Nat the Navigator. A Life of Nathaniel Bowditch. For Young Persons

by Henry I. Bowditch

PEACEFUL MATHEMATICS.

But, although his attention was much devoted to this book on navigation, he evidently considered it as of little moment, compared with more important objects. During the long voyages he had been studying the higher branches of the mathematics and their applications to the calculation of the motions of the heavenly bodies. The interest he felt in these pursuits had a most pleasing effect upon him. If he were sad or disturbed, he found quiet and cheerfulness in “his peaceful mathematics.” As arithmetic had been the darling pursuit of his boyhood, so now the curious and intricate problems of mathematics, and the sublime theories of the planets, occupied his best leisure hours. We have seen that, long before going to sea, he studied French for the purpose of reading a work on mathematics. He continued to read with much interest the works of that country. Some of you may know that about the close of the last century, at the revolution in France, all the nation was aroused; every branch of learning and of art received new life. The consequence was, that many men of the highest genius arose, and, being patronized by government, they put forth to the world extraordinary works of learning. Most of these, when upon astronomy, Mr. Bowditch procured for himself, by means of the publisher of the “Navigator.” He was still engaged in extracting from various works, or, in other words, in filling up his volumes of manuscripts, though now, from the increase of his property, he was enabled to buy the originals; and of course his manuscripts were chiefly his sea journals, and the notes made by himself upon the various authors he read. But he did not confine himself entirely to science. He read history, and some works of a literary character, but he never spent much time upon inferior books. “Why read anything you cannot speak of?” he used frequently to say. He likewise studied the Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese languages.

METHOD OF STUDYING LANGUAGES.

GERMAN VOCABULARY.

His mode of learning languages is instructive. As soon as he determined to study one, he bought a Bible, Grammar, and Dictionary in that tongue. After learning a few of the pronouns and auxiliary verbs, he began to translate, and usually commenced with the first chapter of the Gospel of St. John, because in the few first verses there are many repetitions. Having studied them thoroughly, he proceeded to other portions of the Bible, with which he was most acquainted. He always carried to church a Bible in the language he was studying, and used it, instead of an English one, during the services. But he had another plan, which is very useful to one who has a bad memory. I will now explain to you one of his vocabularies, or collections of words, with their meanings attached thereto, so arranged that he could refer much more easily to them than to a common dictionary. He did not learn German until a long time after the period of his life of which we are now speaking; but as the German vocabulary is the most perfect, I will describe it. It is made upon two large sheets, one foot broad, and more than a foot and a half high, which, with the inside of the covers, make six pages. The pages are divided into columns about one and a half inches wide, that is, large enough to admit, in very small writing, a word with its signification by its side. Of course the columns are divided for the letters of the alphabet, in a manner proportioned to the number of pages of each letter in the dictionary. Having thus prepared his book, whenever he found that he was obliged, for want of memory, to look at the dictionary more than once for the meaning of a word, he wrote it in his vocabulary, and, by the act of writing, strengthened in some measure his memory of that word; and, moreover, he could find it immediately, and not lose time as in turning over the leaves of a larger book. The number of words thus seen at a glance, as it were, is remarkable. In the above-described six pages, there are eleven thousand German words, all written distinctly, but in small letters, and without any repetitions, and with as many abbreviations as he himself chose. I have been thus minute upon this subject, not because I think that all ought to make vocabularies, but because some may be benefited by so doing. Moreover, I wished to speak to you of them as proofs of his perseverance.

ACADEMY OF ARTS.

HARVARD COLLEGE HONORS.

Two important events took place during this period of Mr. Bowditch’s life, which it becomes our duty to record. On the 28th day of May, 1799, he was chosen a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This society was the first which bestowed upon him the honor of membership of its body. It is composed of men of science, combined for the purpose of improving themselves and the community in knowledge. He continued a member of this body during his life; and in May, 1829, just thirty years after becoming a member, he was chosen its president, in which office he was continued until the day of his death.

RESULTS OF GOOD USE OF TIME.

Another honor, and one which was more pleasant to him than any received at any time afterwards, was bestowed during this period. In 1802 his ship was wind-bound in Boston, and he left it for the purpose of attending the annual commencement at Cambridge College. He knew but few individuals there, though he had corresponded with some of the professors; and one of the corporation of the college, Chief Justice Parsons, was one of his kindest friends. He went alone, and, while listening in the crowd to the names of those upon whom the honors were conferred, he thought he heard his own pronounced; but he supposed that he might have been mistaken, inasmuch as the notice was given in Latin. But how great was his emotion, when he heard from a friend that his suspicions were well founded! It was to him the proudest day of his life. And we, who know his humble origin, his simplicity and modesty, can in some measure understand the thrill of pleasure that ran through him, when he found himself thus noticed by the first and oldest university in the land. And why was he thus noticed? Because he had well improved the hours of his life; because his days and nights had been spent in activity and earnest study. In after-life, when his fame was established, and the great societies of Europe bestowed upon him their diplomas, he always looked upon them as of small moment, compared with this his first, earliest proof of esteem from his fellow-men. I will take this opportunity to state that very many years afterwards he was elected one of the corporation of the college. This he deemed his highest honor, and his estimate was a just one, for it placed him among the select few who manage the whole affairs of the university—a place doubtless coveted by many, but to which few are called.