The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-03-30
AN ECCENTRIC GENIUS,
Oliver Heeyysides, Ene!ards Mathematical
Hermit,

Hermit.
For pure eccentricity Of character
Oliver Heavysides, the great English
mathematician, stands without peer.
He is recognized os q great savant By
Lord Kelvin, Aascart and men Of that
class. lie has been called the intel
lactual successor Of Maxwell, and lis
achievements il the science Of aG-
yanced mathematics seem to bear cut
the justice Of this a2pellation. But no
one ever sees him. He has not been
visible to the general public since his
retirement from the Government ser
vice years ago.
Once when Sir John Pender was
running The London Electrician he re-
ceived q communication from a COM
rarati7e,y unknown man, which not
only arrested his attention, but caused
him think tha: here, at last, must be
genius in the world Of mathematics.
The communication was published
and caused some little comr1ent in t2.e
scientific world. It at once stamped
its author as q man well worthy CT
tie consideration Of scientists. and the
napar began receiving conlmunlca-
lions asking for Information concern
ing this new light Sir John PenGer
vas unable to answer these CORE
sDandents. lie did rot himself know
who the writer was. The original
communication had been sent through
the mail, but no address accompanied
tie manuscript, except that the editor
was asked to please send any Iemun.
Grafton to q certain grocery store,
in nearby district. Tie Editor CT
the Electrician sent the said "remun'
Grafton" to The grocery store, SO
named, and the practice he's been IN
vogue ever since.
II all the yaars that Eeavys;Ges has
been writing for the Electricion re
has never been in tie Office Of the pa
PEI. None Of the staff know him by
sight. Meme know whether he IS mar
;ed Or single, where h. lives, or what
lie cats, or anything else CT = personal
nature concerning hin. he is simply
secretiveness personided. An incident.
illustrating this is told n English sci.
entiEc circles.
It was known that the caathe-
natician had 70 incone except
the rather limited ore which nc
received for his weekly article
10 the Electrician. Several Of the
Gle 70 the Electrician. Several Of the
scientific men of England, in ad2ira-
ton Of bis great talent, determined to
give him q pension. But how to set
him to accept it was q question. Com
municatiors on the subject. by meals
of the srocery.stoTe postoftce, remain
cd unanswered. and other little Incl
dents showed that Heavysides was
annoyed by the proposition. 4 scheme
was then put on foot to compel him to
accept the pension. 4 letter was writ
ten to him, il which it was said that
his residence had been found oCt at
last. and that if lie did not accept the
pension a delegation composed OF the
leading scientific men Of London
would march to his house and present
it to him in person. Evidently this
was to him fearful threat and he be-
lieved it to be true, for he wrote back
stating that he would accept the Pen
sion if the delegation would stay
away. He has been receiving it ever
since, and it is fondly believed by his
friends, WHO have never seen nlln'
that be is now living in comfort.
10 biography has ever been written
about this very queer man, except N
the most fTagmentary manner, as
facts concerning bis life have cropped
OFT. No picture OF hin has ever been
taken, and, therefore, no description
Of the man can be given. Whether
he is school-bred or not no one knows,
but thai he is giant in his particular
hobby cannot be gainsail. He is q
savant Of the highest order, ard few
DcoDle who fell short of his own cal
;brc are able to read his books. It IS
said that only six people in the world
o.e really able to understand them at
first hand. Heavysiles is SO thor
ouch!y a mathematician that he in
vents 3ew systems Of mathematics as
nc goes along. II writing a book he
will Gevclop & new theory and explain
It by means os mathematics Of his
own invention so to speak. After he
has proceeded for FIVE Or six chapters
in rhis manner he will SItte that
NOW I will explain the system Of
mathematics used il the preceding
CHAPTERS" So that n order to under
stand the booI: at all one must first go
through It and pick out these ex-
pianatory chapters, and. having thor
ouglly encompassed them, use them
as a basis for understanding the rest
,s the book. On the ether hand, to
read his books IL larts, one would
think them to be the composition 0f
my one but the ve:y staM: person who
writes them. Fer lie is addicted most
aboniaably to making very bad Eng
Isl. Durs, ard these be inserts IN the
i.nart Of the mos serious part Of the