moon. Euler, assisted by his eldest son, was a competitor for these prizes, and obtained them both.

His writings are so numerous that a mere catalogue of them would fill several of these pages. They are preserved by the royal societies of London, Berlin, Paris, Vienna, and Stockholm, of all of which he was a member. Among the numerous and elaborate productions of his genius, subsequent to loss of sight, was his "New Theory of the Moon's Motions," with its accompanying tables, which has been deemed by astronomers, in exactness of computation, one of the most remarkable achievements of the human intellect. His brilliant career was terminated by apoplexy while amusing himself at tea with one of his grand-children, in 1783, in the seventy-sixth year of his age.

Another illustrious character in the annals of privation, with whose name we are happy to ornament the pages of this work, is that of JOHN GOUGH. This distinguised philosopher and mathematician was the son of a glover, of Kendal, and lost his sight by smallpox, in 1752, before he had completed his third year. When six years of age, he commenced the study of English grammar, at a school in his native town, and when about twelve of years under the care of a proficient teacher, he made rapid progress in the languages, natural philosophy, and classic literature. The science of zoology was one for which he almost from infancy manifested great partiality, and he now began to enlarge his knowledge of organic bodies, by

age,

extending his researches from the animal to the vegetable kingdom. By devoting to botanical pursuits all the time he could spare from the regular studies of the school, he soon became enabled to classify, with great accuracy, all the plants which came under

his notice.

As a substitute for the eye, in discriminating between the finer species, he used the tip of his tongue, which he applied to their several parts, while he readily recognized ordinary plants by the touch of his fingers. So perfect a knowledge did he acquire of this science, and so tenacious was his memory, that at one time, near the close of his life, when a rare plant was put into his hands, he immediately called it by its proper name, observing that he never met with but one specimen of it previously, and that was fifty years ago.

Mr. Gough's attention was first turned to experimental philosophy, in the year 1772, and by studying with characteristic assiduity the works of Mr. Boyle, he soon obtained a knowledge of the specific gravity of fluids, hydrostatics, and pneumatics. Some time subsequent he entered upon the study of mathematics, under a celebrated instructor at Mungriodale. Here he not only acquired a taste for this science, but laid the foundation of those high attainments which subsequently entitled him to a place among the most distinguished mathematicians of his age. Of his success in after life, as a teacher of philosophy and mathematics, we have the most abundant proof. For

among the limited number of his pupils, an unusual proportion became eminent in those sciences; among which occur the names of Whewell, afterward tutor of Trinity College; Mr. Dawes, tutor of Downing College; Mr. Gaskin, of Jesus College, and Mr. King, tutor of Queen's College, one of the most distinguished mathematicians of his age; and the eminent philosopher, John Dalton, president of the Manchester Philosophical Society, was also four or five years under his instruction. Mr. Gough was actively engaged as a teacher, and in his usual philosophic investigations to the close of the year 1823, when declining powers began to be visible to his friends. He died July 27th, 1825, in the sixty-eighth year of his age. His numerous essays published in the memoirs of the "Manchester Literary and Philosophical Societies,” have been highly valued by the most competent judges; and are said to contain decisive evidence of the acuteness of his intellect and accuracy of knowledge in almost every department of science.

Dr. HENRY MOYES, who was the wonder and admiration of every country he visited, like the subject of the foregoing sketch, lost his sight when but three years of age. He was the first person of his class who ventured to conduct experiments in chemistry, in connection with lectures upon that science.

After leaving college, he commenced a series of lectures on the "Theory and Practice of Music," at Edinburgh; but not meeting with sufficient encouragement, he next turned his attention to natural and

experimental philosophy, which presented an extensive field for the exercise of his talents. His lectures were always of the most interesting character, and his audiences large and respectable. Being of a restless disposition, and fond of traveling, he left Scotland in 1779, for England, and from thence sailed for the United States, where he took his degree from one of her colleges. In the summer of 1785 he made a tour of the Union, and was everywhere courteously received by the lovers of science.

The following paragraph respecting him appeared in one of our public journals of that day: "The celebrated Dr. Moyes, though blind, delivered a lecture upon optics, in which he delineated the properties of light and shade, and also gave an astonishing illustration of the power of touch. A highly polished plate of steel was presented to him, with the stroke of an etching tool so minutely engraved on it, that it was invisible to the naked eye, and only discoverable by a powerful magnifying glass; with his fingers, he discovered the extent and measured the length of the line. Dr. Moyes informed us, that, being overturned in a stage-coach one dark, rainy evening, in England, the carriage and four horses thrown into a ditch, the passengers and driver, with two eyes apiece, were obliged to apply to him who had no eyes, for assistance in extricating the horses. As for me,' said he, after I had recovered from the astonishment of the fall, and discovered that I had escaped unhurt, I was quite at home in the dark ditch

The inversion of the order of things was amusing. I, that was obliged to be led about like a child, in the glaring sun, was now directing eight persons to pull here and haul there, with all the dexterity and activity of a man-of-war's boatswain.""

After Dr. Moyes returned to his native land he visited Ireland, and was there received with the respect due to his great merit. When his desire for traveling was satiated, he settled at Manchester, with the view there to spend the remainder of his days. Here he had access to numerous and well selected libraries, and was elected a member of the Manchester Philosophical Society. He enriched its collection by several valuable papers on chemistry, and many other branches of physical science.

This extraordinary man, after spending a studious life of fifty-seven years, during which he acquired a thorough knowledge of the ancient languages, music, algebra, geometry, chemistry, mechanics, optics, astronomy, and other departments of natural science, paid the debt of nature August 10th, 1807.

ALEXANDER DAVIDSON, cotemporary with Dr. Moyes, who had lost his sight before the completion of his seventh year, stimulated by the success of the latter, entered upon a similar career. The parents of young Davidson, not willing to allow the calamity which thus early befel their son to crush the fond hopes which his precocity had inspired, continued sending him to the school in his native village, (Dalkeith, Scotland,) where, under the instruction of a kind