md Character of Nathaniel Bowditch. 
that has occurred, and that he has observed, during his voyage. — 
On his return his journal is examined by a special committee, — 
who extract whatever they think valuable, and copy it into large — 
volumes, kept for that purpose. Dr. Bowditch was accustomed — 
to say, that these volumes contained a mass of nautical informa- 
ion that could be found no where else in the world. 4 
_. The quiet and leisure of the long East India voyages, when { 
the ship was lazily sweeping along under the steady impulse ‘of — 
the trade-winds, afforded him fine opportunities for pursuing his’ 
mathematical studies, as well as for indulging his taste for gene- 
ral Jiterature. It was at these times that he learnt the French 
and Spanish languages, without any instructor. Subsequently 
in life he acquired the German and the Italian. 
I have heard it stated, that, on the voyage to Manilla, the ship | 
sprung a leak, and was obliged to put into the Isle of France to — 
refit. Young Bowditch was the only one on board who knew | 
any thing about French, having learnt it from his-grammar on 
the voyage; and this eibatid knowledge thus proved of essential 4 
service to the interests of the owners, as well as to the crew of — 
the en i He used to say, that nothing that he: a ever came . 
amiss. i 
-He had 5 auveieiely commenced the study of Latin at the age som 
of seventeen. The first Latin book that he undertook to read — 
was a copy of Euclid’s Geometry, which had formerly belonged _ 
to the Rev. Dr. Byles, of Boston, and having been purchased at — 
the sale of his books, was presented to the young mathematician — 
by his brother-in-law, David Martin, of Salem. The following — 
words I copy from the blank leaf in the beginning of the book, 
“Began to study Latin Jan. 4, 1790.” He afterwards read and — 
translated Newton’s “ Principiteé” a copy of which book, rare, — 
doubtless, at that time in this country, had come into his posses . 
through the kindness of the learned and reverend Dr. Bent 
le} Salem. Dr. Bentley told him: that he could not give I him 
the book, as it had been presented to him by a friend, but dhe | 
would loan it to. Jum, _ that he a _ it till 
among his books. © : 
hott he « once leaned he ever afterwards re 
