120 Singular arithmetical Powers of a Child. 



of the hum.in mind that perhaps ever existed. It is the 

 case of a cl ild. binder eight years of ave, who, without any 

 previous knowledge or the common rules of arithmetic, or 

 even of tht- u^e and poaer of the Arabic numerals, -and 

 without havinjr given any particular attention to the sub- 

 ject, possesses (as if by intuition) the singular faculty of 

 solving a great variety of arithnieticai quest. ons by the mere 

 operation of' the mind, and without the usual assistance of 

 any visible svmbol or contrivance. 



The name ot this child is Zerah Colburn, who was born 

 at Cal'Ut (a tovMi lying at the head cf Onion river, in Ver- 

 mont, in the United States of Ainericn,) on the 1st of Sep- 

 tember 1801. About two years ago (August 1810) al- 

 though at that time not six years of age, he first began to 

 show those wonderful powers of calculation which have 

 since so much attracted the attention and excited the asto- 

 nishment of every person who has witnessed his extraor- 

 dinary abilities. The discovery was made bv accident. 

 His father, who had not given him any other instruction 

 than such as was to be obtained at a small school established 

 in (hat untrequenud and remote part of the country, (and 

 which did not include either writing or cyphering,) was 

 much surprised one day to hear him repeating the products 

 of several numbers. Struck with amazement at the cir- 

 cumstance, he proposed a variety of arithmetical questions 

 to him, all of uhich the child solved with rernarkable fa- 

 cility and correctness. The news of this infant prodigy 

 soon circulated through the neighbourhood ; and many per- 

 sons came from distant parts to witness so singular a cir- 

 cumstance. The father, encouraged by the unanimous 

 opinion of all who came to see hiiT), was induced to un- 

 dertake, with this child, the lour of the United States. 

 They were every v\ here received with the most flattering 

 expressions; and in the several towns which they visited, 

 various plans were suggested to educate and bring up the 

 child, free from all expense lo his family. Yieldmg, how- 

 ever, to the pressing solicitations of his friends, and urged 

 by the must respectable and poweri'ul recommendations, as 

 well as by a view to his son's more coiDpltte education, the 

 father has brought the child lo this country, where they 

 arrived on the l52th of May last: and the inhabitants of 

 this nieirop(;lis have fpr these last three months had an 

 opporiunily of seeing and examining ihis wonderful phce- 

 nomenon *, and of verifying the reports that have been cir- 

 culated respecting him. 



* At the Exliibition PvOoms, Spring Gardens. 



Many 



