Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-16

were at OXFORD together, ana as al unueE-
graduate MIR. Smithson, then called Macie, had
the reputation of exceeding all other resident
members of the university in the knowledge OF
chemistry. For many years past MI
Smithson has resided abroad principally be-
lieve on account of his health, but he carried
with him the esteem and regard OF various
private friends and of still larger number
of persons who appreciated and admired his
requirements"
CMTTHSONS unremitting industry in the
- scientific field is regarded as particularly
creditable to him, In view Of the fact that he
was at the same time a man of large means,
with every temptation to abandon himself TO
amusement. The extent of his industry VIII
be visioned when it is understood that pub
lished papers were only q small portion Of his
writings Two hundred manuscripts were for
warded to the United States with his effects,
together with thousands of detached notes and
memoranda. Unhappily, with the exception OF
one small volume, all of these originals were
destroyed in the disastrous fire at the tnstitu-
ton in 1865.
Through persons who had access to these
papers before their destruction the catholic
nature of SmithSon'S interests has been re-
vealed, for they dealt not only with science,
but also with history, the arts languages, rural
pursuits, the construction of buildings and
other diversified topics. cabinet of something
like 10 600 mineral specimens gathered by the
founder and which was at that time the finest
in the United States also was lost in the fire.
OF Smithsons latter years the world knows
but little. They seem to have been tried by
poor health and painful infirmities. He resided
in the Autumn Of his life at 121 Rue Mont
martre, Paris. One gathers from his letters,
from the uniform consideration with which ne
speaks of others, from kindly traits which he
betrayed and from their general tenor the inn
preston of an innately gentle nature, but also
of a man who Is gradually renouncing not
without bitterness, the youthful hope OF fame
and as health and hope diminish together, Is
finally living for the day rather than for any
future.
To this period belongs an interesting passage
from Aragos Eulogy on AmpeTe:
Some years since, in Paris, / made the &C
uuaintance of a distinguished foreigner, OF
great wealth but in wretched health, whose
life, save few hours given to repoSe, was reg
ularly divided between the most interesting SCI
entifc researches and gaming. It was source
of great regret to me that this learned expert
mentalst should devote half of so valuable
life to a course so little in harmony with an
intellect whose wonderful powers called Tor the
admiration of the world around him.
Unfortunately there occurred fluctuations OF
loss and gain momentarily balancing each other,
which led him to conclude that the advantages
enjoyed by the bank were neither so assured
nor considerable as to preclude his winning
largely through run of luck. The analytical
formulas of probabilities offering a radical
means the only one perhaps of dissipating this
illusion, proposed, the number OF games and
the stakes being given, to determine IN adj
vance, in my study, the amount, not merely Of
the loss of a day that of a week, but OF
each quarter The calculation was found so
regularly to agree with the corresponding
diminution of the banknOtes in the foreigners
pocketbook that a doubt could no longer be
entertained"
To DR. B. A. Gould is attributed the state
ment that Arago was not merely an acQuaint-
ance but an intimate friend of SmithSon and
that Arago himself told him that the dis
tinguished foreigner" was none other than
SmithSon. Arago added that SmithS0n resolved
not to discontinue gambling absolutely Gin
which he found the main stimulus to make him
forget his physical suffering), but to play with
a definite limit and strictly within his means
THE last glimpse of this tragic figure Is
caught as he enters old age, approaching
the task Of making his last will and looking
back upon a life which his situation made
lonely which had been uncheered by domestic
affection and which, though filed with honor
able activities, had not brought the fame to
which he aSpired with the hope that 1t
would bring some compensation for the circum-
stances of his birth
The drafting of this Will proved the most
important act of his entire life. He begins the
document by recalling the parentage which had
denied him the name of his father until the
intervention of the crown and which also de-
prived him Of the position in the world he
believed should have been his. In the void
places of father brother or other dear ones he
seems to look for some object of affection.
finding only an old servant, whm he remem-
hers with thOuRhtful iberality