842 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



occurred during Prof. Winthrop's professorship was made by the 

 death of President Holyoke in June, 1769. Winthrop presided at 

 commencement that year, and had he been a few years younger 

 (he was then fifty-five) would doubtless have become president of 

 the college. In a letter to Mr. Thomas Hollis, in England, under 

 date of July 10, 1769, Dr. Andrew Eliot, a member of the corpora- 

 tion, remarks : " It is difficult to find one every way qualified to 

 undertake such a task. Mr. Winthrop, Hollis Professor of Mathe- 

 matics, will probably be the successor to Mr. Holyoke. His learn- 

 ing and abilities are unquestionable. He is older than we could 

 wish, and is frequently taken off from business by bodily infirmi- 

 ties." The office was tendered to Prof. Winthrop, but he declined 

 it. In 1774, when the chair was again vacant, it was offered to 

 Winthrop a second time, and again declined. 



The tide of discontent with the mother-country was now run- 

 ning high in the colonies, and Winthrop was clearly identified 

 with the patriot cause. The Massachusetts Historical Society's 

 Collections (Series V, vol. iv) contain a correspondence between 

 the professor and John Adams. The letters cover a period within 

 which occurred the battle of Bunker Hill, the evacuation of Bos- 

 ton, and the Declaration of Independence ; and they show that 

 Winthrop had a thorough understanding of public affairs, a fear- 

 less patriotism, and an eager desire for American independence. 

 In 1773 he was elected to the Governor's Council, but, together 

 with two other members, all having been opponents of the Gov- 

 ernment, he was negatived by Governor Gage, in compliance with 

 a special mandate from the English ministry. Prof. Winthrop 

 was chosen a delegate to the Provincial Congress in 1774, and in 

 1775 was finally admitted to a seat in the Council. About this 

 time he was appointed Judge of Probate for Middlesex County, 

 and held the office for the remaining years of his life. His death 

 occurred in Cambridge, before the Revolutionary struggle was 

 decided, on May 3, 1779. 



The portrait which accompanies this sketch has been engraved 

 from a photograph, furnished by Mr. Robert C. Winthrop, Jr., 

 of a painting by Copley, which belonged to the late Colonel 

 John Winthrop, of Louisiana, a great-grandson of the professor, 

 and his last descendant in the male line. 



A union of friends of astronomy and cosmical physics has been formed in 

 Berlin for the purpose of organizing practical co-operation in these subjects in the 

 countries of central Europe and in their colonies. Sections are formed for obser- 

 vations of the sun, of the moon, of the intensity and color of starlight and of the 

 milky way, of the zodiacal light and meteors, of electrical and magnetic phe- 

 nomena, and of clouds, hail, and thunderstorms. 



