54.4 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



SKETCH OF JEAN-CHARLES HOUZEAU. 



THE romantic incidents of M. Houzeau's career in the United- 

 States must invest his story with a living and lasting interest 

 to all Americans. His scientific record is no less remarkable. In 

 versatility, variety of studies, industry, productiveness, and origi- 

 nality he has been surpassed by few men of science. The mate- 

 rials for this sketch have been drawn from the affectionate and 

 appreciative Notes biographiques of Houzeau's intimate friend 

 and associate, M. A. Lancaster (Brussels, 1889). 



Jean-Charles Houzeau de Lehaie was born at L'Ermitage, 

 near Mons, Belgium, October 7, 1820, and died July 12, 1888. He 

 was the elder of two children ; his brother, M. Auguste Houzeau, 

 is a professor of the School of Mines in Mons and a member of 

 the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. His mother was still 

 living in 1889, at the age of ninety years ; but his father died in 

 1885, ninety-five years old. His name was regularly published in 

 the annual list of nobles in the Almanach royal. The family had 

 added De Lehaie to their name about the middle of the last cent- 

 ury, to distinguish them from other branches of the same stock. 



Jean - Charles Houzeau showed very early an inclination 

 toward the branches in which he became famous. He was inter- 

 ested in astronomy even before he had learned to read ; and with 

 the bonbons that were given him he would form on a table groups 

 of geometrical figures intended to represent the constellations. 

 When he had the table covered with them, he would call his 

 friends in to look at his firmament. He attended the college at 

 Mons while from twelve to seventeen years old ; and in the last 

 year received a special prize. He then applied for admission to 

 the University of Brussels, but failed to pass the examinations. 

 He returned to Mons, where he was allowed to pursue his astro- 

 nomical studies and ramble over the fields at will. From this 

 time his mind was always on the alert, and he showed uncommon 

 faculties of observation. "With his own hands he constructed a 

 small observatory on a neighboring hill. It included a wooden 

 cabin in which were a mural circle, a transit instrument, and a 

 telescope. The tubes of these instruments were of zinc; the 

 glasses, which were not achromatic, were bought in Paris. He 

 also began to write about this time, and contributed to L' Eman- 

 cipation, of Brussels, numerous articles on subjects relating to 

 improvements in industrial arts. He published his first scientific 

 work in 1839, a pamphlet of 108 pages on turbine wheels, which 

 can not be found now, but which was regarded by competent 

 men at the time as of great practical value. 



In the two following years, 1840 and 1841, Houzeau attended 



