320 CHARLES DA VIES. 



cism, and his faith in the power of right anrl truth to conquer both the 

 world and the individual conscience. He 



" ' Still in his right hand carried gentle peace 

 To silence envious tongues.' 



. . . We may say of him, as it was said of Sir Launcelot, he was 

 ' the kindest man that ever struck with sword.' " 



CHARLES DA VIES. 



On the 18th of September died Professor Charles Davies, of 

 Fishkill, on the Hudson. His family was of VVcL-h origin, settled in 

 Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut. Born in 1797, he was 

 removed with his father and his family to St. Lawrence County, New 

 York, in the early part of this century. That region was then almost 

 a wilderness, on the northern frontier. There he was a farmer's boy, 

 inured to work, to country habits, and to some measure of hardship. 

 With a strong constitution, quick mind, and impulsive character, he 

 had all the elements which were necessary to sustain those habits of 

 study and labor which made him a successful stuient and a most useful 

 teacher. Li December, 1813, he was appointed a Cadet at West Point. 

 In consequence of the rapid promotions (it then being war time), he 

 was promoted Second Lieutenant of Artillery in December, 1815. He 

 was only one year in the army proper, except being paymaster at West 

 Point from 1841 to 184G. In December, 1816, he was appointed As- 

 sistant Professor of Mathematics at the Military Acailemy, — a civil 

 officer, created by law for the purpose of having permanent teachers. 

 In 1821, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Natural and Experi- 

 mental Philosophy; and in May, 1823, Professor of Mathematics. In 

 this chair he remained until May, 1837, when he resigned, and removed 

 to Hartford, Connecticut, chiefly with a view of preparing and pub- 

 lishing the series of educational works which have since made him so 

 well known. The offi.-e of teacher had, however, become habitual 

 and natural to him. He loved it, and so he continued in it almost to 

 the last years of his life. From 1839 to 1841, he was Professor of 

 Mathematics in Trinity College, Hartford. Removing to West Point 

 as paymaster, and subsequently to Fishkill on the Hudson, he was 

 appointed Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy in the University 

 of New York, in 1848, and Professor of the Higher Mathematics in 

 Columbia College, New York, in 1857. There he remained until 

 1865, when he retired, and was elected Emeritus Professor. Even 

 then he did not cease wholly his connection with teachers and teach- 



