SKETCH OF DR. WILLIAM WHEW ELL. 107 



land," and soon afterward, among others, a translation of Grotius's 

 "Rights in Peace and War," a translation of Plato's ''Dialogues," 

 and, anonymously, a work entitled "The Plurality of Woiids," in 

 which he argued that none of the planets, except the earth, are inhab- 

 ited. This book had a great popularity, and excited much discussion. 

 In 1855 he became Vice-Chancellor of the university, and retired from 

 the professorship of Moral Philosophy, remaining, however. Master of 

 Trinity. Among the last of his works was the editing, in 1861, of 

 the mathematical works of Dr. Isaac Barrow, Master of Trinity in 

 1672. Dr. Whewell died May 5, 1866, from the eifects of injuries re- 

 ceived in a fall while riding on horseback. He was one of the most 

 distinguished men that Trinity College has produced, and one of the 

 best of its masters. He was a munificent benefactor to the college, 

 to which he added one new court during his life, and at his death be- 

 queathed his large fortune to the building of another, and to the 

 founding of a professorship of International Law. Dr. Whewell was 

 a large, strong, erect man, of the Johnsonian type, with a red face and 

 a loud voice, an effective preacher, a vigorous controversialist, and 

 a man of extensive and varied attainments, which were always at 

 ready command. His memory was remarkable, but it was rather 

 special, and took chiefly the direction of his studies. He could remem- 

 ber all about books and their contents with the greatest accuracy, but 

 could not recollect the names of the Fellows of his own collesre. This 

 was of course often wrongly interpreted ; and very naturally so, it 

 must be confessed, for Dr. Whewell's manner was marked by no lit- 

 tle assumption of superiority. He was naturally aristocratic in feeling, 

 and his pompous bearing among the college oflicials gave him the rep- 

 utation of being arrogant. Still, he understood his own strength, and 

 was not without excuse for a considerable degree of self-regard. A 

 story is told of him which illustrates both his varied knowledge and 

 his personal relations to his brother Fellows : He used frequently to 

 so overwhelm the company at the Fellows' table with his learning, that 

 a conspiracy was at length formed to put him down. A number of 

 them, on one occasion, crammed up on Chinese music, from scattered ar- 

 ticles in old reviews, which they supposed he would not be acquainted 

 with, and then made the state of music among the Chinese the subject 

 of a seemingly casual conversation at dinner. They were highly grati- 

 fied with the apparent result ; for, contrary to his usual custom, Dr. 

 Whewell remained silent. When, however, they had nearly talked 

 themselves out, he remarked : " I was imperfectly and to some extent 

 incorrectly informed regarding Chinese music when I wrote the arti 

 cles from which you have drawn your information." The conspiracy 

 was a failure ; the Fellows were disgusted, and the dignified doctor 

 remained acknowledged master of the situation. 



