PROF. DANIEL VAUGHN.]
Story of the Life of Prof. Daniel Vaughn.[17]
[17] Reprinted from the Cincinnati Tribune.
BY PROF. RICHARD NELSON.
HIS VALUABLE LIBRARY SHOWING MARKS OF MUCH STUDY.
Twelve Years' Record in the Chair of Chemistry at the Cincinnati Collegeof Medicine.
[A paper read before the Literary Club by Prof. Richard Nelson.]
Few men, if any, so eminent in science and philosophy have been known tolive and die in such obscurity as the subject of this paper. Amathematician whose knowledge has never been fathomed, an originalinvestigator in terrestrial and celestial chemistry, most of whosespeculations are now accepted as law; a contributor to the philosophicaljournals of Europe, whose papers were received with distinguished favor;an astronomer, who, in those papers, ventured to differ with Laplace,and, too, as will be shown, a man skilled in classical scholarship, yetunknown to his nearest neighbors and recognized by only a few in his owncity. He lived and died in obscurity and poverty in a city distinguishedfor its schools of science and art, and the liberality and public spiritof its men of wealth; who, if any, were to blame? One object of thispaper is to unravel the mystery.
HIS BIRTHPLACE AND PARENTAGE.
Daniel Vaughn was born in the year 1818 at Glenomara, four miles fromKillaloe, County Clare, Ireland. His father's name was John, who had twobrothers, Daniel and Patrick. John, like Daniel, was educated for thechurch, but, being the eldest son, remained on the farm. Daniel became,subsequently, the parish priest of Killaloe, and in 1845 was ordainedBishop.
John Vaughn had three children, Daniel (the subject of this paper), Owenand Margaret, afterward Mrs. Kent. The distance to the nearest schoolbeing four Irish miles, John had his sons educated by a tutor till theywere prepared to enter a classical academy.
At the age of about sixteen Dan, as he was familiarly called, was placedunder the care of his uncle and namesake at Killaloe, where he enteredthe academy. There the young student pursued the study of Greek, Latinand mathematics, giving some attention to certain branches of physics,for which he evinced peculiar aptitude.
HE EMIGRATES AND FINDS A HOME.
About the year 1840 his uncle, desirous of having the young man enterthe church, advanced him a sum of money to defray his expenses at atheological school in Cork, but on seeing the American liners when hereached Queenstown, the temptation to take the voyage to the land ofpromise was too great for the young adventurer to resist, so he secureda passage to New York. When at school he made wonderful advancement instudy, especially in higher mathematics, and felt he ought to go to acountry where he could be free to pursue his favorite line of thoughtand where attainments in science would not be circumscribed, as in thechurch.
Of his voyage and subsequent wanderings little is known until he reachedKentucky. That he visited many schools and paid his way in part byteaching there is no question. The college of the late Dr. Campbell, inVirginia, was one of the institutions visited, but he felt he must pushon to Kentucky. About 1842 he had reached the Blue Grass region, nearthe home of the late Colonel Stamps, in Bourbon County. The Colonel sawhim engaged at work and was quick to observe that the stranger was nocommon man. Taking him to his house and supplying his wants, the Colonelsoon installed him as his guest, and eventually made him instructor ofhis children. Access to the Colonel's library was a boon to thestranger, developing in him traits of genius of which his host was veryproud.
It was only a short time till the neighboring farmers heard of thedistinguished young scholar, and desired to have the more mature membersof their families under his care. A school was opened in the Colonel'shouse for instruction in the higher mathematics, the classics, geology,physical geography and astronomy. The young people were pleased withtheir teacher and made commendable progress, but the curriculum was toovaried and comprehensive for an instructor, who, though far advanced inscholarship, had not yet studied the art of teaching.
ACCEPTS A PROFESSORSHIP.
In 1845 he accepted the chair of Greek in a neighboring college, whichafforded him leisure for his scientific pursuits. After an absence ofseven years the Professor returned to his old friend, Colonel Stamps andfamily, where he remained some two years, leaving them to settle inCincinnati.
During his stay at the Colonel's (1851) he became a member of theAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science, and in 1852contributed to it his first article, entitled "On the Motions ofNumerous Small Bodies and the Phenomena Resulting Therefrom." Havingaccumulated a valuable collection of books on science and philosophy andobtained access to several libraries, public and private, in the city,he was now in a condition to devote most of his time and energies to hisfavorite sciences. For subsistence he delivered lectures beforeteachers' institutes and colleges till 1856, when an affection of thelungs compelled him to abandon the lecture field.
In the meantime he had offered papers for publication to Silliman'sJournal, the principal scientific magazine of America at that time,but, receiving no response to his communications and being deniedpublication, he took the advice of a friend and sent his subsequentarticles to the British Association for the Advancement of Science andto the Philosophic Magazine, where they were received with favor. He wasmuch gratified to find his article on "Meteoric Astronomy" published inthe report of the Liverpool meeting of the association in 1854. Sixpapers, which he subsequently sent in 1857, 1859 and 1861, met withsimilar favor.
For several years he visited schools, colleges and teachers' institutesin Oxford, Lebanon, Cleveland and other cities, lecturing on hisfavorite branches of science. It had been his intention to popularizethe science of physical astronomy by the publication of tracts orpamphlets.
PUBLISHES PAMPHLETS.
In the year 1856, at the request of teachers before whom he had lecturedat the institutes, and with a view to popularize scientific knowledge,the Professor commenced the publication of pamphlets. The first numbertreated of "The Geological Agency of Water and Subterranean Forces."Only two of these pamphlets came into the possession of theadministrator. One of them was a good-sized volume, as may be inferredfrom the following articles it contained:
"The Influence of Magnitude on Stability." "The Doctrine of Gravitation." "Theory of Tides." "Effects of Tides." "Cases of Excessive Tidal Action and Planetary Instability." "The Rings of Saturn." "The Supposed Influence of Satellites in Preserving Planetary Rings." "Movements of Comets." "The Tails of Comets." "Mass and Density of Comets." "Cometary Catastrophes." "Phenomena Attending the Fall of Meteors." "The Origin of Solar and Meteoric Light." "Variable Stars and the Sun's Spots." "Temporary Stars." "Electrical Light and the Aurora Borealis." "Proof of the Stability of the Solar System," with an appendix.
Some of these subjects had been treated of at greater length andpublished by American and British associations for the advancement ofscience.
He sent to the British Association for the Advancement of Science:
"Cases of Planetary Instability Indicated by the Appearance of Temporary Stars." "Appearance of Temporary Stars."
Other papers appeared:
"Note on the Sunspots," Philosophical Magazine for December, 1858. "On the Solar Spots and Variable Stars," idem, Vol. 15, p. 359. "Changes in the Conditions of Celestial Bodies," an essay. "The Origin of Worlds," Popular Science Monthly, May, 1879. "Planetary Rings and New Stars," Popular Science Monthly, February, 1879. "Astronomical History of Worlds," idem, September, 1878. "On the Stability of Satellites in Small Orbits and the Theory of Saturn's Rings," Philosophical Magazine, May, 1861. "On the Origin of the Asteroids." Contributed to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. "Static and Dynamic Stability in the Secondary Systems," Philosophical Magazine, December, 1861. "On Phenomena which May be Traced to the Presence of a Medium Pervading all Space," idem, May 11, 1861.
The Professor contributed to other p
ublications on both sides of theAtlantic, but as he failed to retain copies of the articles or of themagazines in which they were published, doubtless many papers ofinterest are among the number.
The year 1860 found the Professor possessed of a valuable collection ofbooks, the accumulation of ten or fifteen years, all showing the marksof wear, some of them besmeared with the drippings from his candle.Among them were works of some of the most prominent authors in branchesof theoretical and practical science. Those of Laplace, Kepler,Tycho-Brahe, Leibnitz, Herschel, Newton and others, together with manypamphlets and periodicals, composed his library. He possessed a familiarknowledge of the German, French, Italian and Spanish languages, and ofancient Greek and Latin. Many of his papers appeared in the continentallanguages. It may be here stated that for the eminent astronomer,Laplace, as a scientist and writer, Prof. Vaughn entertained greatrespect, though he could not accept his nebular hypothesis, becauseimportant parts of it would not bear mathematical investigation. [Theproof is in the papers in my possession.--N.] In an article of theProfessor to the Popular Science Monthly (February, 1879) is a case ofthe kind, showing that the distinguished astronomer ignored his ownfamous theory. The article reads: "In endeavoring to account for thedirect motion in secondary systems Laplace contends that, in consequenceof friction the supposed primitive solar rings would have a greatervelocity in their outer than in their inner zones. Now, if friction isto counteract to such an extent the normal effects of gravitation, itmust be an eternal bar against the origin of worlds by nebulousdismemberment, and if the ring of attenuated matter were placed underthe circumstances suggested by the eminent astronomer, it would beultimately doomed, not to form a planet, but to coalesce with theimmense spheroid of fiery vapor it was supposed to have environed."
It is interesting to know that the theory of our Professor was thecorrect one, as proved by a recent discovery of Prof. James E. Keeler,astronomer of the Allegheny Observatory. As announced in a daily paper:"Prof. James E. Keeler, of the Allegheny Observatory, has made awonderful discovery. It is a scientific and positive demonstration ofthe fact that the rings of Saturn are made up of many small bodies andthat the satellites of the inner edge of the rings move faster than theouter."
As to satellites, Prof. Vaughn, in the paper quoted, page 466, states:"The matter spread over the wide annular fields is ever urged by its ownattraction to collect together and form satellites, which are everdestroyed by attractive disturbance of the primary, and have their partsscattered once more over a wide space."
INSTALLED AS PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY.
The Professor was elected to the chair of chemistry in the CincinnatiCollege of Medicine and Surgery in 1860, where he served withdistinction for twelve years. His scholarly valedictory at thatinstitution is one of the papers reserved for publication in hismemoirs.
While in the college he continued his investigations in science,applying his knowledge of terrestrial chemistry to the chemistry of theheavens, as shown in nearly all his writings. Besides the position heldin the college, he gave lessons in schools and seminaries in geology,astronomy, chemistry, Latin and Greek.
In 1873 he visited Lexington, where he met his old friend, Dr. J. C.Darby, and delivered lectures in public, at the Sayre Institute and theBaptist School, returning to Cincinnati the following spring. Exceptfrom his writings, he seemed to have no source of revenue for severalyears. How he managed to exist his most intimate friends could onlyconjecture. True, he contributed papers to monthly publications, butthey appeared at such long intervals they could not be relied on forsupport, so, in the autumn of 1878 his friends organized for him acourse of lectures, which were well patronized by physicians and othersversed in science. In the meantime, negotiations were opened withprominent citizens of suburban towns for other lectures, and effortswere made to retire the Professor on an annuity.
HIS END DRAWING NEAR.
Enfeebled health, which confined him to his room for several weeks,prevented him from entering on the suburban course, so a second coursewas projected for the city and one of the lectures delivered. From whattranspired after that lecture his friends were again anxious regardinghis health, and, as the time approached for the delivery of the second,determined to see him. For reasons stated elsewhere it was with somedifficulty he was found. Prostrated on a couch, he was suffering from ahemorrhage of the lungs of a few days previous, with evidences allaround of a state of extreme destitution. No time was lost in having himremoved to comfortable quarters in the Good Samaritan Hospital, wherehis friends arranged for his care as a private patient. Next day, April3, he expressed himself as greatly benefited by the change and talkedcheerfully and hopefully of the future. Next day, Friday, he continuedto improve, but on Saturday proof of his forthcoming article in thePopular Science Monthly reached him, and, feeling that he ought toreturn it promptly, he sat up to do the work. The effort was too great.Overcome with exhaustion after its completion, he sank to sleep and alittle after two o'clock next morning, April 6, his weary spiritpeacefully took its flight. Born in 1818, the Professor was then in thesixty-first year of his age.
HIS OBSEQUIES.
A committee of the more intimate friends of the deceased was formed,consisting of the late Jacob Traber, his nephew, J. C. Sproull, Drs. J. J.and William Taft and the writer.
Funeral services were held in the chapel of the Hospital, where,considering the suddenness of the Professor's demise, many mourners werepresent. The interest evinced was profound, while the floral tributesthat covered the casket were eloquent of affection and esteem.
The remains were interred in a burial lot of Jacob Traber, whogenerously tendered its use until a separate place of interment and amonument could be procured. The remains of the two friends now lie sideby side.
HIS EFFECTS.
After the funeral the committee referred to visited the room occupied bythe Professor prior to his decease, and had the writer, as his nearestfriend, procure letters of administration, so that papers of value, ifany, would be cared for. A few letters, some private relics, unsalableremnants of books and pamphlets and scraps of manuscript constituted theeffects. The scarcity of manuscript was easily accounted, for, as it wasthe habit of the deceased for years to print articles designed forpublication and have them mailed to magazines and to savants indifferent parts of Europe and America.
CHARACTERISTICS AND HABITS OF STUDY.
A prominent characteristic of Prof. Vaughn was shyness--a shrinking fromfamiliarity or conspicuousness. He never was the first to salute acasual acquaintance on the street, and when introduced to a strangerwould extend his hand with apparent diffidence or reserve--not with thewarmth of a hearty shake, but rather with a cautious presentation of thefinger tips. Undemonstrative in manner, and inexperienced in the customsof social life, his diffidence was taken for coldness, yet he was kindand tender hearted almost to a fault, and a most grateful recipient of afavor. In his poverty he would part with money or personal property topeople whom he considered more necessitous than himself. Of the proceedsof his last course of lectures he gave to one such a sum so large as toalmost discourage his friends from helping him.
Then, too, he was glad to render service to professional and public men.He made translations for writers and wrote lectures for others and madechemical analyses for the city when payment was not expected. As to hisplacing a commercial value upon his services he never learned to do it,though they often cost him both time and money that he could not wellspare.
His waking hours were always fully occupied in writing or study, eitherin his laboratory, the libraries or in open-air observations. He wasthoroughly familiar with the geology of the neighborhood and thephysical geography of the entire continent, as may be seen by hisarticles on "Volcanoes," "The Origin of Lakes and Mountains," "TheAbsence of Trees on Prairies," "Malaria," etc. His ingenuity in theconstruction of apparatus for his illustrations in chemistry wasremarkable. Given a few tubes of glass and rubber, a piece of tin, someacid and alkali, a blow-pipe, soldering iron and
a pair of pinchers, hecould construct at will enough apparatus for a lesson, a lecture or ananalysis.
Considering his poverty, it may be questioned how he was able tomaintain a laboratory. For twelve years he found a room at the MedicalCollege. At other times he extemporized quarters at his humble lodgings,where the same apartment was to him laboratory, study and living room.Such a room he could not find in a private house, so he sought itelsewhere, as in the tenement in which he was found in his lastillness. That life necessarily isolated him from society, its pleasuresand advantages before he became familiar with the laws by which it wasgoverned.
Having acquired a mastery of Greek and Latin in his youth, he had a goodpreparation for the acquisition of the modern languages; besides, toprosecute his studies and investigations, he found it necessary tounderstand most of the languages of Europe.
Exception has been taken to the Professor's manner as a lecturer. Whenwe consider his natural diffidence in the presence of strangers we aresurprised that he attempted to lecture at all. Take his case when helast lectured,--his lecture hall, the operating room of the DentalCollege, and his platform that of the operator with his audience aroundbut elevated a few feet above him. The position was an exceedinglytrying one, and some time elapsed before he was able to make a goodstart. While hesitating, on such occasions, his eyes would wander aroundthe audience till they rested on those of a familiar friend. Immediatelyhe addressed himself to that person, and confidence was restored. Likeother public speakers we know of, he continued to address himselfchiefly to the one selected, however embarrassing it might be to thatindividual.
HIS RELIGIOUS LIFE.
The Professor was a Bible student, if we judge from fragments foundamong his effects and a well-worn Bible, now a relic in possession of aformer student. The book is a curiosity, worn as is the cover with marksof his fingers as he held it, often with a candle in his hand, as shownby occasional drippings on the page and cover.
He was not a member of any church. At least, had not been up to a monthbefore his decease, though he visited churches of all denominations andwas familiar with their doctrines and polity. His religion consisted inhis living up to his highest ideas of right and truth; hence he wascharitable almost to a fault. When he had not money to give, he partedwith his books.
An eloquent public speaker, referring to his private life, has said: "Hewas social, kind and humane. He took pleasure in instructing thechildren and communing with friends--good men and women, who loved andadmired him--and his humanity was gratified in bestowing what he valuedmost--knowledge. To him nothing seemed more precious than truth, and toshed the light of it abroad. His heart was in his work, and without aglance to the right or left, he pursued his arduous quest."
Of the works of creation which occupied so much of his thoughts, theProfessor's views may be had by reading the following concluding remarksfound in his "Physical Astronomy:"
"Whatever doubts may hang over all speculations respecting distantevents, either of past or future time, we have reason to believe thatour universe will ever exhibit great and useful operations throughoutits extensive domains. From the ruins of some celestial bodies otherswill rise to act a part in the drama of the physical creation in futureages. Though nature's work may all decay, her laws remain the same, andnumerous agencies, obedient to their control and aided by occasionalinterventions of creative power, must maintain the heavens forever in aharmonious condition and transform innumerable spheres into seats oflight and intelligence. While the laws of nature have been thus widelyordained for such great ends, their simplicity renders them intelligibleto the limited powers of the human mind, and the immense universe thusbecomes a vast field of intellectual enjoyment for man."
TESTIMONY OF THE LATE DR. JOHN HANCOCK.
The late Dr. Hancock, in writing to Mrs. J. W. McLaughlin, stated that heattended institute lectures of Prof. Vaughn, making his acquaintance ata meeting of the Southwestern Ohio Normal Institute. The Professor wasengaged to lecture on his favorite specialties, physical geography andastronomy. "It is my recollection," says the doctor, "that Prof. Vaughnwas a graduate of Trinity Collage, Dublin. However that may be, therecan be no doubt as to his wide and profound scholarship. He was not onlydeeply versed in the physical sciences, but was equally proficient inthe classics and mathematics. It is said by competent judges that heread Greek and Latin as he would English, as though he thought in thoselanguages, and he was one of the few Americans who read throughLaplace's 'Mechanique Celeste.' He had a prodigious memory. At theOxford Institute, to which I have referred, some dozen of the leadingmembers, Prof. Vaughn among them, got up some literary games requiringwide reading and retentive memories for successful rivalry. In thesegames the Professor showed a wealth of reading and an ability to use iton the instant that I have never seen approached by any other scholar.It is needless to say that he was first in the game and the restnowhere.
"Some ten years afterward, when connected with Nelson's CommercialCollege, I edited a little educational paper, the News and Educator, ofwhich Mr. Nelson was proprietor. In this relation I came much morefrequently in contact with Prof. Vaughn than I ever did before. To thispaper he contributed a number of articles on scientific subjects, but,being printed in an obscure local paper, they attracted littleattention."
REMINISCENCES OF MRS. STAMPS.
Mrs. Eliza Stamps, widow of the late Colonel Stamps, in giving herexperience with the Professor, said: "He was a very industrious student,in his profound researches pursuing them to the exclusion of every thingelse. He would frequently forget the demands of hunger and disregard thesummons to his meals. As to his engaging in innocent amusements, heconsidered it a sacrifice of valuable time; yet, lest he should beaccused of selfishness or wanting in social etiquette, he sometimes lefthis books to unite with the children in their games, and, diffidentthough he was, would occasionally take part in the dance.
"He enjoyed the Colonel's library, but soon exhausted its resources andthose of the neighbors; so, to obtain a supply, he would go on foot toCincinnati, one hundred miles distant, and return in the same manner,loaded with new books."
Throughout his after life he gave evidence of his great respect andaffection for Colonel Stamps, his benefactor, and his family, and theyoung ladies and gentlemen who had been his pupils, who never ceased tovenerate him for his learning, or to love and cherish his memory. Somesuch were among the mourners at his funeral.
REPUTATION IN ENGLAND.
The late Jacob Traber, one of the most intimate friends of theProfessor, has written: "In the year 1858 I was in the office of JohnSayre, bookseller, High Holborn, where I made the purchase of books thatwere yet in the hands of the printer. I gave my address and directionsfor shipping. When in the act of leaving the office I was accosted by anelderly gentleman who, with the apology, 'Beg pardon, I overheard youwhen you gave your address, Cincinnati, and desire to make inquiry aboutone of your distinguished citizens, Daniel Vaughn. Assuming that youknow him, may I ask how long it is since you have seen him?' I repliedthat I had known the Professor some four years, and had met him but afew months ago. At that time I regarded the Professor as a mechanicalgenius of the speculative type, and so expressed myself. A quickrejoinder came in that broad and forcible accent of an Englishman: 'Ifyou Cincinnati people vote Vaughn as a speculative mechanic, the ripestand profoundest mathematical scholar in England may be marked as hisapprentice. You have a treasure in that man. Why, sir, we send himproblems that fail to be mastered here, and speedily have them back notonly with a solution, but with the demonstration.' The speaker proved tobe one of the ablest scholars and scientists in Europe."
FIXING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS CONDITION.
The subject of this paper, it will be inferred, did not inherit apatrimony, yet he contributed his valuable services to many worthyobjects without pecuniary compensation. As has been stated, his greatpleasure, next to the investigation of truth, was to impart usefulknowledge and help the needy. When in the medical college he was paidwith
shares of stock on which a dividend was never declared, and whenengaged in lecturing and teaching his diffidence prevented him fromplacing a sufficient value on his services. Living the life of arecluse, he concealed his poverty from his nearest friends, who wereignorant even of his address. Then, he never sought a gratuity, and hisfriends could only learn by conjecture when he was in need. When askedif his privations did not cause him much anxiety, he said they gave himno concern.
On more than one occasion the writer, at the request of men of wealthand influence, proposed to retire him on an annuity, but he modestly butfirmly declined to accept, and it was not until after the announcementof his last course that he consented. Then the proposition was to payhis expenses at a hotel of his choice and advance him money for hispersonal expenses, for which he was to lecture when and where he mightchoose. The gentlemen most active in this project were the following,now deceased: Henry Peachy, William F. Corry, Jacob Traber, ColonelGeoffrey and others. Favorably known to the public were Drs. J. J. andWilliam Taft, Dr. Thad Reamy, J. C. Sproull, etc.
The project had so far matured that the writer and another had arrangedwith Mr. Peachy to make the Lafayette National Bank the custodian of thefunds. Had the Professor survived, he would have enjoyed a life ofleisure and comfort, at one of the most prominent hotels in the city.
The people of Cincinnati were, therefore, not responsible for thepoverty of our friend, nor for the state of destitution in which he wasfound prior to his removal to the hospital.