New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-30

II. Il
stein brothers. best known landscape artists has
been deyoting himself to what lie calls the Mathe-
NAUTICAL Doctrine of Magic Rcciprocals, a class of
mathematical figures in which he claims to have
brought to light The most charming results and
a new theorem. The pamphlet in which he illus
tratcs his discovery closes with the following en-
thusasic descriptions And now follows the
reciprocal Of the cube of g. There are p lines
meeting by 3 in 40 points. These figures were
obtained by the Magic Theorcm and may be called
the heart of all cubic reciprOcation. Ii Is
most charming figure. 1t is II glorious pic
ture of joyful proportion and happy combination OF
opposing vet harmonious Identities; and TO me it is
most assuredly full of smiling goodness.
Does il not seem wonderful that many lines, which
can be numbered by the thousands, can be made
10 meet in equal groups upon these parallels and
in that il not in the elegant figure 1T constructs, lies
The sublimity of the Magic TheOrem. lhus have
magic squares, magic cubes, and magic reclprOcais
led to the construction of figures which address
themselves TO the eye as joyfully as any pleasing
proportions can, and which awaken emotions as
poetcal as the contemplation of any glorious fact
the universe reveals to us. besides bringing
to light a fine thcorem in mathematics. Al
ready the glory contained III these puzzles is be-
ginning to manifest itself They have at least most
the arch of all beauty. and that the source Of ec-
rance is to be found in the realms Of pure number.
No language dead or living, is adequate to convey
the fullness of that joy and that abundance of de-
light the investigation of this fine problem has
given me. These interviewer mathematical lines
are cmblcmatic of the glory of the Universe"
Mr.. David GRAY recently delivered in Buffalo, be-
fore the Society of National Sciences, lecture on
"Sc cnce and Poetry" which deserves preservation
in a more permanent form than the columns of news
papsls 1t exhibits character Of thought which
is still too rare-which is no less delicate refined
and sympathetic than profound and independent.
Mr. Gray firmly believes in Poetry as an active and
eternal element i'll Man. an evidence of his higher
nature, and an impulse to his further development.
it is therefore i'll no danger of becoming obsolete,
and the temporary matcr.alsn evolved from certain
prevailing scientific theories cannot seriously inter
fere with its activity. The following passage, which
will also illustration of Mr. Grays clear
and forcbe STYLE sets forth his views of the proba
Bile reconciliation of Science with Poetry:
Tho vast field OF scientific knowledge. with its wealth
Of AID inspiring facts its marvellous discoveries
familiar Of mankind InSo t. as wo9SorI6
toretod, poetry must straightway enter. Tho poet
iomuates and even anticipates his epoch. but cannot
stay outside of it. He be the most modern
tOug his cotcnporarics- Tho now material III science
therefore, VIII DC woven INTO tno laDfc OF LIS
fne milk OF science will go to make the blood OF the
muse" What novel forms or hues may thus be intro
uced into poetry, shall not know till the poet OF the
Sells but OF the influences hereafter to
10 felt IN his art We may perhaps conjecture; Ihht
speaks and which science apt to afford may give us
ground for hope The intellectual sanity which comes
broad study and clear views Of nature must ei-
fcotualy rid the poet of whatever morbid humors now
faint his verse corresponding enlightenment OF his
audience moreover. will compel him to the rejection nf
whatever Is spurious in feeling anu thought. He Will
rot indeed cease to speak OF Nature as sue reflects her
self in his SOUL but he Will realize for himself and
his nober juster relations to all external things
In the matter Of Robert Buchanan rs. American
Authors there is fresh evidence from England, which
foreshadows the discontinue of the plaintiff Mr..
b. publishes third and he says, closing let
ter wherein he declares that he calls on " those who
admire Walt Whitman. and on no others" to join him
in the proposed contribution. The bundle of frantic
accusations which he first opened dwindles at last,
down to this sentence: |" 1t is not America, but the
literary class in America, which persecutes Walt
Whitman" Ignorance cannot excuse such reckless
ness. When Whitman lost his place i'll the Depart
ment Of the Interior, he owed his new and better
position ia tho Attorney Generals Office to the
bined influence of the authors at that time residing
in Washington, Mr.. Edmund Clarence Stedman at
the head of them The salary of Whitmans clerk
ship supported family of four persons, before he
received it; he held the place several years, and If
no failed to accumulate any surplus during that
time, the cause thereof certainly nov "persecu-
tom The Saturday Rerico speaks Of the whole
business as "a strangely impudent agitation" and
in passage which will DO found quoted in another
column, sets Mr. Robert Buchanan down very hard
on the doorstep cool at leisure after the castsa
ton administered.
Ex-President Theirs, speaking to some men,