ELISilA MITCHELL SCIENTIFIC SOCIETV. II 



repair to Chapel Hill at once; Imtypent a year in studying Theology 

 in the Seminary at Andover, Mass. This he did that he might be 

 the better prepared to learn and to teaeli whatever Science might 

 discover or Revelation inculcate. So it happened that it was Jan- 

 uary, 1818, when Dr. Mitchell began his labors in the professor's 

 chair and the preacher's pulpit — labors not interrupted till his death 

 in 1857. but continued during nearly forty years with great energy, 

 rare intelligence, and notable success — forty years of wonderful dis- 

 coveries in Science and profound discussions in Religion. 



As has been already stated, Dr. Mitchell came to our University 

 to be its Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. The 

 ardor with which he entered on this professorship is evident in the 

 pages of a njanuscript volume which lies before us, entitled ''Compte 

 oiiTert de mes etudes, mes pensees—de mon etre.'' Its first entrv is 

 dated '' ^ept. 9, 1818," and mentions his ''mathematical studies un- 

 eonnected with those of the classes.'' It also contains a division of 

 the hours of each day according to the studies thereof. From sun- 

 rise, and " apresles matins,'' till 11 o'clock— the first of his recita- 

 tion and lecture hours — he was to study Mathematics with the reso- 

 lution "-Jene toncherais pas aucun livre de belles lettres.''' From 

 the hour for recitation till that for dinner he was to read newspapers, 

 a reading that he continued till his death. No man in North Caro- 

 was better acquainted with the useful news of the day. He was a 

 constant reader of the N. Y. Journal of Commerce, paying special 

 attention to its items respecting the sales of merchandise, and the 

 coming and going of ships, that he might know what was being 

 made and sold, and how it was transported to markets all over the 

 world. So it came to pass that his knowledge of Geography was 

 wonderful, for its extensiveness, minutene.'^s, and accuracy. After 

 dinner he was to study the Spanish language and Botany with this 

 provision — "./e lie toucherais pas aucun livre Auglais, a moins que 

 les livres botaniques.'''' On Saturday he was to busy himself with 

 " Greek, Latin, and Hebrevj, and the History of Greece.'" One en- 

 try is, " 'Petals malade et Je lisais 80 lic/nes dans la traite de Cicero 

 sur la vieillesse.'''' This book contains Dr. Mitchell's notes on New- 

 ton's Principia, Hutton's Mathematics. Lacroix's Calculus, Vince's 

 Fluxions, Montucla's History of Mathematics, Art. 'Optics' in the 

 Perth Encyclopaedia," &c., &c. We have seen how Dr. Mitchell 

 became a great Geographer. He made also a list of the years from 

 "904 B. C, Troy taken" to "A. D. 1719, Biot commences his ob- 

 servations at the Shetland Isles." It was made that he nnght record, 

 for each year, the events that rendered it remarkable in his eves. 



