they were better educated than most girls.
They were taught to read by David Brew
ster, son of the village schoolmaster,
aiterward Sir David, who became one Of
the most distinguished philosophers and
discoveries of the age, member of all the
scientific societies at home and abroad, and
at last president of the University at Edin-
burgh. He was studying in Edinburgh
when was at Jedburg, so | did not make
his acquaintance then; but later in life he
became my valued friend.
II was often invited with my mother to
tea-parties, given either by widows or maid
en- ladies, who resided at Burntisland. A
pool of commerce used to be keenly con-
tested till late hour at these parties,
which bored me exceedingly, but | there
became acquainted with Miss Ogilvie,
much younger than the rest, who asked
me to go and sec fancy works she was do
ing, and at which she was very clever.
went, next day, and, after admiring her
work and being told how it was done, she
showed me monthly magazine, with col
colored plates Of ladies' dresses,
charades and puzzles. AT the end
of page / read what appeared to
me to be SIMPLY an arlthmetical question,
but on turning the page was surprised to
see strange looking lines mixed with let
tiers, chiefly x'es and US, and asked:
What is that?' oh said Miss Ogilvie,
it is kind of arithmetic they call 1t
algebra; but can tell you nothing about
it. And we talked ABOUT other things
but on going home | thought | would look
if any Of our books could tell me what was
meant by algebra. In Robertson's 'Navi-
CATION fattered myself that | had got
precisely what wanted; but | soon found
that was mistaken. | perceived, however,
that astronomy did not consist in star-gaz-
ing, and as persevered in studying the
book for time, / certainly got a dim
view of several subjects which were useful
TO me afterward. Unfortunately, not one
of our acquaintances or relatives knew
anything of science or natural history (;
nor, had they done so, should have had
courage to ask any of them question, for
! should have been laughed at. | was
often very sad and forlorn; not hand
held out to help Tue. My uGcle and aunt
Charters took house at Burntisland for
the summer, and the Miss Melville have
already mentioned, came to pay them a
visit. She painted miniatures and, from
seeing her OF work, took a fancy to learn
to draw, and actually wasted time in copy
ing prints but this circumstance enabled
me to get elementary books on algebra
and astronomy without asking questions of
any one, as will be explained afterward.
The rest of the summer l spent il playing
on the piano and learning Greek enough to
read Xenophon and part of Herodotus
then we prepared to go to Edinburgh.
son returning to Burntisland, in 1895, |
played on the piano as diligently as ever, and
painted several hours every day. At this
time, however, n Mr.. Craw came to live with
us as tutor to my youngest brother, Henry.
He had been educated for the kirk, was
fair Greek and Latin scholar, but. qnfortu-
nately for me, was nc mathematician. He
was simple, good-natured kind of man,
and ventured to ask him about algebra
and geometry, and begged him, the first
time he went to Edinburg to buy Inc
something elementary on these subjects;
SO he soon brought me Euclid and Bon
nycastle's Algebra, which were the books
used in the schools at that time. Now
had got what had SO long ana earnestly
desired. ! asked Mr.. Craw to hear me
demonstrate few problems in the first
book Of Euclid and then continued the
study alone with courage and assiduity,
knowing | was on the right road. Be
fore began to read algebra [ found it ne
cessary to study arithmetic again, having
forgotten much of it. | never was expert
at addition, for, in summing up a long col
nmn of pounds. shillngs and pence, in the