Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-01
THE SONG OF MATHEMATICS.
Prof. Hodgkins Tells About the Beauties
of the Science of Figures.

About two hundred people, anxious to hear
how Prof. Hodgkins could prove the existence
OF poetry in mathematics, filled the lecture
hall OF the Columbian university yesterday af-
ternoon, on the occasion of the fourth Friday
lecture of the winter course. The rather pecu-
liar title aroused good deal of curiosity and
most OF the audience were prepared to hear q
long, dry treatise on the intricate science, full
Of formula and symbols, and therefore their
disappointment was very agreeable one when
they left the hall and went out into the rain
after listening to a three-quarters -of-an-hour
talk that was as full Of poetry and beauty as
any morocco-covered, gilt-top volume Of poems
The lecturer began by saying that he was we'll
aware that his topic sounded bit paradoxical,
but he managed to convince a large majority
OF his hearers that the science has as much Of
the elements Of soul and emotion in il as one
OF Swlnburne's rhapsodies. 1t is, he said, the
the handmade and often the guide of the other
sciences, which without certain foundations
OF exact figures would be worse than useless
to man. Do the mathematical sciences appeal
to the practical side Of man only? he asked
Does ne not see more than the mere signs and
symbols as signs and symbols? Do they not
appeal to his higher esthetic emotions, stir his
imagination or arouse his poetic nature by
their beautiful structure? In mathematics
there is much hard, unremitting labor, but
there is also pleasure about its pursuit that
more than compensates for the trouble.
IN WATCHING YOUNG CHILDREN
hguring out their first arithmetical problems
this truth is more than exemplifed when they
are seen to express their joy at having reached
a correct answer, when they see the relations
that exist between figures; it is a new pleasure
OF mind to them, not very different from that
which they derive from the reading of poetry.
There Is about the operations of mathematics q
pleasure OF possession of control that springs
from the certainty Of the workings of the
science. The logic Of progression, by means of
which this wonderful system is developed, the
gradual bringing forth of each part that is
what gives to man his chief pleasure in studying
and mastering the science, and the process is
much after the fashion Of poetry, which has been
said to be the bringing out of the whole SUBJ
ject by laying bare it's fullest details. The
scientist is impelled to his work by love of
truth, as we'll as by feeling that he is doing
good in the world, and this is especially true Of
the pursuit Of mathematics
ALL POETRY Is NOT WRITTEN OR SPOKEN
in the words or language that are packed within
the covers of the bulky volumes of Webster or
Worcester; it often has its fullest power in the
mere sight of beautiful objects which appeal
to the eye and the soul. Mathematics can
arouse poetic feeling as well as rythmic verse,
but there is as much necessity to understand
the rudiments in order to enjoy this emotion
as there is of knowing the language Of poetry.
Mathematics has its alphabet, its dictionary and
Its grammar as much as any language 1t is
full OF beauty of form, of usefulness and of
suggestiveness, but to those who have never
taken the trouble to see for themselves it may
seem dry and uninteresting; such folks do not
know OF the existence of these elements of
beauty because they have never looked for
them. The song which the science of mathe-
mates sings to its devotee is to him the most
sublime outpouring of the soul, and the an
clients thought we'll when they devised the
Emusic of the Spheres" which, considered
Mechanically, is the true song OF the uni
verse.