Review of the labors, &c., performed by Mr. Bowditch, during these voyages.—Habits while at sea; studies; desire to teach others; kindness to sailors and to the sick.—Discovers errors in a book on navigation.—Origin of “American Practical Navigator;” success of it; industry of Mr. Bowditch upon it.—Investigates higher branches of science.—“Mécanique Céleste.”—Mr. Bowditch reads history.—Learns Spanish, French, and Portuguese languages.—Anecdotes.—Chosen member of American Academy.—Receives honors from Harvard College.
Review of the labors, &c., performed by Mr. Bowditch, during these voyages.—Habits while at sea; studies; desire to teach others; kindness to sailors and to the sick.—Discovers errors in a book on navigation.—Origin of “American Practical Navigator;” success of it; industry of Mr. Bowditch upon it.—Investigates higher branches of science.—“Mécanique Céleste.”—Mr. Bowditch reads history.—Learns Spanish, French, and Portuguese languages.—Anecdotes.—Chosen member of American Academy.—Receives honors from Harvard College.
A REVIEW.
HABITS AT SEA.
TEACHES THE SAILORS.
CARES FOR THEM WHEN ILL.
Thus finished Mr. Bowditch’s career as a sailor, after he had been about eight years engaged in this pursuit. Let us now review a little, and see what he was doing during these voyages, and how he occupied his time. He was very regular in his habits. During the first two voyages he attended to the duties of mate of the vessel. This, of course, preventedhim from studying as much as he otherwise would have done. He, moreover, as we have seen, took fewer books with him. But during the next two voyages, the captain excused him from the watches, and he was able to read with less interruption. After the deck had been washed in the morning, he walked for half an hour. He then went into the cabin to study, until the time arrived at which he was to observe the sun. This was done every day at noon, in order to tell whereabouts in the ocean a vessel is at the moment of the observation. Having finished this, he usually dined. After this he slept a few moments, or took a walk, and then studied again until tea time. After supper he was again at work until nine, when he used to walk for some time, cheerfully talking with his comrades. Afterwards he usually studied until late at night; and in order not to disturb his fellow-passengers, he did not keep a light in the cabin, but frequently stood upon the cabin stairway, reading by the light of the binnacle lamp, where the compass was kept.Whenever the vessel arrived at a port, he was still engaged, but in a different way, perhaps. The instant he was freed from the duties of weighing pepper on the coast of Sumatra, he went to his books. No time was wasted, either in foul or fair weather. It made no difference to him whether the ship was resting motionless upon the water, or tossing upon the heaviest swell, he was always a worker. But there was yet another and still more pleasant trait in his character. He not only loved study himself, but he was determined to persuade all others to love it also. During his first voyage, he used to go to the forecastle, or sailor’s cabin, and carry his books of navigation, and teach the seamen how to guide a ship by the rules found in these books. He then went on deck, and explained to each one the method of using the quadrant and sextant, two instruments used by a sea captain. There was an old man formerly living in Salem, who, when speaking of this disposition of Mr. Bowditch, said, “I was the steward onboard the vessel, and Mr. Bowditch frequently scolded mebecause I did not come to study with him more steadily.” It is a fact that every sailor on board the ship during that voyage became afterwards captain, and probably some of them would never have risen so high, had it not been for the kindness of their friend. I like to think of this trait in his character. He delighted in learning for its own sake, and he was always pleased when he could find some one upon whom he could bestow all his acquirements. He had no mean standard of comparison between himself and his fellows, but desired to give and receive as much good as it was possible for him to bestow or accept.
He was beloved for this by all: but his kindness of heart led him not merely to teach those who knewlessthan he, but he did all he could to relieve them when ill. One of them wrote in a letter answering my inquiries, after alluding to Mr. Bowditch’s willingness to teach others, “But kindness and attention to the poor seasick cabin-boy are to this day [April, 1838] uppermost in my memory, and will lastwhen his learning is remembered no more.” He might have been as learned, without displaying this regard for others. But he would not then have had such tributes of love as was displayed by this old sailor, who remembered his kindness rather than his instruction.
STUDY OF MATHEMATICS.
BOWDITCH’S NAVIGATOR.
ORIGIN OF IT.
SUCCESS.
FAVORABLE NOTICE.
But let us examine his particular studies pursued while at sea. We have already seen that from a boy he had liked simple arithmetic, and on becoming older had studied deeply into mathematics—a kind of learning similar in character to arithmetic, only much more difficult and important. During the long voyages to India, he had ample opportunity for following this branch of science; consequently we find that he was chiefly occupied with that subject. On the first voyage he discovered many errors in a book on navigation, some of which were so important, that in consequence of them, not a few vessels had been shipwrecked. This erroneous work was originally published in London, by a man named Hamilton Moore, and it was almost the only one in use among seamen. It had been reprinted in America,in 1798, by Mr. Blunt, then living in Newburyport. One edition had been published, and a second was about to be issued, in 1799, when Mr. Blunt learned, by means of a mutual friend, that Mr. Bowditch, during his two first voyages, had detected many of these errors, and was willing to inform him of them. Mr. Blunt immediately made application to the young navigator, and received the assistance he wanted. Finding that Mr. Bowditch had within him the means of rendering essential service, Mr. Blunt proposed to him, when starting on his fourth voyage,—that is, to India,—to examine all the tables, and see what number of errors he could find. Mr. Bowditch agreed to the proposal, and during this voyage his time was much occupied with this task—a very wearisome, but, as it proved eventually, a profitable one, as it regards reputation and pecuniary success. The mistakes were so numerous that he found it much easier to make a new work, and introduce therein his own improvements: so that Mr. Bowditch, before the termination of the voyage,decided to make some arrangement for this purpose. The consequence was, that, instead of publishing a third edition of Moore’s Navigator, in 1802, the first edition of the “American Practical Navigator” was published by Mr. Bowditch, under his own name, Mr. Blunt being proprietor. Thus was laid, at the age of twenty-nine, the foundation of a work on navigation that has kept constantly before the public, as one of the best of the kind, either in America or England. It passed through its tenth edition a short time before Mr. Bowditch’s death.[8]It soon superseded entirely Mr. Moore’s, and was early republished in London. And it was not only obtained by every American seaman, but even English ships sought for Bowditch’s Navigator as their safety during their long voyages. Many amusing anecdotes are related in reference to this book.An American captain once took passage in an English ship from the Isle of France for St. Helena. After, being a few days out, the passenger, about noon, brought on deck his “Navigator” (one of Bowditch’s editions) for the purpose of using it. While thus engaged, the English captain of the vessel walked up and looked at the work. “Why,” says he, “you use the same work that we do. Pray, where did you get that?” And great was the surprise of the Englishman, when he learned that the author of the book he was using every day of his life was the near neighbor and friend of the person he was talking with. Little did he imagine that he was dependent upon the efforts of a son of an American cooper for the information by which he was enabled to go from sea to sea in comparative safety. But how is it that this work has been able to remain so long one of the best works of the kind? Because Mr. Bowditch bestowed very great pains upon it, and with every new edition made all the improvements possible. He moreover brought all his learning tobear upon it. To use a common phrase, he put, for the time being, his “whole heart into” making it as perfect as possible. In the explanations of the rules he was simple, so that the most ignorant could understand them. But, in addition to all this, as we have already stated, he introduced all the new methods which he himself had discovered. One of these was favorably noticed by a celebrated French astronomer, in a Journal published in 1808.
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 curiousand 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 authorshe 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 willnow 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 somemeasure 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 themselvesand 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 werewell 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.
NEW SCENES.
Having now completed his sea life, let us enter upon his new scene of energy and benevolence as a citizen and father; and our next chapter will include several years of his residence at Salem.
From 1803 to 1817—age, 30-44.