Obituary Notices of Fellows deceased. 



JOSIAH WILLARD GIBBS. 18391903. 



" Josiah Willard Gibbs was the son of Josiah Willard Gibbs (Y. C. 

 1809), the distinguished Professor of Sacred Literature in the 

 University from 1822 to 1861, and of Mary Anna (Van Cleve) Gibbs. 

 He was born in New Haven, Conn., on February 11, 1839, and died 

 on April 28, 1903. He was prepared for college at the Hopkins 

 Grammar School, New Haven, and entered the class July 24, 1854. 

 In his College course he won the Berkeley Premium for Latin Com- 

 position; 1857, Bristed Scholarship; 3rd Prize Latin Examination, 

 2nd term Junior year ; Berkeley Premium for Latin Composition ; 

 1858, 1st De Forest Mathematical Prize; Clark Scholarship; Latin 

 Oration. 



"He occupied the first five years after graduation in 1858 in 

 mathematical and other studies in New Haven. In the autumn of 

 1863 he became tutor in Yale, and was engaged with the duties of 

 that position until August, 1866, when he went to Europe. 



"The winter of 1866-67 he spent in Paris, and the winter of 

 1867-68 and the following summer, in Berlin, studying especially 

 physics, but devoting a part of his time to mathematics. The winter 

 of 1868-69 he passed in Heidelberg, and the next spring in France, 

 reaching home in June, 1869. In July, 1871, he was elected Professor 

 of Mathematical Physics in Yale." 



This synopsis of the early life of the distinguished American 

 Natural Philosopher, whose decease occurred on April 28, 1903, is quoted 

 from the "Yale Alumni Weekly," of May 6.* Not the least of the 

 lessons to be learned from the careers of distinguished men is conveyed 

 by a recital of their early education and activities. It has been 

 remarked that the present case is one of many in which some training 

 in literary studies has helped to mould and brace a mind, destined to 

 contribute materially to the unravelment of the simple fundamental 

 principles that regulate the complex phenomena of Nature. 



The prevailing interests revealed in Gibbs' work are those of a 

 mathematician ; though his facility in algebra was perhaps slight, and 

 he was most successful when casting his arguments into graphical form. 

 His mind was always straining towards complete general views. His 

 direct geometrical or graphical bent is shown by the attraction which 

 vectorial modes of notation in physical analysis exerted over him, as 



* Reference should also be made to the very interesting account by his 

 .colleague Prof. H. A. Bumstead, in the " American Journal of Science " xvi, 

 pp. 187-202, which appeared after the present notice was completed. 



