New-York tribune., 1879-10-31
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


,p tb.se v,lnnes form significant though made luate
memorial If one OF the most earnest inQuifcr' ana
original thinkers OF recent times In the bflel "'
srany by Mr Pollock which serves In part ms an inr"
ducfon TO The work. the personal character ~ the e
Professor clifford is forth wit sufficient fulness OF
detail 70 form an Instructive study He was born III
Ixeicr IN the year 1915. where ms father was pr"u
neni and pubhc-spirted citizen He lost hls m"'hel
early life. and inherited from her 'ne
elements of his genius. as well as Ire cohs''"
tonal weakness and nervous activity which ermina''o
IN his premature death. At school he showed hitle
taste for the ordinary games tut came proficient ID
gymnastics. a pursuit which he carried out at cam
bridee not only In the performance Of the most ann
cult fcats but the invention ot and perii"us a'
louc marvels. lie touched noihing. IN fact' Wl'no"
leaving on n the stamp Of his own peculiar muNluu
alifv HIS accomplishments of this kind were me onN
ones I'm which he took personal pride In leo9 ne
wrote from Cambridge Il am at present. IN avery
heaven iov because my coskscrew was ene"reu '"S
naht al the assault OF u consists III running u'
a liked upright pole which you seize with both
hands and spin round aud round descending III
n corkscrew fashion" one of his companions IN rvn-
nasiic cvploits writes: " HIS neatness and dexeriy
were unusually great. hut the most remarkable thlng
was his great strcugtaa compared with HIS weight as
shown iu some exercises. At tine ne could pun up
ON the with either hand. which vel known to be
one Of the greatest fcats of strength His nerve al d
gcrous heights was extraordinary. am appalled, now
10 think that climbed mp and sat on the cro'sbars OF
the westhcrcock on church tower. ana when h' WAY
of dong something worse. went mp ara hung oN ny
toes The bars ne did the same. ii nlelertuh '"'H
were of,er of no less wonderful character especially
I'm the line Of mathematical exposition. HIS pios-
rapher relates hat at one time question arose III
reaard 10 IvorN's Thcorem " concerning the "tu"c
fions of an eipsoid. The tcXiho' h d,n"sl"le" u!
p formidable apparatus of cc0rdinates ana m'esr"S.
The writer was good deal puzzled rs the pron'mi 'n'
chain of symbolic proof seemed artificial aud dean; Il
but dil not Satisfy thf
reason Being out on walk with Clifford. he opened 10
him his pcrpexes. Clifford at once hit the nail on Inc
head As Dee spoke he seemed not 20 b. WORKING oui
problem but simply telling what hc saw. Without auN
diagram on symbol, be described the gcomelcal c""-
tons ON which the solution dcpendci auC ey seemed
10 stand ON y-hy SPACE There were no longer con-
se0ucnce- Ia he dcduced hu real and evident Facts
winch only required a. b. seen. This was hut one
specimen Of his theory Of teaching. and ms constant
method OF carrying 10 ont in his ciscoUres ANA c"nNi
saron on mathematical aud scientific subjects The Wis
ION was so compcie that seemed strange that any one
should fail 10 IN the same way But on ondeaVoi-
rr ~ recall H. 10 became clear that the magic Of genius
had work and that the common siFht had oeeh
raised ihat CHER perception 10y the m'stcriu quality
Of the mind which makes and TRANSFORMS Ideas VT.
CnGord entered Kings College M 1s60, where his pecn
liar mathematical abilities became conspicuous but u"t
20 the exclusion OF other subjects. He was
distinguished In the classics, IN mocern history
md IN English literature His knowledge OF ne
classics like all his knowledge, was VITAL thoush
ne did not cultivate the mcetics OF scholarship
o. history De know good deal He was always iond o
par.ei, aud analogies between widely remote times
and countries, which were sometimes TOO ms nous 10
fear criticism lie regarded history IN pocuch rather
thana scientific spirit secing cverts IN series OF viva
pctulcs which as tncy passed bcforeis mnd had 'he
fore OF present realities lie threw himself into the past
with dramatic interest looking on the world os ned
vb,re tht des lc- u fought out IN perennial
contest The powers Of sood and evil rather ih"h
NJ a scene Tor development and uteracton ot lnh
mite complex forces. Ia English literature. he had
preference for modern poetry, especially Tor snch as
gave expression to his own ideas Mt"hs prose
had also for hun a special attraction He cared
little for the of language as hne ART thoush ne
had great appreciation OF arrangement ana harmony
His own style was always suguarly clear ana oiten
eloaueni but never elaborate. He showed no cary
,,,,ce tor acouir1nc languages but became fond of
The rst IN after life. Of tour to the
Pyrenees he acquired complete knowledge OF spanish
While in Algiers 1876. he studied AraDic III "hlch ne
made considerable proficiency. lie read modern Greek
anently aud at time was curious about S"hserI''
He even spent some time on hierogN pnl''' ho
had a good command OF French. and read with
facility the mafhcmathical and philosophical works
IN German In ls63, he became monoo.
nj Trinity College, Cambridge. where ne phsse"
tbrourh an extensive course Of study, ana soon
became mal of high mark for his mdepehuenoeo o
,honsbf aud bodness OF expression The pursuit oi
kDowedre for ITS own sake was MI CihOrus leaulne
characteristIc throughout his hfc For MN the us
coverv OF truth end IN 3iseli ana ts announce
ment a duty OF paramount obligation ms gave
pecuar fascuaiiOu To- HE teaching lie never impose"
on,rss On his hearers. but seemed 10 lead them INTO
the emo, mcut OF "a common posseS'ion lie dlh ho' 'ei
them how priceless was knowledge ana no" Oeduu'"
is truth but he made them feel IT, lie gave tueu' not
formulas. bui ideas In 1865 Mr.. ihoid was appointed
aFoy ~ Trinity College. and IA le7l he was cected 10
the Of Applied Mathematics at University
1oe,e I.,,eon His house IN London was the centre
of numerous OOdy OF friends, representing almost
every variety of taste aud opinion many oi "hom h'u
nothing in common. He cared for sympathy not
agreement and coincidence IN results was matter OF
Indifference. Certain passages IN MS Writings might
give offence but it wa, impossible not TO Ike the man
TIN. charm remained with him even To the latest days
of IA. life Even wnen he Was pr0Sfate by usedse' ne
won degree oi affection ard good WILL even irOm SUD
deu and casual acquainancr, such as Is usudy ooA'u
for onlv from the rpcnrd friendship growing out Of
the familiar intercourse Of many years. Ifis
was dle m part 10 the singular opeuness
and candor of his conversations IN part
g. the dclicacy az genteness with Which
he adapted himself 10 the feelings oi
Others but most perhaps. TO the remarkable simplicity
which seemed to reveal the whole nature OF tue man
the whole moral beauty his character In the - ins
ofls7G Mr. clifford first showed symptoms OF pulmonary
disease but II was until after urgent persuasion
that lac consented To accept sXmOnths leave oi aD
seuce and to spend the summer In Agers ana the souh
OF spain. lie came back recruited LOT tHe 'He anu i"i
n wear and a half continued his usual pursuits with
fair prospect ultimate recovery. He subsequently,
however. began again 10 decline, and 50 iar gre"
worse as to Obge him TO leave England Tor ihe
Mediterranean in April, 1s7s. Alter various alter
nations. there were no signs of permanent lln-
provenent and he scarcely lived To complete twelve
month from that time. concise summary of Mr.. Chi
fori's Opinions a. exhibited in his occasional writings
collected III these volumes especially In relation TO the
theory OF evolution and its various applications T.
Init for he ulosf uar of