﻿302 PICTORIAL illSCELLANT. 



men was called to him. Professor Dewey examined him when he 

 was nine years old, and was astonished. When he was ten, the 

 Rev. Henry "W. Adams examined him for three hours, on questions 

 involving the higher branches of mathematics, and was amazed at his 

 performances. Among some arithmetical questions, Mr. Adams asked : 



" Can you tell me how many seconds old I was last March, the 

 twelfth day, when I was twenty-seven years old ? ' 



In an instant young SafFord replied : 



" You were 85,255,200 seconds old." 



Another sum given him by Mr. Adams to perform mentally, was 

 this : " Multiply," said that gentleman, " in your head, 365,365,365, 

 365,365,365 by 365,365,365,365,365,365!" 



According to his common habit at that time, Henry flew round the 

 room like a top, pulled his pantaloons over his boots, bit his hand, 

 rolled his eyes in their sockets, and seemed to be in an agony for a 

 minute, when he said : 



" 133,491,850,208,566,925,016,658,299,941,583,225 ! " and he 

 added, " This is the largest sum I ever did." 



An account of this examination being published, the attention of 

 men of eminence was drawn more particularly to Henry's wonder- 

 ful powers. The result was, that some benevolent gentlemen of 

 Boston offered to provide for the residence of Henry and his par- 

 ents at Cambridge, and for his education at the university. Ac- 

 cordingly, in 1846, the whole family removed to a pleasant locality 

 about two miles from Cambridge University. Since that time, Hen- 

 ry has pursued his studies under the direction of Messrs. Everett 

 and Pierce, in such a manner as not to injure his very delicate health. 

 Under their judicious instruction, his mind has continued to unfold 

 its marvellous powers ; he has mastered the most difficult branches 

 of the higher mathematics, and made rapid advances in other branch- 

 es of knowledge. His health has improved, and, in all probability, 

 he will live to be a man, and to realize the high promise of his child- 

 hood in the quiet walks of scholastic life. What he will accomplish 

 for science cannot of course be foretold. But that he will add ma- 

 terially to its treasures, especially in his favorite branch the 

 mathematics there is little doubt. 



One thing is worthy of remark and admiration in Henry. He is 



