202 The Smithsonian Institution 



went together to Europe, where they remained for nearly a 

 year. Here they studied the Continental languages and 

 made leisurely visits to the principal art collections and to 

 places of historic interest. In the fall of 1865 they returned 

 to New England. 



Still uncertain as to the future, but not yet supposing that 

 its promise could possibly be in the direction of astronomy, 

 he learned that the observatory in Cambridge was to be 

 reorganized, and that new assistants were being selected. 

 Presenting himself to the Director, Professor Joseph Win- 

 lock, he was cordially received, and the dream of his life was 

 realized. He was at last to become an astronomer. 



Thus at the age of thirty he began the serious work of his 

 life. He was by no means a novice, for he had been an eager 

 student of astronomical works, and had made with his own 

 hands telescopes of successively larger size, one of which, 

 with a seven-inch aperture, was mounted so effectively that it 

 could be used in serious work of observation. Strange to 

 say, however, he had never formed the acquaintance of any 

 astronomer, and had scarcely, except as a tourist in Europe, 

 visited an astronomical observatory. 



From this time on progress was sufficiently rapid to make 

 amends for his diversion to other interests in earlier years, 

 and before he had reached the age of forty he was recognized 

 as one of the most brilliant observers and one of the most 

 original philosophic reasoners and astronomers of the century. 



In 1866 he went from Cambridge to Annapolis, having 

 been offered the place of Assistant Professor of Mathematics 

 in the United States Naval Academy. Here, in connection 

 with his other duties, he reorganized the small observatory 

 which had been projected by Professor Chauvenet about i860 

 but abandoned upon the removal of the Academy to Newport 

 during the Civil War. He remounted and put into service 



