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

by Henry I. Bowditch

PRESIDENT OF INSURANCE COMPANY.

REGULAR HABITS.

Mr. Bowditch, on his arrival from sea, met with one of those events to which he always referred when any one doubted the expediency of any kind of knowledge. In his voyages to Portugal and Spain, he had become acquainted with the Spanish language. It so happened that no one else in Salem was acquainted with it, and an important paper came to the care of a sturdy and sensible old sea captain; but it was unfortunately unintelligible to him, for it was written in this same unknown tongue. A friend suggested to him that probably Mr. Bowditch would decipher it for him. The document was handed to Mr. Bowditch, who in a few days returned it with a free English translation accompanying it. The old sailor was delighted, and immediately supposed that any one who knew so much about a foreign language must be a very superior person, and capable of performing any duties. Moreover, he was delighted with the apparent generosity of Mr. Bowditch, in making the translation without charge to his employer. It happened at this time that an insurance office in Salem was in need of a president. The captain was one of the directors of this institution, and used all his influence in promoting the election of his young friend. This influence succeeded, and in 1804, when he was thirty-one years old, we find Mr. Bowditch installed as president of the Essex Fire and Marine Insurance Company. In this office he continued, with entire success, until 1823, when he removed to Boston, and took charge of other similar but much larger institutions. The relief was great which he experienced from not being obliged to seek subsistence for his family by continuing in the sailor’s life. The duties of the office in which he now engaged seemed to occupy all his time; yet he did not neglect science. He arose at six in the morning during the year, and took a walk, either before or after breakfast, of at least two miles. Afterwards he studied mathematics until nine, and he then went to the office, where he continued until one. After another walk he dined, and after a short sleep he again visited his office until tea time. From tea time until nine in the evening he was at the same place occupied with business. He was not, however, all the time, during office hours, actually engaged in the necessary work incident to his position as president; but he was constantly liable to interruption, as much as he had been when an apprentice. Yet he found leisure enough for study by early rising and by regular habits. He used to say, “Before nine o’clock in the morning I learned all my mathematics.” He kept some of his books on science at his office, and whenever a moment of leisure occurred, spent the time in reading them. At home he had no private room for many years; and, as his family of young children grew up around him, he studied at his simple pine desk, in the midst of their noise and play. He was never disturbed, except when they failed in kindness to one another, and then he could never work until quiet was restored. In truth, the influence of his studies was felt by his children, whose greatest reward was to receive from him, in token of his approbation, the drawings of various constellations upon their arms or forehead. It was a sad day for them when they did not receive from his pen the representation of the Belt of Orion, the Great Bear, or of some other beautiful constellation in the heavens.

POLITICAL EXCITEMENT.

PARTY POLITICS.

But, in addition to the duties of his office, he became interested in the political affairs of the day. After the revolution, and the new government of the country went into operation under the presidency of General Washington, there had been but little political excitement in Essex County. There were no great parties, which were destined soon afterwards to spring up and excite the bitterest animosity between individuals who had been from birth the warmest friends. It would be impossible, were it useful, to tell all the causes that led to the formation of the two great sects in politics, called the Federalists and Republicans. Suffice it to say, that even during Washington’s connection with the government, the seeds of this division were beginning to spring up, and, upon the accession of John Adams, as his successor, the political rancor between these two parties increased with tenfold energy, until at length the republican party triumphed in the election of Thomas Jefferson to the office of President of the United States. In Salem the violence of party spirit rose as high as in any city of the Union. It would have been surprising, with his desire for aiding any public cause, if Mr. Bowditch had not been influenced by the excitements of the day. We frequently find at the bottom of a page, or at the end of some theorem, brief memoranda of the results of an election. He was, moreover, for two years a member of the State Council. He was likewise proposed by the Federalists as a representative to the General Court, but at that election they were defeated.

PEACEFUL MATHEMATICS.

We have scarcely any idea of the violence with which the two parties contended. Persons who had been, during life, sincere and devoted friends, were separated by this virulence. Mr. Bowditch suffered as much as others on this account, and two of his longest and best-tried friends he did not have any intercourse with for many years. Dr. Bentley and Captain Prince were these persons, and with both of them you are already acquainted. It was not until 1817, when President Monroe visited these Northern States, that harmony was restored between the two great divisions, and friends once more embraced each other. But, in the midst of all this excitement with politics, Mr. Bowditch never neglected the duties of his office, or his studies. In fact, the pursuit of learning had, as before, a sweet influence over his character. It still gave calmness when circumstances around him tended to disturb him. An illustration of this you may find in what follows. In 1812, after a long series of supposed insults and wrongs from Great Britain, the American government declared war against that power. Mr. Bowditch was much distressed by the news, and for two days was so much overcome that he was unable to study. Friends who knew him had never seen him look so sad before on any public emergency. He could speak of nothing but the disasters that he foresaw war would entail upon his country. On the morning of the third day he got up, and, going down into the parlor, said to his wife, “It won’t do for me to continue in this way. I will not think any more about it.” Saying this, he retired again to his books. The difference in his whole manner was very perceptible. He rarely afterwards allowed himself to be disturbed by the unfortunate state of affairs. Such should always be the benign influences of the study of science and of Nature’s laws.

CHARITY.

ANECDOTE.