E-text prepared by Ferdinand van Aartsen
by
1903
The earlier chapters of this collection are so much in the natureof an autobiography that the author has long shrunk from the idea ofallowing them to see the light during his lifetime. His repugnancehas been overcome by very warm expressions on the subject utteredby valued friends to whom they were shown, and by a desire thatsome at least who knew him in youth should be able to read what hehas written.
The author trusts that neither critic nor reader will objectbecause he has, in some cases, strayed outside the limits of hispurely personal experience, in order to give a more complete viewof a situation, or to bring out matters that might be of historicinterest. If some of the chapters are scrappy, it is because hehas tried to collect those experiences which have afforded him mostfood for thought, have been most influential in shaping his views,or are recalled with most pleasure.
I
THE WORLD OF COLD AND DARKNESS
Ancestry.—Squire Thomas Prince.—Parentage.—Early Education.—
Books read.
II
DR. FOSHAY
A Long Journey on Foot.—A Wonderful Doctor.—The Botanic System of
Medicine.—Phrenology.—A Launch into the World.—A Disillusion.—
Life in Maryland.—Acquaintance with Professor Henry.—Removal
to Cambridge.
III
THE WORLD OF SWEETNESS AND LIGHT
The American Astronomical Ephemeris.—The Men who made it.—
Harvard in the Middle of the Century.—A Librarian of the Time.—
Professor Peirce.—Dr. Gould, the "Astronomical Journal," and the
Dudley Observatory.—W. P. G. Bartlett.—John D. Runkle and the
"Mathematical Monthly."—A Mathematical Politician.—A Trip to
Manitoba and a Voyage up the Saskatchewan.—A Wonderful Star.
IV
LIFE AND WORK AT AN OBSERVATORY
A Professor, United States Navy.—The Naval Observatory in 1861.—
Captain Gilliss and his Plans.—Admiral Davis.—A New Instrument
and a New Departure.—Astronomical Activity.—The Question of
Observatory Administration.—Visit from the Emperor of Brazil.—
Admiral John Rodgers.—Efforts to improve the Work of the
Observatory.
V
GREAT TELESCOPES AND THEIR WORK
Curious Origin of the Great Washington Telescope.—Congress
is induced to act.—A Case of Astronomical Fallibility.—
The Discovery of the Satellites of Mars.—The Great Telescope
of the Pulkova Observatory.—Alvan Clark and his Sons.—A Sad
Astronomical Accident.
VI
THE TRANSITS OF VENUS
Old Transits of Venus.—An Astronomical Expedition in the 18th
Century.—Father Hell and his Observations.—A Suspected Forger
vindicated.—The American Commission on the Transit of Venus.—
The Photographic Method to be applied.—Garfield and the
Appropriation Committee.—Weather Uncertainties.—Voyage to
the Cape of Good Hope.—The Transit of 1882.—Our Failure to
publish our Observations.
VII
THE LICK OBSERVATORY
James Lick and his Ideas.—Mr. D. O. Mills.—Plans for the Lick
Observatory.—Edward E. Barnard.—Professor Holden.—Wonderful
Success of the Observatory.
VIII
THE AUTHOR'S SCIENTIFIC WORK
The Orbits of the Asteroids.—The Problems of Mat