New-York tribune., 1880-10-07

Professor Pcircc was the son of Benz lmln P"rcr.
the Librarian of Harvard University f:om 1S2G TO
1881 the year OF Iis death benjamin PeIcc, ST., was
the first scholar IN the class of 1891. ard TO some
years was meTcban: at Salem. Ma =. After hIS
appointment rs Librarian he wrote partial history
of the University bringing 1t down 10 the time of
the Revolution. This work published III 1888.
Benjamin Prircc. jr., was born at Salem
April 4. 1909. and was prepared for
college under the destruction of Nathaniel
Bowdich and at Andoycr He entered Harvard in
1928. and immc lately distinguished himself by his
devotion to mathematics. He was graduated in
1920. and at once took position "a n teacher OF
mathematics IN Rouad flu School at Northampton
Mass, then under the charge of Joseph q. Cog'wcil
and George Bancroft.
In 1881 Professor Pe-ca returned TO Cambridge
to fill the position of tutor IN mathematics IN the
sitv Professor of Mathematics and Nat
ural Philosophy. and in 1912 he became Perkins
Professor OF Astronomy aud NatnenatlcS. lie hrlu
the latter position until 1867. aiding III the mean
time IN the construction of the observatory. Ia
1867 Professor Pcrc" was made Snparntcrdrnt ol
the United States Coast Survey. and held the
position for seven years. Since 1919 he had
been Il consulting astronomer ~ me american
Ephemeris anil Nautical Aimdndc, and for many
he directed the theoretical part OF The WORK.
In 1880 Professor Peirce was one of the men II
trusted with the organization of tnc Daley Oh
srTvat0ry FW many years before and aiier he
took charge Of the Coast 'urvcv he was consulted
frequently III the work of thc hcoicc.
No name has shed a more brilliant lu'trc over the
academic department of Harvard durnl the past
thFty-iiyc years than that OF BrnlaIuin Ielrcc.
From $50 TO 1S16 hc IsSdrd series Of icXt-3OOks
ON geometry. i1gonomctry, algebra anG tnrVcS.
Functions and EOrc's' lhcy were 50 iuil oi novel
lies that they never 3rcdnc wd"ly popular, except
perhaps. his trIgGHomciry: bat thcy have HAD Il
permanent Iuilucncc upon mathematical teaching IN
tins country. Most of the novelties III these books
:.
All his writings are characterized 10y singular III
rcctncss ana conferences, a ii particularly by "a
happy choice # notaIon-a point of great I'M ont
auce 10 the mathematician. In the Ndlihhm 'iiGh
School his books were used for many ycfrs, ana le
graduates attained clearer and moie n'cInl
knowledge of mathematics than was
gwen at any othri high school III tIIs count Y.
lie latter half of the volume on g." Integral Cal
cuu,. full of marks Of great anal tica genus IS
the only part Oi all his tex -buokS really too ann
cult ioT students OF average ability In me M"fH'-
matcH N.Sc,IIoHy ir May ans Nov'mbcr lS39,
he solved, ny - ~ ten oi c""in'ialcS "I MS own
devIsup, several pIobcns concerning me inN"inirS
and cyu.uics of curves which would probably have
provct mprcGuabc bv any o'hcr ll"d" "l appr""ch.
Durtny tue year 1870 Professor, Prrcc AMI L"Ncr-
inc uubII>hcl The (da,br,dr Nnc, liam Of Wdfhc-
mafcs and Hys,cs, ~ winch Pr lessor I'Trc gave
an Analytical solution IF thc mO,lcn oi \ top,
criticism of E>py's theory Of storms. etc. AhoHt
the same time be adapted the cpcyclrs "i IhPpaf-
chIIs 20 The analytical forms Of modern science :;
a:d tie method WAS used by lowering IA uirt"ot"-
logical discussions coinmuHc3t' Il 10 tHr AllcI'''"
Academy.
The comet of 1913 gave Professor P,irce the op
pOTiun1tY, 10y a icw strong Lectures "a '-'"h' 10
arou~r an iutc.cSi winch lea - the found iiuu 81
tue OD,cryltoIy at Cambridge. Tie o'1uri Ncp-
tune va. discovered 10 September, 1876, o. ron-"-
scqucnceof She request oi L"Nrrrrr 6" "aHr i,At
hc should search thc d.dc lu tie N'.GhboIiuu "I
Longitude 800 Tor a thc IIcticII ciuor Il ltiu
perturbation, Of Uranus But Proi's- Pruc"
showed THAI the discovery W&~tH1Ipy arcId, 90. II r
the PEER ut aur aN rOuomcl were ~ no way dIrci'd
AGAINST L.v,rricr's fame as a matnrinailcian; Oh
the contrary, uc testified 90 IN" strongest iH" urI
that be hI" cxanip,d ani verified L"yriIi"re 'h'i7
sufficiently 10 ostItil>n ;hcu m1TN' ''u~ acrhI.'f
and mIuu "uc~~, "- N"iI - ihrf ic'''H 3""l, To
Wien Professor Ir'it" assumed c'nll' "l lh'
Coast survey. although De- came aii'r 'urh ah.'
m,u as Iia.,i,r ana Ia tc g. an o,ic' Whi'I Ir.
QuiIcd NOT Ouly uliiuI'F Nl'h n.dl ''h'l o. TO-
ultvc abIluy lac V.i- not louDd wanting. bui sau''
ihai tHc th,ory Il the Sioio7 Val s.iJ"'rm" % J
good to-day lLc 'rI.lN c'c1i iHn SHOWS hi'. 81
grra; bS air ana every STANDARD.
llnu, mono pi, l.. ann tlc mll,,s Of I.o!. 'r
Pcirc's Individuality "ul p"rHIiT power nave
been read h, iIu Uricf" Vafi'u~ uctd'uir-, ""'''-
ANA institutions. bat o.h the result, 90 W"-i
Oi taru have ever Hrru ldI'i~ucd J." Ph'|-
eaton. il oj7 ne publ'snrd NclHur tI"-
mue up o., most yIluab!- and Ll"f ban ant
rr-,ll- O.! .lIyfiCII Iucr.Inir>, Iutc: pi0H- ihri
Wita oI rinal results of his own la''r. var "I
two latcI an American s.udcIt ~ O"ftnAiy .'"r'
OIc oi tnr professors l"'.r ga '"'"'
nc would recommend on auatticd ur' h'il.'S; 4;
th. answer was inst iuidrroH~, ~ It'r" i7
uotl,Ius iIr.l"r and uoipIug more ValreHI" iIi.i
Vcur usu prIcC- recent quaTi".. .h IN'O'
ibroGyh The labor. oi ipyc' oi persons engage, on
thr Clast Survey. an c,ltou Oi - hh"ofrd
lIuopIAphcd Copir, was pubil- 81 certain
inuYicatIoua 10 tuc National AtAd'mt q.
upon i.Iurai Associative M.chra.. lhi~ J.
considered hs most p"i"nnd "or"' i.r
most uutcworthy tniuS, when be WIoir
.ircr Us publication were a couiS' q"
Lowell icciuIr, tn iSI!n on " idcIny in science.
and u series oi conlnu'icaiioua TO tht American
Academy. In tbs Lowell lectures hc rn"'li,'
many ol IN, views on philosophy and reiig on. In
me communications 10 tAc Academy De dI''u-'c'
with all his wontrd power. que hons "i c''h'c u
plvaics, and particularly theories concerning W"
source and supply uf the SIMS heat. NJ thr S''-
sol of the Academy lIst year he Rad "a paper on
mcfcGis bat ill-hcaIth prevented hn rem lraulHS
another pducr ne had prepared!
w h,ir prolcssor lcirtc has the tcnacty Of grasp
and power OF endurance winch enable hlm I" make
the moot intricate ana tcdIous numerical c"'bpmla-
iunS" says cx President i'm III recent
skrtcn "h ne is stIll more distinguished
by intensity ana fcryOr Of action III every
part Oi his nature: an enthusiasm lor whatever Is
noble and beautiful tnc world of IN arr. III hct i"h
or real iIlr au exalted moral strength aud p'tIdy
a glowing imagination which SUaIS INTO seventh
ob eryation winch make the atom rs grand To hIm
as "a planet II dopth OF r'yerenco winch oXaIts hh
wuilc he aliases hlBseli
Among inr works published by Professor Peirce
are ihc following: Pure Mathematical " Elcmcn-
fary Ircatiso on Algebra Elementary Treatise on
Plane ana Solid Geometry" Elementary IrcatiSe
ships" System of Analytic Mechanics d"
"Taolcs of the Moon" Potential
Physlcs."" Analytic Morphoogy," and g." "Crl,eri3n
for The Rejection of Doubtful Observations" lie
rec. vod the degree OF LII. ID. from the University
of North Carolina ~ 1917. and from liar-
ward University III 1867. He was elected
an Associate of the Royal Astronomical society
of LoLd II IN / Sl0,. and member OF the ROY al
society Of LONDON III 1892. lie was elected prt'i-
dent OF the American Association Tor the Advance
rncnt OF Science in SJ3 (thr fifth year OF Ito exist
| cucr), and was one OF the original mem
beIs of the National Academy OF Scic"ccS.
lie was a member of the Royal socir-,
tirs of Ehinbutgh aud GottmEen, and
honorable Fellow OF the Imperial University OF ~.
VladIm.r He delivered theological lecture III
th's riiv abnut a year ago, on winch occasion ho
dIsapp0ntcd f,rc-ihmkcrs III religions matters by
MS orthodox opinions. Professor Pclrce was mar
red III July. 1888. HIS WIfe, thico sons and "A
daughtrr survive hIn. Ills eldest SON, james VI.
Pclrce Is University Professor ol Mathematics IN
U1ryarc Charles :. Pc,rce professor III the Jonns
Uorkils UnIvcrsity. H. If. -. FcIIce ~ conncc ed
wltD the firm OF icrtcr ~ BrOtncr, of this city.