_From 1803 to 1817—age, 30-44._
Mr. Bowditch translates a Spanish paper; is chosen president
of a Fire and Marine Insurance office.—Habits of life.—Becomes
interested in politics.—Federalists and Democrats.—Great
excitement.—Division between him and old friends in
consequence of his zeal.—Feelings of Mr. Bowditch when war
was declared.—Decision of character.—His charity.—Earnestness
in aiding others; ludicrous instance of the effects of
this.—Boldness towards a truckman.—Zeal for improving the
libraries; unites the two.—Dr. Prince’s church.—Performance
of duties of president of Insurance Office.—Answer to an
overbearing rich man.—Appointed professor of mathematics at
Harvard College; same at West Point.—His modesty.—Hints about
leaving Salem.
[Sidenote: KNOWLEDGE OF SPANISH.]
[Sidenote: ADVANTAGE OF STUDY.]
[Sidenote: PRESIDENT OF INSURANCE COMPANY.]
[Sidenote: 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.
[Sidenote: POLITICAL EXCITEMENT.]
[Sidenote: 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.
[Sidenote: 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.
[Sidenote: CHARITY.]
[Sidenote: ANECDOTE.]
[Sidenote: A RIDICULOUS JUDGE.]
[Sidenote: KINDNESS TO ANIMALS.]
Amid all these various engagements, he was full of sympathy for others.
Wherever he saw he could aid with his counsel, he did so; and many widows
and orphans have felt the influence of his charity. This charity showed
itself chiefly in a desire to improve others. There was scarcely one
of those connected with him in friendship upon whom he did not devote
some time for their instruction. To one young lady he taught French,
and another studied Italian with him. If a young man needed funds, he
knew upon whom he could call with a certainty of substantial aid, even
if he had no money of his own to give away, for throughout life it was
one of the remarkable attributes of Mr. Bowditch’s character, that he
could persuade many to open their hearts to the poor, who, upon other
occasions, were deaf to the common feelings of humanity. For one young
person of this kind Mr. Bowditch obtained a subscription sufficient to
enable him to continue at the university, whereas his young friend would
have been unable to do so without assistance. He was always so zealous
in these undertakings, that one scarcely felt under any obligations to
him. It was his delight to help, and every one saw that his heart was
engaged in the cause. His zeal for humanity was at times immoderate, and
the following laughable law case occurred in consequence of it. One day
he was informed that a little girl, who lived with him, had been run over
by some careless driver; and a crowd, which he could perceive at a little
distance from him, was a collection of individuals drawn together on her
account. He immediately ran forward, and getting to the outside of the
circle, began very energetically to make his way into it. In doing so,
he pulled one of the bystanders so forcibly, that the individual, as it
will appear in the sequel, was offended. Arriving, however, by dint of
hard pushing, at the object of his search, he took his little domestic
with him, and led her safely home. On the next day he was much surprised
at receiving a summons from a justice of the peace, to appear before him,
to answer to the charge of assault and battery upon the individual above
mentioned. He answered the call and paid his fine of a few dollars; but
the judge, who had been notorious for always making both parties suffer,
when it was possible for himself to gain thereby, said, on receiving
the fine, “But you say that Mr. —— _pushed_ you, after you had _pulled_
him.” “I did, sir.” “Very well; then, if you wish to complain of him,
I will fine him likewise.” The ludicrous nature of the whole action
struck Mr. Bowditch so forcibly that he was not unwilling to increase
the folly of it. The plaintiff was then fined, and the affair was ended.
It is but right to say, that the judge was considered, previously to
this, one entirely unfit for the office. Probably no other would have
issued a summons on such an occasion, and the plaintiff was not unjustly
punished for having called upon such a person to aid him in prosecuting
an individual who, in exerting himself to help another, had slightly
disarranged the dress of a bystander.
Mr. Bowditch’s desire to aid the unfortunate was exhibited on
another occasion, when a poor, overladen horse was the object of his
commiseration. A truckman had been violently beating the animal, in order
to induce him to pull along a very heavy load, which was too large for
his strength. Mr. Bowditch had watched the driver for some time, and at
length he stepped earnestly forward, and in abrupt and decided tones
ordered him to desist. The truckman was much superior to Mr. Bowditch in
personal strength, and was, at first, disposed to ridicule the attempt
of his inferior to restrain him. Full of indignation, Mr. Bowditch cried
out, “If you dare touch that horse again, and if you do not immediately
go and get another to assist him, I will appeal to the law, and you will
see which of us two will conquer.” The man yielded, and Mr. Bowditch went
home.
[Sidenote: MARINE SOCIETY.]
The public institutions of the town felt his influence. The East India
Marine Society, of which I have already spoken, improved very much
under his auspices as president. It had fallen considerably during high
political times, and, when he was chosen chief officer, he instilled such
zeal among the younger members of it, and obtained so many new members,
that it revived; and soon after his removal to Boston, the splendid hall
was erected, containing the most remarkable collection of East India
curiosities, of which I spoke in Chapter VI.
[Sidenote: SALEM LIBRARIES.]
In the libraries he had always felt very much interest. You already
know what reason he had for being devoted to the Philosophical Library,
for from it he drew most of his knowledge of science. But there was
another, which had been in existence much longer than this, called the
Social Library. The books contained in these two collections were almost
wholly distinct in their characters. In one only works of science were
to be found, while the other was chiefly devoted to literature. Mr.
Bowditch saw that both of them united would be of great service to the
community, for it would not merely combine the books, but the energies
of the proprietors. Consequently it appears that he, with another of the
Philosophical Library proprietors, was chosen a committee for the purpose
of providing for a union. This was happily effected (1810), and the Salem
Athenæum arose from the combination. The rooms over his office were
chosen as the place for their deposit, and for many years he was one of
the most active of the trustees.
There was another institution with which he was intimately connected
during the whole of the time he lived in Salem. I allude to the church
in which his early friend, Rev. Dr. Prince, officiated. He was one of
the committee of the parish, and, though never a member of the church
strictly so called, he was a constant attendant upon the services, and
had great influence in keeping up the harmony and supporting the true
interests of the congregation.
[Illustration: DR. BOWDITCH’S RESIDENCE AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH.]
[Sidenote: DEFENDS THE WEAK.]
In the performance of his duties as president of the insurance company,
he was faithful and prompt in action. He was frequently placed in
circumstances which required great decision of character. At times a
disposition was shown to deceive him; at others, a richer stockholder
would attempt to gain advantages over a poorer one. I well remember an
anecdote in which it is said a purse-proud rich man tried to browbeat Mr.
Bowditch into doing an act which Mr. Bowditch thought would be unjust to
another poorer one. The nabob pleaded his riches, and amount of his stock
in the office, and intimated that he would have his way. “No, sir, you
won’t. I stand here in this place to see justice done, and, as long as
I am here, I will defend the weak.” He seldom met with difficulties of
this kind, for few dared approach him with the intention to be unjust or
untrue. Nothing aroused him so much to an almost lion-like fierceness as
any appearance of wickedness in the transaction of public business. He
had much wisdom, likewise, in the selection of risks, so that the office,
while under his control, succeeded admirably and he left it prosperous.
[Sidenote: PROFESSORSHIP OF MATHEMATICS.]
[Sidenote: EXTREME MODESTY.]
During his residence in Salem he was often invited to seats of honor
and trust. We have already mentioned his political course. In 1806, by
the agency of Chief Justice Parsons, then in the corporation of Harvard
College, he was appointed professor of mathematics in that university.
In 1818 he was requested by President Jefferson, in very flattering
terms, to accept of a similar office in the University of Virginia. In
1820, he was called upon by the secretary of war of the United States, to
consent to an appointment at the Public Military School at West Point.
All of these he refused, as not congenial to his mind. He always declined
talking in public. He would teach all who came to him, but he could not
deliver a public course of lectures. His extreme modesty prevented. For
it will be remembered that he was as remarkable, from his youth, for his
modesty, amounting, in early life, to diffidence, as he was for his other
qualities. Moreover, it should be stated that, at times, he had a certain
hesitation in his mode of speaking, which probably would have prevented
him from addressing easily a public audience.
In 1818, he was urged to take charge of an insurance office in Boston,
but he preferred living in his native place.